Dead Cells, the majestic rogue-type action platform game from developers Motion Twin and its subsidiary Evil Empire, is expanding again, this time introducing a number of new accessibility features, including an assist mode. adjustable, in a PC and console update that the studios ask for. Breaking Barriers.
Evil Empire first talked about improving the accessibility of Dead Cells in January, when it began asking players for feedback on how it could expand the game to better suit a wider range of needs. He then shared an update on his progress in May, detailing some of the accessibility options that were on the way.
After a round of beta testing, all of this work has moved into the live game with the official release of Breaking Barriers. The update offers a variety of new accessibility features, tested by a panel of players with various disabilities in AbleGamers, all detailed in a long blog entry and a nine-minute video breakdown.
Dead Cells Update – Breaking Barriers.
“Hopefully there is no need to justify adding accessibility options,” Evil Empire wrote in its post, “but we had received many comments that the game may be inaccessible for a wide range of reasons. Dead Cells is intended for be “hard but fair” [but] we realize that the way the game is designed can put up barriers to reaching this experience for some players. These new options are designed to allow for specific, custom game adjustments for those who need it, to make this “tough but fair” gameplay accessible, rather than adding arbitrary difficulty levels that don’t really meet the needs of players. ” .
Dead Cells ’new accessibility features fall into two main categories: adjustable options focused on input, visibility, and audio, as well as a customizable support mode. In the old camp, there are now more options to customize the controls, especially actions that require a long press or a complex input and a joystick action, as well as options to adjust the type and size of the font, size and interface transparency, statistical colors, intensity of particle effects and more.
As for assistance mode, it includes several additional adjustable options. Auto Impact, for example, is designed to reduce the need for quick entries by letting the game handle main weapon attacks while players focus on their secondary weapons and skills. Players can also choose to activate 1, 3, 7 or infinite lives that will generate them at the beginning of a biome after death instead of returning to the beginning of the game. “This is aimed at players who have involuntary movements or activity, such as muscle spasms,” explains Evil Empire, “to have another chance if their career is ruined by something that is out of their control.”
It is now also possible to reveal the entire map instantly, and a final set of customization features is thought to allow for “a specific, dare we say delicate, adjustment of the game’s challenge.” These include customizable trap damage, enemy damage, and enemy health in percentage increments, as well as switching options for slower stop windows and trap speed. Evil Empire says it also wanted to add a speed slider to the game, but “it’s just not possible without breaking the game.”
Unfortunately, Assist mode has received a number of “setbacks” from parts of the Dead Cells player base during beta testing, and Evil Empire has addressed these complaints directly in its release. “The assistance mode is designed to allow people to enjoy the game that they would otherwise be excluded from doing,” he explains. “We recognize that some people who do not ‘need’ the modality will use it anyway and as a result will die less and will not learn from mistakes, which is a key part of the roguelites. However, we have put multiple messages explaining that’s within the game, so it’s up to them if they want to go ahead and use the mode anyway. ”
Players using Assistance mode will not be able to record their scores on the daily Dead Cells challenge boards, but achievements will remain activated. “The intent of this update is to open up the game to players who would otherwise be excluded from enjoying it,” Evil Empire reiterates. “We won’t make that possible and then we’ll bring success to those players.”
To complete the Breaking Barriers update there are cost reductions for the “majority” of items for beginners: “to make the initial game less tedious for new players and make the new items an unlock option viable while trying to get your bottle, gold, and other useful updates “. – along with reworkings for seven weapons: the barnacle, the tentacle, the magnetic grenade, the Biters pets, the corrupt power, the crow’s wings and the lure.
“We hope these changes can allow more players to enjoy Dead Cells as we intended,” concludes Evil Empire, “and if the unaltered version of Dead Cells already reaches the right balance of challenge and progression for you, those changes are all optional … just leave the game as it is and keep having fun “.