<s>
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
is	O
a	O
2018	O
roguelike-Metroidvania	O
game	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Motion	O
Twin	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
Linux	B-Application
,	O
macOS	B-Application
,	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
Windows	O
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
on	O
August	O
7	O
,	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
mobile	O
port	O
for	O
iOS	B-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
August	O
28	O
,	O
2019	O
,	O
and	O
an	O
Android	B-Application
port	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
June	O
3	O
,	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
features	O
a	O
permadeath	B-Application
system	O
,	O
causing	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
lose	O
all	O
items	O
and	O
other	O
currencies	O
upon	O
dying	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Production	O
of	O
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
began	O
after	O
Motion	O
Twin	O
planned	O
development	O
for	O
a	O
follow-up	O
to	O
their	O
previous	O
browser	B-Protocol
game	I-Protocol
Die2Nite	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
release	O
,	O
Motion	O
Twin	O
supported	O
the	O
game	O
with	O
several	O
updates	O
and	O
expansions	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
is	O
a	O
2D	O
side-scrolling	O
"	O
roguevania	O
"	O
,	O
a	O
combination	O
of	O
procedurally-generated	O
roguelike	O
games	O
and	O
action-exploration-based	O
Metroidvania	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
combat	O
is	O
comparable	O
to	O
the	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
series	O
,	O
with	O
difficult	O
enemies	O
possessing	O
certain	O
behaviors	O
the	O
player	O
can	O
learn	O
,	O
and	O
where	O
frequent	O
player-character	O
death	O
is	O
a	O
fundamental	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Prisoner	O
awakens	O
in	O
the	O
depths	O
of	O
the	O
island	O
's	O
prison	O
,	O
suffering	O
from	O
amnesia	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Rise	O
of	O
the	O
Giant	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
expands	O
the	O
plot	O
of	O
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
,	O
providing	O
the	O
game	O
with	O
alternative	O
endings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Queen	O
and	O
the	O
Sea	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
adds	O
three	O
additional	O
levels	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
an	O
alternative	O
ending	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
developer	O
Motion	O
Twin	O
had	O
been	O
developing	O
games	O
for	O
the	O
browser	B-Protocol
and	O
mobile	B-Application
gaming	I-Application
market	I-Application
since	O
2001	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Initially	O
,	O
Motion	O
Twin	O
had	O
set	O
out	O
to	O
make	O
a	O
follow-up	O
to	O
their	O
browser	B-Protocol
game	I-Protocol
Die2Nite	B-Application
,	O
which	O
was	O
a	O
cooperative	O
tower	B-Application
defense	I-Application
game	I-Application
for	O
up	O
to	O
forty	O
players	O
released	O
in	O
2008	O
;	O
for	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
players	O
would	O
work	O
together	O
to	O
form	O
defenses	O
around	O
a	O
town	O
,	O
and	O
then	O
during	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
night	O
phase	O
,	O
wait	O
to	O
see	O
if	O
the	O
town	O
survived	O
waves	O
of	O
attacks	O
by	O
zombies	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
To	O
tighten	O
the	O
gameplay	O
,	O
Motion	O
Twin	O
took	O
inspiration	O
of	O
the	O
Engineer	O
character	O
class	O
from	O
Team	B-Application
Fortress	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
where	O
the	O
use	O
of	O
turrets	O
and	O
other	O
buildable	O
items	O
helps	O
to	O
strengthen	O
the	O
character	O
's	O
abilities	O
,	O
and	O
remade	O
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
into	O
an	O
action	O
platform	O
game	O
where	O
the	O
player	O
used	O
weapons	O
along	O
with	O
a	O
variety	O
of	O
skills	O
(	O
including	O
some	O
elements	O
they	O
had	O
developed	O
for	O
the	O
tower	B-Application
defense	I-Application
approach	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Motion	O
Twin	O
's	O
producer	O
Steve	O
Filby	O
cited	O
The	B-Application
Binding	I-Application
of	I-Application
Isaac	I-Application
as	O
a	O
significant	O
influence	O
,	O
highlighting	O
its	O
player-determined	O
and	O
item-driven	O
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Motion	O
Twin	O
opted	O
to	O
use	O
Steam	B-Application
's	O
early	O
access	O
approach	O
to	O
both	O
gauge	O
player	O
interest	O
and	O
to	O
obtain	O
feedback	O
on	O
game	O
features	O
and	O
the	O
balance	O
from	O
