Dead Cells documentary features a peek at the Rise Of The Giant DLC
Deader than dead, but don't let that stop you
We've known there's free DLC on the way for rogue-ish metroidvania Dead Cells for a while - daring players have been playing a pre-release build for days. This somewhat dulls Red Bull Gaming's boast that their little Dead Cells documentary contains "exclusive footage" from the DLC, but it's still worth a watch because developers Motion Twin seem like lovely people. There's some talk about their challenges making the game, their anarcho-syndicalist company structure, and some debate on what their next game might be. Personally, I'm voting for Yurt Simulator. Watch below.
For the less gutsy players (Dead Cells is hard enough as it is), the Rise Of The Giant DLC will be free, and bulks out the endgame a lot. There's two new zones and bosses available, although one of them is only accessible on the very highest difficulty. There's also a bundle of new enemy types in these areas, and an assortment of rewards - both weapons and character skins - available to earn. You can see the full patch notes here. It's tough going, and well beyond my skill level. I couldn't even find any footage of the secret ultra-hard boss being beaten, and it's no surprise - it looks mean.
DLC aside, the documentary is charming, even if the 'badass posing with swords' cutaways are a little embarrassing. Motion Twin get to talk about how they turn 3D models into sprites, their challenges producing enough art for the game (solved by hiring a second artist), and confirmation that Dead Cells's protagonist is inspired by Earthworm Jim. In their talk about a possible next game, they float the idea of a survival game - a genre they feel plenty of other studios are doing wrong. Their concept of a robot and dog duo is interesting, too - the dog needs food and love, while the robot needs electricity and maintenance. Or they could just go with plan B: Yurt Simulator.
There's still no exact release date on the Rise Of The Giant DLC for Dead Cells, but players wanting to flex their muscle (and maybe help smooth out the balance) can grab it early. See the instructions here Motion Twin do hope to launch it in Spring, though. The cheapest place to get Dead Cells right now is the soon-to-be-defunct Razer Store, for £16.71/€18.99/18.99.