Faisal Ghaffar 
One of the top roguelikes is Dead Cells and it has managed to excellent content updates in the last five years. The same remains the case with the latest Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania, which is a major expansion that remixes the base game rather expertly with the classic action-platformer series. Therefore, it comes off as something very unique and wonderful. It is quickly apparent that a lot of effort has been made into bringing the iconic weapons, characters, locations and music of Castlevania into the world of Dead Cells.
The story
Traditionally, the story had never been the reason why players opted to play Dead Cells, but things have changed now. Return to Castlevaniaactually provides an amusing reason for you to smash your way rather satisfyingly towards the throne room of Dracula instead of just trying to escape from your island prison.
By the time the story comes to an end, not only would you have an epic final battle with the Count himself, but also face Medusa and also have a fierce showdown with Death itself. The game feels like a more streamlined and new version of Castlevania and yet it still manages to stay true to the name of Dead Cells.
Gameplay
There have not been any fundamental changes to the gameplay formula since it was already brilliant. This means that you still get to enjoy ground pounds, quick sword swiping action and get to bash through doors against a colorful horde of monsters. However, the change that you do see in Return to Castlevaniais the introduction of more enemies, weapons, outfits and bosses and they have not been seen in any other expansion before.
Things will remain more than fresh as you continue to discover the surprises they have hidden. When you storm a castle that is floating in a blood-red sea, you can use the original weapons of Dead Cells, the blueprints as well as the outfits that you have gathered along the way. This is downright great because it gives you room to mix and match between the weapons.
You will also find some Castlevania classics like the cross and holy water, but the best new addition is probably Death’s scythe. The game also includes some refreshing new enemies and this further enhances the experience.
The Castle
There are two distinct locations that make up Dracula’s Castle, which include the interior as well as the grounds outside. Past Dead Cells update did not provide as many details as you see this time around. The outskirts of the castle have been designed as a testing ground to see if you are worthy of entering it or not.
The castle appears huge from the outside and this is the case from the inside as well. The detailed sculpture work and the atmosphere are quite impressive and demonstrate just how big of a threat Dracula is. The final battle is undoubtedly the most challenging and unique that you will find.
The Verdict
Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania shows that a crossover can be done right, as the collaboration makes perfect sense and is great for Dead Cells’ fans.
