Dead Cells Developers Provide Update on Upcoming Accessibility Features

In the past decade or so, there has been an increased focus in the video game industry on making it easier for everybody to enjoy the medium. Even titles that have been around for nearly 30 years, like id Software’s Quake are getting accessibility features to make gaming more approachable for players with visual, auditory, or other impairments. Dead Cells, the 2018 roguelike Metroidvania developed by Evil Empire, will soon be getting an accessibility update as well.

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The highly rated, award-winning game is known not only for its appealing graphics and finely tuned gameplay, but also a degree of challenge that can prove quite the obstacle for some players. While perhaps not rising to the difficulty level of a game like FromSoftware’s recent hit Elden Ring, Dead Cells requires some precise timing and an agile grasp of the controls to survive the game’s platforming elements and tense combat. The challenge can be even more pronounced for people with disabilities or impairments that make playing video games tough in general.


In January of this year, Evil Empire announced plans to make Dead Cells more accessible. The company put out a call on Twitter for players to leave comments and share their thoughts on features that might make the game more approachable for everybody. During an interview with Twinfinite at the end of April, Evil Empire Marketing Manager Matthew Houghton and Game Designer Arthur Décamp discussed the new Dead Cells accessibility features that will be added to the game soon. The team has been working on the update for four months and will release it for the console and PC versions of Dead Cells at an as-yet unannounced date.


The accessibility features added to the video game will include options to rebind controller buttons and sticks, making it possible to play with only one hand if desired. Further control adjustments include the ability to hold down buttons instead of mash them repeatedly, an assist mode, as well as an auto-hit mode that’s a carryover from the mobile version of Dead Cells.

The game’s UI has gotten some attention, too. The developer has made it bigger, and font size and font type can be changed as well. Rather than providing preset color options, Dead Cells players will now be able to choose the colors they prefer for weapons, enemies, and mutations. Sound in the game can also be modified to make it easier to hear enemy attacks, for example, or to turn down potentially distracting ambient sounds.


As for Dead Cells’ notorious difficulty, this has also been made more customizable. Players will be able to fine tune the challenge by adjusting parry time, slowing down traps and reducing their damage, and even decreasing enemy health. And another frequently requested feature will also be coming to Dead Cells: the ability to continue after dying rather than starting completely over. Evil Empire’s Houghton also reiterated that the new accessibility options are not set in stone; the developer will continue to listen to player feedback and make changes as necessary.

Dead Cells is currently available on Mobile, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.


Source: Twinfinite


Source: Gamerant

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