procedural	O
generation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
plot	O
of	O
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
was	O
not	O
intended	O
from	O
the	O
beginning	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
early	O
access	O
period	O
was	O
launched	O
on	O
May	O
10	O
,	O
2017	O
,	O
with	O
support	O
for	O
Windows	O
,	O
and	O
released	O
macOS	B-Application
and	O
Linux	B-Application
versions	O
in	O
early	O
access	O
on	O
June	O
26	O
,	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
January	O
2018	O
,	O
Motion	O
Twin	O
announced	O
their	O
plans	O
on	O
console	O
development	O
for	O
the	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
,	O
with	O
a	O
release	O
predicted	O
in	O
August	O
2018	O
to	O
correspond	O
with	O
the	O
Windows	O
 '	O
version	O
leaving	O
early	O
access	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
was	O
released	O
on	O
August	O
7	O
,	O
2018	O
,	O
for	O
PC	O
,	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
,	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
and	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Motion	O
Twin	O
released	O
a	O
free	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
update	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
called	O
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
:	O
Rise	O
of	O
the	O
Giant	O
in	O
mid-2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
developers	O
announced	O
plans	O
to	O
port	O
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
to	O
mobile	O
devices	O
running	O
iOS	B-Application
and	O
Android	B-Application
,	O
modifying	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
interface	O
to	O
support	O
touch	O
controls	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
remote	O
controllers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
iOS	B-Application
version	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
August	O
28	O
,	O
2019	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Android	B-Application
version	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
June	O
3	O
,	O
2020	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
first	O
paid	O
expansion	O
,	O
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
:	O
The	O
Bad	O
Seed	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
February	O
11	O
,	O
2020	O
,	O
adding	O
two	O
new	O
biomes	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
a	O
boss	O
for	O
early	O
game	O
content	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
the	O
same	O
day	O
,	O
a	O
new	O
physical	O
special	O
edition	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
the	O
Prisoner	O
's	O
Edition	O
,	O
was	O
announced	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
and	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
,	O
which	O
in	O
addition	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
and	O
DLC	B-Protocol
,	O
includes	O
the	O
soundtrack	O
,	O
an	O
art	O
book	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
figurine	O
of	O
the	O
player-character	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
second	O
paid	O
DLC	B-Protocol
expansion	O
,	O
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
:	O
Fatal	O
Falls	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
January	O
26	O
,	O
2021	O
,	O
which	O
added	O
new	O
levels	O
,	O
weapons	O
,	O
and	O
a	O
boss	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Around	O
January	O
2019	O
,	O
Motion	O
Twin	O
started	O
work	O
on	O
their	O
next	O
title	O
while	O
still	O
developing	O
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
When	O
they	O
expanded	O
by	O
hiring	O
more	O
developers	O
,	O
Motion	O
Twin	O
wanted	O
to	O
keep	O
the	O
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
development	O
team	O
to	O
between	O
eight	O
to	O
ten	O
people	O
in	O
order	O
to	O
stay	O
a	O
manageable	O
worker	O
cooperative	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
These	O
games	O
included	O
Hyper	B-Application
Light	I-Application
Drifter	I-Application
,	O
Guacamelee	O
!,	O
Curse	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Dead	I-Application
Gods	I-Application
,	O
Blasphemous	B-Application
,	O
Skul	B-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Hero	I-Application
Slayer	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Hollow	B-Device
Knight	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Celebrating	O
the	O
20th	O
anniversary	O
of	O
Motion	O
Twin	O
,	O
the	O
developers	O
revealed	O
the	O
third	O
paid	O
expansion	O
titled	O
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
:	O
The	O
Queen	O
and	O
the	O
Sea	O
,	O
which	O
released	O
on	O
January	O
7	O
,	O
2022	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
2	O
update	O
