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Author Topic: Dead Cells  (Read 13859 times)
Druzil
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on: May 22, 2017, 10:56:06 AM

Dead Cells - Currently $16 on Steam Early Access
http://store.steampowered.com/app/588650/Dead_Cells/

Dead Cells is a 2D action-platformer / rogue-lite, currently in early access.  Much in the same vein as Rogue Legacy the game is run based with persistent upgrades that make your future runs easier allowing you to make it deeper into the castle.  The map, weapons and even doors are reminiscent of some of the 2D Castlevania games.  The game has a pixel art style with some bloom effects that really make it look great.

One of my favorite parts of the game is the combat and the feel of the game.  There are a variety of movement skills such as double jump, ground smash, ledge grabs and a dodge roll.  There's also a variety of weapons and styles to play around with.  You can use a short ranged daggers with high combo damage or a long range whip with lower damage along with various traps, spells, bows and shields.  The enemies will charge at you forcing you to block or will employ various kinds of shields requiring you to dodge behind them or stun them.

The game also incorporates some Souls games elements.  Killing enemies causes them to occasionally drop 'cells' (souls) that you collect through your run and are used as the permanent upgrade currency.  However to spend them you have to survive to the next area.  Occasionally you will run across other other powers that will enable different routes or shortcuts through the castle.  There's also a gem like currency used for opening treasure doors and spending at Spelunky-like shops.

One knock against the game is that currently reuses many of the same enemies as you progress through the areas.  It does introduce some new ones as well, but the old ones seem to stick around.  Also although there is a Rogue Legacy style upgrade tree, it doesn't look nearly as big or have as much variety.  Hopefully their goal for getting out of early access is to just increase the variety across the board.  More enemies, more weapons, more upgrades.

These are just my initial impressions but I like the game quite a bit so far.  That said, I'm only about 2-3 hours in.  Whether or not there's enough game for the full price at the moment, I'm not sure yet.
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Reply #1 on: June 25, 2017, 04:05:04 PM

I picked this up and it's really good. Controls are tight, looks great, interesting approach. The procedural generation stuff however has the usual issues where everything is pretty samey even if it is randomly generated.

"The world is populated in the main by people who should not exist." - George Bernard Shaw
Fabricated
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Reply #2 on: July 02, 2017, 10:11:54 PM

New Update. Longer play has revealed to me that this game doesn't give you enough shit to unlock straight off which is annoying because you need to unlock a bare minimum amount of stuff before you can THEN unlock starting with random ranged/melee/shields, which lets you guarantee that upgrading the damage/effectiveness of your weapons and skills is effective right off.

"The world is populated in the main by people who should not exist." - George Bernard Shaw
Druzil
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Reply #3 on: July 03, 2017, 07:04:49 AM

I've put quite a bit of time into this now and it remains excellent.  The last update added a bunch of new enemies, which the game needed.   Also there are quite a few more unlocks than I expected.  The spear in particular is quite fun and the new broadsword and torch are VERY good.   Shields were buffed to try to prevent enemies from cheaply  chaining you to death, but I think they are still way to weak and the fix didn't really work.  There are still a few enemies that can chain you into a frustrating death.

I haven't beat the final boss yet, he's pretty tough, and the enemies in the final levels can wreck you quick.  I'm still enjoying doing runs and trying different weapon combos.  Hopefully they keep adding stuff because if they can get content variety in a good spot the game play will carry this game.
Rasix
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Reply #4 on: August 09, 2018, 01:42:18 PM

This released. It's fucking great. I'm terrible at it (and this genre), but I couldn't stop playing. Started playing and ended up going for 3 hours straight.

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schild
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Reply #5 on: August 09, 2018, 10:05:24 PM

This is excellent.
pxib
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Reply #6 on: August 09, 2018, 10:34:48 PM

Great visual style, great controls, good difficulty/progression curve. Also, the music is excellent and (more rare) matches the feel of the gameplay: Urges you forward without being overbearing, just like most other aspects of the design.

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Druzil
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Reply #7 on: August 14, 2018, 07:02:34 AM

Started over from scratch and it's got me hooked all over again.  I had like one hit left on the second boss and super choked.  I really want to see what's past that because it was a little rough before.  Also, they changed shields again and I still hate them, but they they at least seem more usable.  I'm going to have to do a few shield runs to figure out the timing.  I feel like they are probably great if you are good with them but I have a hard time playing that slow.

