Xboxaddict.com Article
Dead Cells: The Queen & The Sea DLC
by Adam Dileva
Released back in 2017, Dead Cells garnered quite a following and name for itself with its solid gameplay, slick visuals and fantastic soundtrack. While I never really played much of it at release, having now played the latest and final DLC, The Queen & The Sea, its totally won me over. Now, that being said, The Queen & The Sea DLC is absolutely meant for end game and longtime players in general. That doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy this latest DLC as a new or casual player, but good luck getting far in it without the experience required.
Now, I’m going to purposely be vague with many details when it comes to the new bosses, weapons and such, as some of these experiences are best left to be seen for yourself. I don’t suggest looking much of this DLC up so that you can essentially go in with a fresh experience, cause I’ll tell you, the first time you try some of these new levels and bosses, it’s quite memorable.
So first and foremost, I feel I need to mention that this DLC is quite cheap, priced at only $5 USD / $6.49 CAD. Given how much extra content The Queen & The Sea adds to Dead Cells, this is absolutely worth the price of admission. Now again, this is going to mainly cater to longtime fans given that the newly added levels are meant for late game, including a new final boss, not even factoring how difficult they are.
So let’s start with the new biomes, three new levels to experience. The DLC is accessed by running an errand for someone after finding a new note in the opening area. The Infested Shipwreck is the first of the new biomes, taking place in, well, a shipwreck. This area is very large in scale, but has many close quarter rooms and tight spots, so you’ll need to be purposeful in your directions. Given that this is a shipwreck, obviously many floors and walls can be broken easily, so expect many traps like this. There’s not only new enemies that are quite unique, but new weapons that fit the biome quite well, like a trident and, well, a shark. Yup, you read that right.
Manage to clear this new area and you’re going to be in for quite the rush, literally, when you get to The Lighthouse, the second biome. This level is unlike others and an absolute challenge that will require quite a few attempts for the non-hardcore players. Not only is The Lighthouse a vertical level, but it’s also a chase sequence where a blue flame is constantly rising from the ground up. If that wasn’t difficult enough, the whole way up during the chase also has minibosses that will try attacking you along the way as well.
You must be quick and not stop for very long. Thankfully there’s a few pulley’s here and there to launch you higher, giving you a little more breathing room, but the bosses aren’t far behind. Reach certain milestones on the Lighthouse and the flame will stop rising as you fight against a boss. Think that was easy? The next section of this biome starts with the rising flames once again, but two bosses chasing you. This culminates in another boss fight with both bosses at once, but wait, there’s more! That’s right, a third boss will get thrown into the mix on the final race upwards then climaxes in a crazy boss fight against three distinct enemies that will take some serious skill to defeat.
The last biome is technically just a boss fight in itself rather than a level you explore, but there’s someone waiting for you at the top of the Lighthouse. This alternate boss will also give a new ending as well, so Dead Cell fans of the lore will be excited to see the conclusion.
More than the new biomes and bosses are also a handful of weapons and costumes as well. Eight new weapons (six melee and two ranged) await you to be unlocked, each quite unique and interesting for making new builds for runs. My two favorite were the Trident, allowing for quick combos, and while the Maw of the Deep is literally a shark, its humor is what I enjoyed.
The two ranged weapons are quite unique, where Gilded Yumi is a heavy bow, allowing you to shoot through enemies and even push and knock them back quite a distance. Throwing Cards is the other new ranged weapon, sticking to enemies and then recalling back to you, making you feel like Gambit from X-Men. There’s two new skills as well, one being an adorable pet that I won’t spoil, but absolutely enjoyed using in subsequent runs. There’s even 15 new outfits included, all of which are quite unique looking and has some fantastic crossovers if you know other games in the genre.
If you’re a Dead Cells fan and haven’t picked it up in a while, The Queen & The Sea is a perfect reason to come back. If the core game never did much for you previously, this won’t change the fact, but having such a reasonably priced DLC with this much content and challenge is worth commending for those that have been wanting more.
**Dead Cells: The Queen & The Sea DLC was provided by the publisher and reviewed on an Xbox Series X**
Overall: 9/ 10
