The Beheaded has seemingly come to the end of their journey with The Queen and the Sea, the final piece of a trilogy in Dead Cells’ progression of paid DLC drops. For longtime fans of developer Motion Twin’s engrossing action-roguelite, this newest drop is a no-brainer, bringing forth a healthy collection of unlockable weapons and outfits, along with an exciting late-stage encounter utterly unlike anything that’s come before.
Dead Cells released into early access five years ago and has exponentially grown since that time. The base game alone has thrived with free updates, including the substantive Rise of the Giant DLC. Since then, paid and unpaid content has continued to build a compelling final product, with The Queen and the Sea following up the Fatal Falls DLC from last year, introducing two new biomes to explore and a feisty new boss fight which results in an alternate ending as well.
Breadcrumbs will lead players to unlocking the new content and features some familiar faces, including some from the earliest days of Dead Cells. It’s a path which leads over the seas to The Infested Shipwreck, a dilapidated area with destroyable platforms and a new Armored Shrimp enemy, a multi-tentacled horror who actively follows the Beheaded once stirred. Luckily, The Queen and the Sea features Dead Cells’ newest pet/familiar The Leghugger, a friendlier version of the Armored Shrimp which similarly moves much like the creature at the center of last year's indie hit Carrion - though notably cuter, with a charming sound cue for each leap.
The Leghugger is a powerful pet which doggedly attacks enemies and eventually evolves into a stronger version as well. It’s possibly the most powerful new weapon in The Queen and the Sea, which includes a projectile shark, a powerful impaling trident, and three unique items wielded by the protectors of the titular Queen which can be found in the second biome, The Lighthouse.
This sequence was previously revealed in trailers for The Queen and the Sea and represents the biggest gameplay twist seen thus far in Dead Cells. The player enters the crumbling structure and is promptly introduced to a powerful member of a trio, each of whom wields a different golden weapon: a quick pair of tonfas, a hefty spiked flail, and a laser-sighted bow. A chase ensues as the lighthouse is set aflame, forcing the Beheaded to scamper along and smash rotten wooden planks on their way through to the top while being hounded throughout.
Survive long enough and another sister will join the fray, then another. The eventual trio will then trap the player in a temporary room to stage a proper boss fight, then it’s back to the upward climb from the engulfing flames. During the chase or within these trapped rooms, any of the sisters can be damaged (though they can self-heal as well), so the idea is to wear them down while also making sure to climb and dodge or counter their frenzied attacks. With this sequence alone, The Queen and the Sea earns its modest price of admission.
Finally, the new end-boss presents a fun bout of combat which gets predictably challenging with added Boss Stem Cells (or eased with the recent "Practice Makes Perfect" update). Interestingly, she also represents an entirely different ending for Dead Cells, so The Queen and the Sea reveals a new endgame route that may prove quicker than those which end at other points like the Hand of the King fight, a curious boon for speedrunners. The Queen is certainly not the hardest boss in the game, but she’s great fun to tangle with, bringing a balletic duel-like feel to the fight, reminiscent of Lady Maria in Bloodborne.
It’s a comparison born of Dead Cells’ tradition of fond inclusions and references to other games in the past, all spun through its irreverence and charm. The persistent attention to detail seen through each of its iterative updates is present in The Queen and the Sea; for instance, eagle-eyed players may spot allusions to The Queen’s protectors in a late-stage level of the main game. The Lighthouse fight is absolutely the centerpiece of this DLC - and one of the most thrilling engagements in the wider game itself - but it all boils down to must-own material for longtime fans.
Dead Cells: The Queen and the Sea DLC releases on January 6 for PC and consoles. A digital Nintendo Switch code was provided to Screen Rant for the purpose of this review.