Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania Reviews

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is ranked in the 98th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
IGN
Top Critic
10 / 10.0
Mar 9, 2023

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is a shining blueprint of how to do a crossover right, celebrating Castlevania's history while mixing it with Dead Cells’ own identity to make something that’s more than the sum of its already excellent parts.

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10 / 10
Mar 8, 2023

If you’re a Castlevania fan who hasn’t played this game for some reason, you owe it to yourself to buy this now. And even if you’re not, it’s still more super high-quality content for an awesome game that clearly is standing the test of time, made with clear and demonstrated love by independent developers, and you should buy it anyway.

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Mar 6, 2023

For people who have been playing Dead Cells routinely since launch, Return to Castlevania offers a cathartic experience akin to your favorite author reading you their favorite book. For new players who love games like Castlevania: Symphony of the Night but haven't yet tried Dead Cells, there has never been a better time.

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10 / 10.0
Mar 6, 2023

Unsurprisingly, the combination of Dead Cells and Castlevania proves to be nostalgic and truly fantastic in this paid DLC Package

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9.5 / 10.0
Mar 6, 2023

Dead Cells was always compared to Castlevania, and having the two meet in this way with such reverence on the part of Motion Twin is weirdly heartwarming.

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9.5 / 10.0
Mar 6, 2023

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is a must-buy for any fans of Dead Cells or Castlevania, it's a breath of fresh air for those who have played the base Dead Cells in the past, plus the music is fantastic!

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9.5 / 10.0
Mar 14, 2023

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is the best DLC that has been published for dead cells so far and of the best DLCs of all time. from challenge boss fights to unique atmosphere, it's almost perfect. The only thing that I found a bit disappointing was its extremely short length that doesn't justify its price tag.

Review in Persian | Read full review

9.5 / 10.0
Mar 6, 2023

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is the dream DLC I never knew I wanted for one of my favorite games of the past decade.  It’s full of content that is all of supremely high quality. Whether you own the game outright or play it on Game Pass if any of this sounds the least bit appealing then spend $10 on this expansion.  It is phenomenal.

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9.5 / 10.0
Mar 8, 2023

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is a glorious mash-up of two incredible franchises and it's simply sublime. Whether you're a long-time fan of Dead Cells or a newcomer like me, this is a meaty Castlevania expansion you can really sink your teeth into.

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9 / 10.0
Mar 14, 2023

The crossover of my dreams is made exactly like Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania, an expansion that embellishes the formula of the base game by incorporating a massive dose of references and content taken from one of the most beloved videogame sagas of all time.

Review in Italian | Read full review

Mar 6, 2023

I can't imagine a finer tribute to Castlevania than this incredible DLC. Easily accessible to new Dead Cells players and brimming with content, this left us hoping that Konami will turn Motion Twin loose on a brand new whip-cracking, Drac-smashing adventure.

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4.5 / 5.0
Mar 6, 2023

Return to Castlevania is, hands down, Dead Cells’ best expansion yet, and it’s not even close. This isn’t to say that its previous add-ons have been lackluster, as every update to the game has only served to help flesh it out even further. Dead Cells continues to be one of the very best rogue-lite games that have released in the past decade, and this just further cements its place as an outstanding entry in the saturated genre.

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9 / 10
Mar 13, 2023

If you liked Dead Cells, it's a no-brainer that you must get the Return to Castlevania DLC as soon as possible. It may be brief, but this is a brilliantly intense and nostalgic trip to a spookier world that fits in well with the broader offering of content in the base game. This feels like it's primarily made for Dead Cells fans who also happen to like Castlevania - it's unlikely to convert Castlevania aficionados who don't get on with Motion Twin's roguelite. At any rate, we loved it and it's great to see Castlevania back in video games again. Let's hope that Konami takes notice and opts to give us a full revival soon.

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9 / 10.0
Mar 6, 2023

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is a fun and challenging action-platformer that will stimulate the part of the older gamers’ brains that loves nostalgia, while teaching a new generation that a 2D game can still be great, even in 2023.

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9 / 10.0
May 3, 2023

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania DLC is an absolute triumph that everyone should play. It's one of the few times we get a DLC to a modern game that absolutely nails the classic gaming franchise it took inspiration from. The game looks, sounds, and absolutely plays like a classic Castlevania adventure. The soundtrack will leave you jamming in your head for hours at iconic Castlevania tunes. Its overall shorter game length will ultimately disappoint you, as the DLC is so good you wish it didn't end as soon as it does.

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9 / 10.0
Mar 6, 2023

At $9.99, Return to Castlevania is the most expensive DLC for Dead Cells yet, but it is substantial enough to be worth it. The new areas are a ton of fun, and the number of new weapons and costumes is hefty enough to add extra value to the game. It might not hit as hard for those who don't have nostalgia for Castlevania, but even then, the extra biomes and boss fights are pretty darn great.

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90 / 100
Mar 6, 2023

Chances are you're playing Dead Cells because you are a fan of the search action genre, so it's only fitting you would appreciate the slice of love Motion Twin has made from this humble-sized DLC.

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9 / 10.0
Mar 6, 2023

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is pitch-perfect revival of a franchise we're desperate to see anything new from and a perfect excuse to spend another week of sleepless nights back inside this iconic roguelite. If Motion Twin and Evil Empire decide to hang up their Dead Cells hat after this, this would be just about the best way to say goodbye. (The only thing they could do better is announce that they're developing a new full Castlevania release themselves...) Fans of Castlevania need to hop into this as soon as they can. Fans of roguelites who haven't played Dead Cells at all yet need to use this DLC as their excuse to get into this game immediately. And those that aren't either... well you might just become mega fans of both franchises after a few runs through this DLC. WHAT IS A MAN? A MISERABLE LITTLE PILE OF GOOD VIDEO GAME IDEAS?

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9 / 10.0
Mar 6, 2023

To put it simply, if you’ve ever been waiting or wanting to find a reason to play Dead Cells, there has definitely never been a better time. And the absolute best outcome from this content? Konami agree to let Motion Twin make a full new Castlevania game. Because this is definitely something we need in the world, like, yesterday. Even if that never comes to pass, we’ll always have this DLC to remind us how good it could have been and just how at the top of their game these developers truly are.

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4.5 / 5.0
Mar 8, 2023

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is an impressive DLC that adds a lot of new content to an already excellent game. The attention to detail, new weapons and abilities, and challenging bosses make this expansion a must-play for fans of the series. However, the difficulty spike may be a turnoff for some players.

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