Dead Cells, a side-scrolling roguelite game heavily influenced by Castlevania, now features DLC based on the Castlevania franchise. The new expansion, called Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania, offers players a tasteful amount of fan service alongside two new biomes and well-known characters from the Castlevania series. However, like all things Dead Cells, the process of starting the DLC can be a little confusing. If you're starting from a fresh playthrough, you'll need to die three times before beginning the Dead Cells DLC.
How to start the Dead Cells Castlevania DLC
On your next life, you'll see a group of large red bats flying across your screen. These aren't your typical bats that flutter out of Dead Cells' caverns, and they indicate that you can start Return to Castlevania by talking to Richter.
Richter can be found somewhere in the Prisoner's Quarters, the starting area of all Dead Cells runs. It's important not to exit the biome before chatting with him since his exact location is indeterminate, and Dead Cells levels are procedurally generated in a random fashion every time you reset.
Once you find Richter, he'll guide you through a series of pathways that ultimately lead to the Castle's Outskirts biome. The Castle's Outskirts offer an alternate pathway for the second biome of your Dead Cells runs, but it's noticeably more difficult than the other three options—Toxic Sewers, the Promenade of the Condemned, and the Dilapidated Arboretum. Before proceeding, it's best to scour the Prisoner's Quarters for as many level-ups as you can find to help you tackle the increased difficulty.
What's in the Dead Cells Castlevania DLC?
Through the castle's gothic grounds and winding corridors, you'll face off against a legion of supernatural enemies. With the biggest DLC release yet, you'll encounter the following:
- Two levels.
- Three bosses.
- A captivating new storyline.
- 14 iconic weapons.
- A soundtrack of 51 original Castlevania songs.
- 20 outfits based on beloved Castlevania characters.
For games similar to Dead Cells, check out 8 Best Roguelike Games on Xbox Game Pass and 15 Best Roguelike games of all time (updated 2022) only on Pro Game Guides.
Nat Collazo is a writer with a little over a decade of experience in the gaming industry after having started as a sign flipper for Play N' Trade stores while dressed as Mario. Now they spend all of their time writing, forgetting to drink their coffee, and switching between Pokemon Masters, Lost Ark, and whatever else currently has their interest.