Clock Tower has paths straight up that occasionally branch into 2. Promenade of the condemned and ramparts both have a linear top path, with branches that go straight down with optional goodies. Only the clock tower is really misleading, because it’s totally possible to go up a whole tower and it ends up being a dead end. Because most levels have a clear directionality to them, you have a general idea of whether you’re getting closer to the ending. The teleporters scattered across maps help you double back from dead ends, which is very helpful in the timed levels. If they went further and made levels loop more, it would likely have taken away from the focus on quick clear times and speed that they included into the game.ĭead Cells generates maps for different stages that each have a recognizable character to them that’s distinct between maps, which is really cool! It makes the experience of playing each stage distinct from the others, and gives you a level of regularity in the level/map design that lets you build expectations about how best to tackle each stage, and make informed interesting choices. The branching maps and dense level design they took from their inspiration make exploring in Dead Cells really fun and it’s definitely a lot stronger for that influence. Again, I’m being a little pedantic about Dead Cells not really being a Metroidvania. The sewers in particular have large blocks of the map with a swiss-cheese-like composition, filled with enemies. Much of the actual level design within maps is looping, even if the maps as a whole don’t loop, which is helpful for weaving around enemies, avoiding their attacks, and picking good positions to attack back from. It’s the second to last level of the game, which I feel is an appropriate ramp up in complexity.
Tactically, it also has less teleporters than most of the other maps. A main map that has a looping structure, and 3 linear sub-maps that connect different areas of the main map, thereby making even more loops. The exception is High Peak Castle, which has 4 maps in one. Since levels in Dead Cells branch without looping, they can’t have Metroidvania style interconnection. Metroidvania structure is based on interconnection within the levels, and across the world. Maps in Dead Cells follow a few simple patterns, having an obvious main path with a few detour side paths (Promenade of the Condemned, Ramparts, Stilt Village) branching off into many separate paths with different exits, and teleporters to carry you back (Prison, Toxic Sewers, Ossuary) and having one clear path with few diversions (Ancient Sewer, Slumbering Sanctuary, Forgotten Sepulcher). Despite technically not being a metroidvania, the level structure it chose for itself is still extremely effective in its goals. Metroidvania is a design pattern across the entire map of a game’s world, where the map loops on itself, allowing areas from later in the game to fold back on areas from earlier in the game, where objectives are dispersed across this map to encourage unique routing. Your basic options are to use your weapons or tools, jump, double jump, roll, chug a potion, ground pound, or generic use button.ĭead Cells’ big influence is from Metroidvanias, and I think the influence is definitely positive on the game, but I don’t think it’s really a metroidvania, and I don’t think making it more like a metroidvania would be good for it. You have 5 slots on your character for items: 2 weapons, 2 tools, and an accessory. It’s a 2d platformer, where you find randomized loot and fight through procedurally generated levels. Dead Cells bills itself as a Metroidvania Roguelike.
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