Dying isn’t so bad.
We’ve all experienced that frustration when we can’t get past a tough section in a game, no matter how hard we try.
Watching your character getting killed repeatedly can cause you to scream at the tv, smash the controller, or rage-quit. But as hard as it is to believe, there are some platformers, RPGs, and beat-em-ups more enjoyable when you fail your mission, die constantly, or you’re just rubbish.
You may ask how playing badly can be fun? Isn’t losing the opposite of what you’re supposed to do?
Although this is true, there are times when the player is rewarded for being a bit naff. In some games, dying will allow you to access secret power-ups which are out-of-bounds for experienced players. Sometimes, the Game Over screen is so entertaining, it’s worth dying just to see it.
But the main reason why most games are fun, even if you aren’t particularly skilful is because they still pose a challenge. Once you know where everything is and how to beat every enemy, some titles can lose their appeal. In situations like this, it makes you realise that sucking at a game isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
In Dead Cells, you play as a resurrected corpse who’s trying to escape from an undisclosed island. Due to the prison’s gargantuan size and the fact that it’s populated by a gazillion enemies and traps, meeting your maker a few hundred times is guaranteed
Brutally difficult games are usually frustrating because the player feels like they’re making very little progress. Not only that, the gameplay can get repetitive since the player is forced to endure the same levels over and over.
Thankfully, Dead Cells bypasses these problems due to its unique structure. Firstly, this Metroidvania title has procedurally generated levels so no two playthroughs are the same.
Secondly, you attain something new every time you bite the dust, meaning that dying benefits you. Whether you receive knowledge or a brand-new weapon, it feels like you are always making progress, no matter how many times you find yourself taking a dirt nap.
This is a great system since it takes SO(OOOOO) long to beat Dead Cells. Although you have to dedicate many hours to complete this game, it never feels like a slog, since no playthrough is wasted.
James Egan has written 80 books including 1000 Facts about Superheroes Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Supervillains Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about The Greatest Films Ever Made Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about Video Games Vol. 1-3 1000 Facts about TV Shows Vol. 1-3 Twitter – @jameswzegan85
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