I think I'm going to be playing this one for a long time.
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Reply #8 on: August 14, 2018, 08:36:44 AM

Game is so good I bought it on two systems already. Might get PS4 also.
Soulflame
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Reply #9 on: August 14, 2018, 10:03:47 AM

You're talking about this inspired me to take another go at Rogue Legacy.

Mostly so I could maybe actually complete a game before I buy this at some point in the future.   awesome, for real
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Reply #10 on: August 14, 2018, 10:20:42 AM

This is a better presented and sharper version of (maybe better game or not better depending on the person playing) Rogue Legacy.  So make sure you like that game before you buy this one.  

"My great-grandfather did not travel across four thousand miles of the Atlantic Ocean to see this nation overrun by immigrants.  He did it because he killed a man back in Ireland. That's the rumor."
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Rasix
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Reply #11 on: August 14, 2018, 10:23:10 AM

Game is so good I bought it on two systems already. Might get PS4 also.

Uhh, yah. I may have to get this on the Switch for portable play.

It's amazing that I can enjoy a game like this. It doesn't make me feel like I suck, it makes me feel like I can get better. The skill floor raises so seamlessly.


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Ironwood
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Reply #12 on: August 14, 2018, 10:23:52 AM

This whole thread is a little disturbing.

It looks like an 8 bit platformer, but I'm really hearing some love.

What the hell.

"Mr Soft Owl has Seen Some Shit." - Sun Tzu
Rasix
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Reply #13 on: August 14, 2018, 10:42:03 AM

It's not really a platformer. There aren't a lot of platforming sections, and those that are there aren't very difficult. This is partially by design and partially because the movement in the game is done so well. I'm shit at platformers, and even I can pull of some stuff that looks incredibly slick.

This is essentially a rogue-like metroidvania (loosely). There isn't much backtracking in the traditional sense of the genre, but you do acquire abilities in your runs that unlock opportunities on future runs. Over time you unlock new abilities, new weapons, new mutagens (passives). Also, while playing, you put together a kit on the fly and adjust it based on what you're going to encounter. One time I may end up building a trap build where I toss out a bunch of deployables while utilizing range attacks. I can run a build where I have complementing melee attacks supplemented by low cool down grenades with varying status effects. This does mean you can get dicked by RNG in some runs, but they're not overly long and if you finish at least one segment, you will make progress.

Plus there's built in structure/rewards for speed running, if you're into that shit.

It just never feels unfair. A generous dodge roll and precise movement means that even if your kit limits you, the game does not. It's just good. This game is as well made and executed as anything I can conceive of.
« Last Edit: August 14, 2018, 10:43:36 AM by Rasix »

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Hawkbit
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Reply #14 on: August 14, 2018, 10:48:48 AM

The Switch version has some sub-60fps moments. The devs said that fix is their priority right now. That said, it is just as good portable as on PC.

I got my kid hooked on it, she's playing like three hours a day right now. It reminds me so much of NES games evolved, so it's awesome seeing her geek out on something that at least feels retro in base game movement.
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Reply #15 on: August 14, 2018, 10:52:14 AM

This whole thread is a little disturbing.

It looks like an 8 bit platformer, but I'm really hearing some love.

What the hell.

nah, it looks post-neo geo

unless you forgot what 8bit looks like, in which case, I'll help

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MisterNoisy
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Reply #16 on: August 14, 2018, 06:14:43 PM

This is probably the best game to pop in the last couple of years.

Super focused gameplay that keeps you coming right back at it when you get ganked - the progression loop is super well-tuned.

Also gets bonus points for getting an IGN 'writer' fired for plagiarism.

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SurfD
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Reply #17 on: August 14, 2018, 10:52:46 PM

Also gets bonus points for getting an IGN 'writer' fired for plagiarism.
OOo, do tell :P

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Trippy
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Reply #18 on: August 14, 2018, 11:54:48 PM

Threash
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Reply #19 on: August 15, 2018, 09:34:42 AM

Is this playable with keyboard and mouse or do you need a controller?

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schild
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Reply #20 on: August 15, 2018, 09:44:45 AM

you want a controller
Threash
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Reply #21 on: August 15, 2018, 09:53:25 AM

I really don't, which is the problem.

