Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania Reviews

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is ranked in the 98th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Unscored
Mar 6, 2023
Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania | Review in 3 Minutes - YouTube video thumbnail
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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Metro GameCentral
GameCentral
Top Critic
8 / 10
Mar 7, 2023

A loving homage to Castlevania and another great slice of DLC for Dead Cells, with the two games working together in perfect harmony.

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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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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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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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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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Eren Eroğlu
Top Critic
90 / 100
Mar 9, 2023

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is a great excuse to get back into the game with its great atmosphere, impressive soundtrack and gameplay variety.

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8 / 10
Mar 13, 2023

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is an immaculate love letter to one of its inspirations, but it still retains so much of its own identity and humour as you explore Dracula's castle as The Beheaded.

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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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8.5 / 10.0
Mar 13, 2023

The best parts of Return to Castlevania are all the times the DLC says, “hell yeah, Castlevania!” The not so best parts are whenever the DLC tries to invoke Castlevania in its gameplay. Chasing the unlockable outfits, listening to the music and exploring the new biomes were all awesome, but most of the new items didn’t feel good and Richter Mode was kind of a bummer. I appreciate the love and scale, and the commitment to the idea of a “Return” to Castlevania. But now I want to put Dead Cells down and play more Castlevania.

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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.

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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

7 / 10.0
Mar 15, 2023

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is a remarkable crossover packed with quality. Content from the Vampire Hunter series is creatively introduced into the Dead Cells universe, with new stages and gear that further enrich the experience. The numerous references are the highlight of the expansion, but it lacked a bit of identity, as the stages and bosses are not so different from what is already offered in the main campaign. Either way, this DLC is essential for both Dead Cells and Castlevania fans.

Review in Portuguese | Read full review

A
Mar 24, 2023

Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania may not break new ground, but it is a lovingly made ode to an iconic series that has long remained dormant. The new biomes, bosses, weapons, enemies, and story content are all the highest quality, and Dead Cells remains an essential roguelike that still stands among its peers at the top of the genre.

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Evan Norris
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Mar 31, 2023

Dead Cells fans will find a lot of value in the add-on, as will any Castlevania followers willing to tolerate a considerable amount of repetition and randomness.

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Niche Gamer
Augusto A.
Top Critic
8.5 / 10.0
Apr 22, 2023

The DLC has issues trying to accommodate new players, but it’s still worth playing for its fun weapons, fantastic boss fights, and great usage of iconic music.

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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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