Dead Cells Return to Castlevania DLC Review: Honoring the Past

Dead Cells Return to Castlevania DLC Review: Honoring the Past

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is a great way to experience Castlevania in 2023 without going beyond the welcome.


Motion Twin stated during one of the reveal trailers for Dead Cells: Return of Castlevania DLC that the Castlevania series is the number one inspiration for Dead Cells. Castlevania is such an inspiration to game developers worldwide that it launched a new kind of game. Metroidvania games are inspired by a combination of Metroid and Castlevania games.


It's not often that developers get to work hand-in-hand with the game series that originally inspired them, but Motion Twin had a rare opportunity to bring Castlevania to Dead Cells. Motion Twin set out to honor the past and do Castlevania justice. Motion Twin did just that.

A blast from the past into the present

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is an apt title because the DLC really feels like a return to the Castlevania series. As you venture into the Castle Outskirts biome, you'll be struck by one of the best interpretations of Vampire Killer ever made.

As you progress through the DLC, you'll meet characters that have appeared in the Castlevania series over the years, as well as face off against familiar enemies. Comparing the Castlevania enemies to the regular Dead Cells enemies doesn't feel out of place at all.


The bosses in the Castlevania DLC also feel right at home, but for those who've experienced the Castlevania series, they definitely feel better. The Dracula fight made me think, "Oh wait, I've done that before" as it fights very similarly to the past.


The biomes felt both familiar and new to explore, and you won't be doing it alone. Alucard is your main guide through the DLC, and he's definitely not subtle about what you need to do next. He will basically tell you directly what your next mission is. One of the main things that Alucard won't spoil, though, is where to find a Ricther mode experience.

Judge mode definitely slows down the pace in the DLC. Playing as Ricther still feels good overall and it definitely feels like using a brand new character and not just a reskin of the main Dead Cells character. Judge mode is a bit short, but it definitely gives Castlevania fans the wave of nostalgia they're looking for. Nostalgia aside, Ricther Mode is a fun and unique challenge for Dead Cells players to enjoy.

The verdict: 4.5/5

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania DLC hits all the right notes and is a welcome addition to Dead Cells. The music, gameplay, judge mode and bosses will fill Castlevania fans with nostalgia and will offer Dead Cells fans a good amount of content for the price.

While the DLC may be a little hands-on for those more familiar with how Dead Cells typically handles its puzzles, overall the DLC is a great experience. Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is worth checking out, both for the nostalgia and to get even more out of what is already a great game, Dead Cells.