The vampire-fighting Belmont family were not the faces fans were expecting to see during 2022’s Game Awards – but that doesn’t mean they weren’t well-received. Gamers were not shocked to hear that the successful 2018 roguelike-Metroidvania hybridDead Cellswas receiving DLC,but it was a surprise to hear that the DLC would take the form of an official crossover withCastlevania,the franchise that helped inspire it. The announcement of theDead CellsDLC could be good news for theCastlevaniafranchise, which has not seen a new installment in nearly a decade.
The announcement ofDead Cells: Return to Castlevaniawas the first major reveal during the pre-show of the 2022 Game Awards, officially kicking off the event prior to any awards being handed out. It was shown off in the form of an animated trailer showcasing The Prisoner, the protagonist ofDead Cells,fighting alongside Richter Belmont and Alucard as they take down Dracula. Fans can already tell that lots of love has been put into the crossover, especially when a remix of iconicCastlevaniatrack “Bloody Tears"played during the trailer.
RELATED:New Dead Cells Update Brings a Flood of Free Content from Classic Indie Games
The developers ofDead CellsrevealedtheCastlevaniaseriesas a major inspiration behind the game, which took the award for Best Action Game at the 2018 Game Awards.Dead Cellscenters around the Prisoner, who awakens with amnesia inside a mysterious prison. The Prisoner is immortal, but must possess the corpses of other prisoners in order to be able to move around and fight. As the Prisoner repeatedly attempts to escape the island on which he is trapped, the player gradually learns about how the island used to be a mighty kingdom before it was taken down by a mysterious plague called The Malaise. The design, plot, and mechanics of the game all draw heavily fromCastlevania,especially the powerful bosses which the Prisoner must face.
So far,Dead Cellshas received two DLC expansions,Rise of the GiantandThe Queen and the Sea.Both allow the Prisoner to learn even more about the island’s history, and introduce new locations such as a creepy, long-abandoned lighthouse. While the initial trailer forReturn to Castlevaniadid not reveal much information about the DLC’s plot, it is likely that it will see the Prisoner leave the Island and somehow travel to Dracula’s domain, where he will apparently ally with the Belmonts and attempt to take down Dracula. Unfortunately, the trailer did not yet reveal how exactly the Prisoner gets to the Castlevania world, but hopefully more information in future trailers will clear up this mystery.
Fans Are Hoping for a New Castlevania Game
The most recent game in the long-runningCastlevaniaseries wasCastlevania: Lords of Shadow 2, which released in 2014 for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. It starred Dracula, who had previously primarily served as an antagonist to the Belmont family. The game received mixed reviews, in particular for the decision to force the player into stealth-based gameplay during several sections. While earlierCastlevaniatitles have received ports and re-releases over the years, and the franchise has been adapted into awell-received series on Netflix, no new titles have been announced, despite high fan demand.
Many fans of the series are hoping that the announcement of theDead Cellscollaboration mean thatKonamior some collaborator may be working on another main series game in the franchise. Even if one is not currently in development, many are hopeful that theReturn to CastlevaniaDLC forDead Cellswill re-ignite interest in the series and bring in many newCastlevaniafans. While nothing has been set in stone, the announcement of newCastlevania-themed content after so long is enough to leave many fans feeling optimistic. No release date has officially been announced for theDead CellsDLC, but more information will be revealed at a later date.
Dead Cellsis currently available for Mobile, Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
MORE:7 Video Game Franchises That Changed Art Styles & Did It Well
