Unfinished: Dead Cells 05/17/2017

wow

Edit: so stunned to see 0 comments I panicked and didn't know what to type

Also I was excited to see the QL for this game

Ah this looks good. Wish it was done and not early access, so sick of early access

This reminds me a lot of Binding of Isaac in the way it's structured; Items that you unlock for collecting, timed doors, etc.

The main negative I've read about this game is that you have no invincibility frames when you get hit which leads to very frustrating moments. May seem minor but is potentially a deal breaker for me. Anyone that has played the game who has input on that specifically ?

So how much is it? :-)

16.99$

It seems like Abby's audio wasn't recorded when she read the price (I assume that's what she said).

Never bought an early access game, but this is the most enticed I've ever felt, it looks really cool.

@neverminder: Thanks Abby.

this game feels amazing and responsive, my only beef with it, and I might be missing something, is it seems less like a metroidvania, and more stage based than it lets on.

if you see a gold door and go through, you are basically at the end of that area. there are some skills you can get to access new parts of an area, but you can't seem to backtrack to get things you missed in that run so far, you'll just have it for next time.

again, I could be wrong, I'm only on my third run, but I got about 5 stages deep and that seems to be the case, which is disappointing, because some areas also have multiple exits

Definitely looks cool. I'll be sure to check it out when it comes out of early access.

Is there anything unusual going on with the sprites here? I get the feel that the main character is traditionally animated, but those shield and archer guys in particular have sort of a 3d model feel to their movement.

@onimonkii: The two skills that open up new areas are pretty much one of the only metroidvania-esque elements in the game so far really. With the devs having said the current game is only 50% of the content they plan to have by release within a year, it seems likely that they'll add a few more of these permanent traversal ability type unlocks.

I know for sure I don't like the design of the player character. I am, however, unsure if I also dislike the entire art style. Dammit!

i can kinda see why they wouldn't have it be like symphony of the night where you can just teleport to any previously unlocked point and there's enemies there, it would kind of break the progression. there's ways around it, but not allowing backtracking seems like an easy fix while they sort it out

A few things to supplement @danryckert's comments:

There's a third, extremely hard exit to several levels (for the first level, it's the Ossuary) - and also secret bonus areas in many levels, accessible from runes on the floor.

You don't *have* to pay to unlock doors - you can destroy them instead! You'll take a curse based on how expensive the door was - but hey, "free" stuff!

Currently there are 11 levels per run, if I'm not mistaken.

Each timer door, if I recall correctly, is 3m30s later than the last one. They show up every OTHER zone, so you really have to motor to catch 'em.

Also, yes absolutely @linkster7 put a finger on my main complaint with the game so far -- it's far too common in the later zones for minor physics anomalies (being pushed by an enemy into a ledge, weird interactions when you're in-between a horde of foes) to cause you to end up somewhere you didn't intend to be, at which point you'll just be combo hit to death.

I think the game could really be something special if they can smooth off the rough edges a little bit.

Rolling saves lives in this game.

Glad to know the running around is good in this game!

This game looks great. Can't wait for it to be fully released!

Love this game so much. Can't stop playing it. I wish this quick look were longer. It kind of stressed me out how quickly they explained everything and then ended.

Err... does Dan not know there's a dodge roll?

This game looks bloody fantastic, alreaydy seen a ton about this game. Gonna wait and see what sort of features they will implement before I buy it.

The tons of good reviews seem very well justified and deserved on this one.

The QL really does not give the game due justice. It was rushed and details were left out that give this game a lot of charm. A level of thought and detail went into this that I appreciate. Like the doors that you pay 1000 gold to open can also be destroyed with your weapons for free but you become cursed and enemy's will now kill you in one hit. Killing 10 enemy's will break the curse. Finding the right weapons and skills with good attributes and abilities adds tactical play and feels incredible. All of the things to consider with which weapon or ability to upgrade or equip feel less overwhelming than it should because it flows and handles so well. Fantastic game.

This game is amazing, I've put a good 10 hours into it so far. It controls very well and YES, rolling saves lives. I've had a few moments when things got really hairy and couple of well timed rolls gave me some breathing room.

I want to see a 'This Is The Run' with this game.

I have strong feelings usually about NOT paying for an incomplete game, but then again I bought Street Fighter V, so fuck it, what game "comes out" finished at this point. Even the parts of the game that are currently there look worth playing. I may have to make an exception for this one even though it's $15+.

*Update : I am not affiliated with G2A WHATSOEVER, but they currently have steam keys for around 10 bucks btw

Purchased after watching 30 seconds of this quick look. The look and feel of the game are just amazing.

I wasn't a fan of rogue legacy, but this looks good. Will give it a shot.

Is there plans for different armor/character. Not a big fan of the default armor looks.

I love the look of this game, and the combat seems awesome. I really want to play it, but I'm into Flinthook right now, and I don't want to split my attention and skill-building between two rogue-lite games at the same time. That said, it's going to be hard to not buy this.

I really dislike when anyone uses Dark Souls as a shorthand description. Or when they say, "this is the Dark Souls of _____". I love what the FromSoftware games have done for the industry but indirect storytelling and difficult combat existed before the series. Using it to describe a video game feels lazy, especially when you are just talking about one or two elements and not the full structure of the game. Sorry if I upset anyone, this kind of thing has bothered me for awhile.

Looks really cool, but I'm just not a fan of early access. Given that the devs will take another 8-12 months for the full game to be ready, I'd just play it a little bit now, feel bad because it's not the full game and by the time the full game is out, I'd have had my fill with the incomplete version.

