While there's nothing wrong with a game being declared complete and stopping updates, the way this went down doesn't sit right. Evil Empire (the studio that split off from Motion Twin specifically to maintain Dead Cells) had longer-term plans and the resources to make them happen, but Motion Twin then ordered Evil Empire to stop development because they thought an actively developed Dead Cells would be a competitor to Windblown that they could preemptively kill off.

[–] sushibowl@feddit.nl 16 points 2 months ago

Is there any reliable source for this information? Or is it rumours only.

[–] ngwoo@lemmy.world 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

It sucks because Windblown looked cool but now I don't want to support it.

[–] hate2bme@lemmy.world -4 points 2 months ago

Just play the game

[+] Banichan@dormi.zone -9 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I'd actually like my game to be complete and to not spend more money on the same damn game.

This is a godsend. Game's already confusing enough as it is 😂

[–] sigmaklimgrindset@sopuli.xyz 18 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

I get what you mean, but Dead Cells was already a completed roguelike on launch. The DLC's add variety and additional story, but you can still get the full gameplay experience with just the base game.

It's like saying you won't support the Elden Ring because it has DLC.

Also, the Castlevania DLC is just fucking cool. The soundtrack for those levels alone are just -chef's kiss-, and probably the closest we'll get to a new 2D Castlevania 🥲

[–] stringere@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago (2 children)

probably the closest we'll get to a new 2D Castlevania

Check out Gestalt Steam and Cinder and Aeterna Noctis. Both are great metroidvanias, especially with the size of Aeterna Noctis' map.

As for 2d roguelikes Ravenswatch is pretty fun so far.

[–] M137@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

As for 3d* roguelikes

[–] sigmaklimgrindset@sopuli.xyz 1 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Thanks for the recs! I've played Aeterna Noctis and enjoyed it a lot, I'll definitely check the other two out!

[–] stringere@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago)

Cheers!

V Rising. I mentioned this in another post on this thread. Vampire castle building survival sim ARPG that, like Dead Cells, has a Castlevania DLC.

[+] Banichan@dormi.zone -12 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Dead Cells shows impassible doors where DLC areas should be if you have the base game only. Full gameplay experience, my ass 😂

[–] sigmaklimgrindset@sopuli.xyz 8 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Yeah, it does, but what are you missing exactly? Can you not get to the final boss without the DLC? No, you can get to the boss no problem, and in fact going to DLC biomes sometimes means you can't get to the final biome/boss. Is your playtime reduced to less chambers/run? Nope, the number of chambers and biome-bosses remain the same. Is the gameplay altered? Nope, all runes and weapons that you need to finish the game is there in the base game and unlockable.

I know, because I played the base game only until the Dead Cells Castlevania PS5 collection came out.

You're being disingenuous in making it seem like they purposefully cut content and then added it back for $$$, when Evil Empire has been adding a lot of free updates to the base game since 2019.

[+] Banichan@dormi.zone -6 points 2 months ago (1 children)

if I play a game, and while I'm playing, I run into a progression dead end that makes me buy my way past it, IT ISN'T A COMPLETE GAME

[–] all-knight-party@fedia.io 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I would doubt you'd hit a progression dead end in that game. you'd have to be god cracked at it and enjoy it enough to play that much and milk what's already there, and at that point you'd probably want to buy the DLC to extend the variety and experience, because it's that good to begin with.

I started playing this game before there was DLC. You know what? It was fucking fun.

[–] Banichan@dormi.zone -3 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Yes, it was fun because the DLC dead ends weren't there.

[–] all-knight-party@fedia.io 5 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Doors don't control my enjoyment. I played it at times without DLC installed. I can handle some inaccessible doors being around without letting it control my enjoyment.

[+] Banichan@dormi.zone -7 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Your thinly-veiled attempt to insult me is trashy af.

[–] all-knight-party@fedia.io 3 points 2 months ago

Definitely not trying to do that. To speak on the idea of visible, inaccessible DLC in a game, it is bad, full stop. I think it's certainly cynical of the developers to put the doors there and not completely remove them unless you have the DLC installed.

Seeing those seams is something you can't help but notice, and it absolutely does impact your perception of the game to have them there. What I am saying is that Dead Cells is so thoroughly well made and considered that I was able to tell myself "these doors are locked until I beat the game on a certain boss cell and feel justified to pay for an 'expansion' and access new content".

I can live with that specifically because the doors are not necessary, you just can't enter them and take a different path, similar to other locked zone doors that are instead locked because of boss cell requirements. The maps are also consistently laid out in terms of direction to get to a certain zone entrance, so once I know it's there I can avoid that path in the future until I decide to stop playing or buy more content.

If Dead Cells were a lesser game I would be much less forgiving about it, and to be clear, again, the fact that you can see DLC doors for DLC you don't have is bad design, full stop. It's just that the game is so good overall, I think it'd be sad for someone to pass it up for that reason, or to think that they're not getting enough because of it. It's a shame, but the game's still awesome.

I don't think you're wrong to feel the way you do, but try not to sleep on the game because of it. Even without the paid DLC the base game and free updates have a lot of mileage.

[–] Nibodhika@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

You're wrong, some of those doors were always there, the giant was there from the start, the big door he smashes was there since before the DLC released. You just didn't knew that was a DLC because it hadn't come out yet.

Dead cells is still a complete game, the DLCs just give you more of the same thing, you can still get hundreds of hours from the base game alone. By your standards no DLC could ever be made.

[–] frigidaphelion@lemmy.world 4 points 2 months ago

Much much much love for Dead Cells and the people who work on it. Fantastic game with devs who love it.

[–] Sharan@lemmy.world 2 points 2 months ago

Finally, I get to play it.