For long and daunting roguelikes such as Dead Cells, breaking the barrier of entry can be a difficult task. The unlockables are endless, and reaching the farthest biomes will likely mean hours of gameplay. However, with the recent Dead Cells: Practice Makes Perfect update, developers at Motion Twin have targeted newer players with added "ease-of-use" features, including a new map, training room, and more.
The easiest to access and maybe most used feature players now have is a world map, located within the biome map, under the "switch map display" option. With this, players can see every biome in Dead Cells, including unvisited biomes and biomes not owned through DLC. However, biomes will remain unnamed on the map until accessed. While this isn't as necessary for those familiar with individual biomes, new players now have a guide to finding undiscovered locations sooner.
Any players looking to increase their skill with Dead Cells should make use of the new training room. Located to the right of the tailor, the room is fitted with three capsules full of randomized equipment and Guillain, who is ready to give players three mutations. Upon activation, the capsules will scatter the equipment on the ground, ready for pickup, and fill themselves with even more. Players can grab a select few pieces from each set, and continue to reroll for specific items if desired. However, after two rerolls, one set will despawn from the ground. It's important to note that with all of these features, players will only have access to the equipment they've unlocked thus far and can't get a preview of future weapons.
Using the Training Room in Dead Cells: Practice Makes Perfect
Once players are ready to fight, they can choose between two areas. The first allows players to fight individual enemies they've seen, or biome presets that focus on the game's average interactions. The second will allow players to practice against each discovered boss in their biome. This feature allows instant access to these enemies and offers a quick way to gain experience on the furthest biomes. This can give players the tools to take their skills to the next level, with whatever loadout they choose.
The other significant addition to Dead Cells to help push players further along comes is the group of 13 optional, overpowered buffs called "aspects." By speaking to the man to the left of the tailor, players can choose to take one aspect with them per run. However, there is a catch for those seeking true completion of the game. With aspects equipped, players can't unlock new boss cells or complete flawless boss achievements, forcing the most advanced players to stay away from them. At the start of the game, three will be available, and each time a player dies, a new one is added.
Featuring several quality-of-life changes, the Dead Cells: Practice Makes Perfect update helps new and returning players continue their push to victory. While most of the new features are purely optional, devoted climbers will be able to access a plethora of new practice tools. Meanwhile, already practiced players can gain more and better experience in further levels, without pushing through dull, early-game content over and over.
Dead Cells is available on macOS, PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, iOS, and Android.