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Rendakor
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Reply #22 on: August 15, 2018, 11:36:28 AM

Picked this up for the Switch and loving it so far. What's behind the 2 minute timed door, anything worth rushing for? I generally don't play these games fast, and instead prefer to full clear an area before moving on and have yet to make it to it in time. Are there more of these timed doors?

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Druzil
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Reply #23 on: August 15, 2018, 01:19:18 PM

Picked this up for the Switch and loving it so far. What's behind the 2 minute timed door, anything worth rushing for? I generally don't play these games fast, and instead prefer to full clear an area before moving on and have yet to make it to it in time. Are there more of these timed doors?

A batch of cells, gold and usually an upgrade.  I believe I have found blueprints as well.   

There are a bunch of timed doors.  Sometimes I will do a cells run where I just hit all the timed doors between the beginning and the clock tower.  It takes maybe 10-12 minutes and you net like 100 cells or so.  There's usually one in the safe room of the black bridge and then right after it in stilt village there is another one and they have 20-30 each.  Plus all the ones before that depending on the route you take - Ramparts has one, Toxic sewers has one, Ossuary has one.
Nija
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Reply #24 on: August 17, 2018, 09:00:24 AM

They spent a lot of time working on how this plays and controls. I have played 65 games now and I can only think of 3 bullshit deaths.

I'm playing it on the switch and I notice that if I use the pro controller I do two to three times better than using the handheld controls. Someone needs to make upsized joycons for adults.
Gimfain
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Reply #25 on: August 17, 2018, 10:22:57 AM

For someone that liked games like hollow knight and ori but never been a fan of rogue-like/lite randomized maps, is it a game for me?

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Hawkbit
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Reply #26 on: August 17, 2018, 10:31:14 AM

I personally like games like Castlevania, Metroid, Hollow Knight, Ori and tend to dislike games like Rogue Legacy. However, this one pushes all the right buttons. It just never feels unfair and there are mechanisms to make future runs easier. It still is random maps and sometimes those layouts are more dense than others.

I feel as if this is a bit of a 'must buy' for just about anyone that appreciates action games and is nostalgic for the way games used to be when we were kids.
Gimfain
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Reply #27 on: August 17, 2018, 12:00:36 PM

You sold me on this one.

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Rendakor
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Reply #28 on: August 17, 2018, 12:02:55 PM

It certainly feels like a modern (S)NES game in a good way. I haven't played a game in a while that I felt like I had to "get good at the game" in order to progress; while the game certainly unlocks more options and power as you accumulate cells, you still need to learn how to deal with the enemies and manage health as you play.

"i can't be a star citizen. they won't even give me a star green card"
MisterNoisy
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Reply #29 on: August 21, 2018, 06:08:13 PM

I'm at the point where getting to the Hand of the King is trivial (if occasionally time-consuming), but that fight is kicking my ass.  This game is probably already my GotY.

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Rasix
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Reply #30 on: August 22, 2018, 02:29:47 PM

I tend to get gibbed in the Castle, but I'm at the point where I can get to it most of the time. Slumbering Sanctuary can sometimes be an issue, just due to goddamn damage the mobs there can put out.

I'd say 70% of the time I end up with a tactics/traps build. It helps to mitigate my old man reflexes to a degree.

-Rasix
Druzil
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Reply #31 on: August 23, 2018, 07:00:57 AM

I did in the castle quite a bit as well, mostly because I'm trying to speed through it and the enemies there just do a ton of damage.  I should learn to slow down.

I don't usually have trouble in Slumbering Sanctuary but Forgotten Sepulcher can get me from time to time on some of the longer darkness areas.

Last night I had a brutality build that was amazing with Valmont's Whip and Hokuto's Bow.  Then I got one shot by one of the big hook guys in the Castle.   It happened so fast that I'm not sure what I did, but 'm sure I screwed up on something Oh ho ho ho. Reallllly?
Ironwood
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Reply #32 on: August 24, 2018, 11:03:48 AM

Well.  What an interesting little game.

"Mr Soft Owl has Seen Some Shit." - Sun Tzu
Rasix
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Reply #33 on: August 24, 2018, 01:19:06 PM

Spoiler-y tip:


-Rasix
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Reply #34 on: August 24, 2018, 06:44:48 PM

The general amount of grinding required to unlock stuff is more annoying than fun to me.

"The world is populated in the main by people who should not exist." - George Bernard Shaw
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