in	O
November	O
2022	O
added	O
more	O
homages	O
to	O
other	O
indie	O
games	O
,	O
including	O
Terraria	B-Application
,	O
Hotline	B-Application
Miami	I-Application
,	O
Slay	B-Application
the	I-Application
Spire	I-Application
,	O
Shovel	B-Application
Knight	I-Application
,	O
Risk	B-Application
of	I-Application
Rain	I-Application
,	O
and	O
Katana	B-Application
Zero	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
fourth	O
paid	O
expansion	O
,	O
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
:	O
Return	O
to	O
Castlevania	B-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
March	O
6	O
2023	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
features	O
characters	O
,	O
weapons	O
,	O
and	O
enemies	O
from	O
the	O
Castlevania	B-Application
series	O
,	O
under	O
license	O
from	O
Konami	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
expansion	O
includes	O
a	O
secret	O
level	O
inspired	O
by	O
Castlevania	B-Application
:	I-Application
Symphony	I-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Night	I-Application
and	O
allows	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
play	O
as	O
Richter	O
Belmont	O
with	O
a	O
move	O
set	O
more	O
akin	O
to	O
the	O
Castlevania	B-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
received	O
positive	O
reviews	O
from	O
critics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Device
Xbox	I-Device
One	I-Device
version	O
received	O
"	O
universal	O
acclaim	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
the	B-Operating_System
PlayStation	I-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
,	O
PC	O
,	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
,	O
and	O
iOS	B-Application
versions	O
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
"	O
reviews	O
according	O
to	O
review	B-Application
aggregator	I-Application
website	O
Metacritic	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Brandin	O
Tyrrel	O
of	O
IGN	O
praised	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
its	O
engaging	O
gameplay	O
premise	O
,	O
and	O
randomized	O
layout	O
declaring	O
"	O
The	O
placement	O
and	O
order	O
of	O
its	O
levels	O
are	O
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
skeletal	O
frame	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
ever-changing	O
layouts	O
and	O
enemy	O
and	O
item	O
placements	O
are	O
the	O
blood	O
that	O
pumps	O
through	O
its	O
heart.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
action	O
and	O
combat	O
of	O
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
received	O
acclaim	O
as	O
"	O
distinct	O
"	O
,	O
"	O
fluid	O
"	O
,	O
and	O
"	O
agile	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Reviewers	O
compared	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
the	O
Dark	B-Application
Souls	I-Application
,	O
Diablo	B-Application
,	O
and	O
Castlevania	B-Application
series	O
due	O
to	O
its	O
difficulty	O
and	O
constantly	O
changing	O
levels	O
,	O
while	O
giving	O
specific	O
praise	O
to	O
the	O
visuals	O
and	O
sound	O
design	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
plot	O
of	O
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
was	O
criticized	O
,	O
with	O
critics	O
calling	O
it	O
lacking	O
and	O
vague	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
critics	O
drew	O
attention	O
to	O
the	O
permadeath	B-Application
feature	O
as	O
a	O
rewarding	O
system	O
,	O
as	O
it	O
provided	O
the	O
player	O
with	O
permanent	O
upgrades	O
,	O
the	O
opportunity	O
to	O
experience	O
all	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
content	O
,	O
and	O
gain	O
full	O
knowledge	O
of	O
its	O
systems	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Neal	O
Ronaghan	O
of	O
Nintendo	O
World	O
Report	O
enjoyed	O
the	O
permadeath	B-Application
feature	O
,	O
saying	O
"	O
Every	O
run	O
is	O
engrossing	O
and	O
fun	O
and	O
when	O
I	O
die	O
,	O
the	O
only	O
thought	O
rushing	O
through	O
my	O
brain	O
is	O
to	O
start	O
over	O
and	O
try	O
again	O
,	O
pushing	O
as	O
far	O
past	O
my	O
previous	O
run	O
as	O
I	O
can.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
About	O
a	O
year	O
from	O
its	O
early	O
access	O
release	O
,	O
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
sold	O
over	O
730,000	O
units	O
,	O
and	O
exceeded	O
850,000	O
units	O
just	O
prior	O
to	O
its	O
full	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
May	O
2019	O
,	O
within	O
ten	O
months	O
of	O
its	O
full	O
release	O
,	O
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
had	O
accumulated	O
sales	O
of	O
two	O
million	O
units	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
March	O
2021	O
,	O
Dead	B-Application
Cells	I-Application
had	O
sold	O
5	O
million	O
copies	O
during	O
the	O
announcement	O
of	O
their	O
last	O
DLC	B-Protocol
.	O
</s>