Important note that Dan got wildly wrong. Blueprints only unlock the ABILITY to get stuff to drop. You still have to pay cells to fully unlock the drops. Also he was slightly wrong on the damage boosts. Yes if you pay extra cells to improve a weapon type that is permanent, but the 25% he was seeing was 20% from being a certain rank, then 5% from his cell upgrade. Not understanding this can really screw you over since a lot of GREAT stuff has to be unlocked (magnetic grenade is so clutch if you know how to use it).

@cannonballbam: I don't think you'll upset anyone. It's not as egregious as 'metroidvania', I'm sure you'll agree, but it is weird when only one or a couple of features that Souls popularized is enough for people to make a connection, even if it shows up in a thin way that's not 1:1. I see it when it's like The Surge or Salt & Sanctuary, but with this I'm not really seeing it other than you keep some upgrades and retrieve some gold you lost (which is a borderline similarity anyway).

@neverminder: You're a saint. That also seems like a real good price. I'd pick this up straight away if there weren't already so many games I need to get through.

Guess I'll wait for a full release; game will probably only get better.

Also, how DAAARE YOU, DAN?! Rogue Legacy controlled like a dream. (If my memory serves me right.)

@brunothethird: I could not agree with you more. Difficulty in video games has had resurgence ever since the FromSoftware titles took the spotlight, that I can't deny. But something like this or Hollow Knight, have very little to do with being "souls".

That said, I have enjoyed games that have taken the formula and made them their own. The titles you said, and things like: Nioh or Lords of the Fallen are great too. I just think we use games to describe other games when it comes to elements and not the whole. Which can be confusing for someone actively seeking out a similar experience, and finding out its nothing like that at all.

DAN CALLED THE BLOODBORNE THING THE DARK SOULS THING, GET HIM INTERNET.

There's also versions of those paid door with an extra life necklace that cost 6k gold(which I think there is always one on the first level) and if you break those you get cursed but have to kill forty enemies without being hit. It basically forces you to go the The Promenade of the Condemned instead of taking the Sewers or Ossuary since there's almost no way you're killing forty of those later enemies without taking a single hit.

I've beat the game twice now and my tip for anyone starting out is ignore every weapon except Twin Dagger or Rapier. Nothing else comes even close to matching the damage of the Rapier except a sword you can get much later on and that thing curses you to die in one hit.

I'll play this when it's complete, seems like my kind of game.

@neocalypso You talking just for your melee spot? As it feels like something like the electric whip for dealing with certain things still feels amazing useful. But yeah if I can get my hands on a good twin dagger that is always top choice for close range combat.

Rogue Legacy controlled perfectly! It has the smoothest controls of any game I've ever played. Dan is a boob.

Dan, I love ya, but I wish you were better at explaining game mechanics. I'm still kind of fuzzy about what does and doesn't carry over between runs haha.

This looks rad, though!

Yell Dead Cell(s)

This is the sort of game that I'd love to see on the Nintendo Switch. I always like playing my 2d platformers on a handheld device and can never bring myself to buy something like this on a traditional console or PC.

I really dig this game so far and it moves so well....except one glaring issue for me. You stand still when attacking. I get the stick and roll combat here and it works well, but coming to a halt when swinging seems counter-intuitive to the smoothy smoothness this game oozes. (hah)

vinny wanted a video producer so bad he made an imaginary one named Abby, Its so nice of dan and alex to play along when he talks to her

Haha. Great joke, Abby.

Guys I found the finished version of Dead Cell

*and yes, I'm sorry, but I had to be the first asshole to reference this crap screamo rock song with a similar name.

Oh yeah I definitely meant for your primary. The electric whip is also imo the best secondary you can get because it's strong and it makes it much easier to hit those super annoying scythe bats and any other flying enemies very quickly. Pair it with the active item that boosts your attack power and it because especially good.

I think the Throwing Knife will also work in a pinch since you throw it directly at enemies, but it's damage really doesn't compare to the electric whip. For the secondaries I pretty much take what I can get there. I can get to or around the final boss fairly easily if I don't have a decent secondary but without a good primary(or a butt load of strength upgrades) you won't make it anywhere close. The enemy health scaling just gets to be too much in my experience.

So, basic version. Runes you find (there are currently 2 that I know of) carry over once you find them. Blueprints you find and get to the Collector (that dude between missions) carry over. Whatever upgrades you buy with the cells you find (spent at the same collector you drop off blueprints at) carry over. Note you HAVE to spend all cells before you leave the Collector room, and you don't have to be able to fully purchase something to be able to spend them, just dump as many as you have and you'll be closer for later runs.

Pretty sure that's all the sticking progression. Everything else (current weapons/skills/levels from those scrolls) all reset to base when you start over, and you always start at the prison.

@vinny your PC HDMI levels are set to limited 16-235.

When I first heard people talking about this, I thought it was the game Jason played on UPF a while back. This looks so much better. Despite my distaste for run-based games, this looks phenomenal. I'm probably definitely going to buy it. Probably watch the QL more than once too.

@cannonballbam: I hear you, that's a fair and understandable reaction to it. It's not like you think it should be banned as a phrase, ha, but there was a long time that challenging the player without mercy was far from standard, and Souls has made it cool again, so it's never far from the tip of the tongue.

Having said that, the name Dead Cells is -- arguably -- an absolute nod to Dark Souls specifically, so maybe those mechanics are also a nod more than a 'nudge nudge wink wink'.

@brunothethird: Yeah, and after hearing Dan talk about it a bit more on this week's Beastcast, it does use the concept of cells/souls as an upgrade system. So my reaction was a bit knee jerky but I am glad to find someone else who has/had the same frustration when it comes to describing difficulty in games as being "Dark Souls."

@vinny Prince of Persia for the SNES will probably hold up a lot better than the original. I've played that game a ton, and replayed it not too long ago, actually. Great animation, even if it's something like 15 frames a second lol

YELL DEAD CELL