Dead Cells is a roguelike 2D platformer that encourages replay by it's semi-procedural stages, huge variety of fun weapons and gadgets, and unique bestiary of monsters and enemies. Top this off with solid controls, highly customizable gameplay, and a constantly expanding arsenal and map through patches and updates, and you've got yourself an endless experience of top-tier action platforming that could only be diminished by calling it metroidvania.

When I read or hear "metroidvania," I no longer think of the classic Metroid and Castlevania games. Instead I think of backtracking, fetch quests, and esoteric environmental puzzles that require a guide. None of this happens in Dead Cells. The devs did a killer job of minimizing grinding and exploits that would otherwise hamper progression. The short of it: just play the game as intended and you'll unlock new abilities at a steady rate that makes each playthrough feel as fresh as the first.

And once you beat the game, there are even more reasons to do so again and again, up to at least 5 boss cells AKA NG++++, and that's only if you want to see the final biome. Dead Cells' biggest draw is its strong incentive to push forward by collecting cells that unlock new assets. Losing is never that frustrating because you're forced to trade in all your cells that go towards new equipment at the end of each stage. The amount of playstyle combinations is staggering, and Dead Cells is structured in a way that pushes variety every time.