Recs.
Updated
Metroidvania game with a sort of a Dark Souls feel to it. Challenging, and upgrades that you collect are discarded (besides permanent ones you unlock with cells). Has 3 primary stat upgrades you collect and keep until you die (HP, Skill Damage and CDR, and Attack Damage. You may have 2 weapons and 2 abilities that are interchangeable with what drops/ what you find around the levels you explore. Levels are procedurally generated making each experience somewhat different and fresh.
SpecsUpdate
Pros
Pro Deep, rewarding, and fast paced combat
The game has a good variety of weapons (ranged and melee), skills (spells, traps, turrets), and enemies that all change how the game plays out. Some weapons work best if the enemy is bleeding, some skills hurl enemies at you, some enemies are immune to attacks from the front. Which items you find and decide to keep will change what approach to combat you need to take.
Pro Brilliant game design
All the little details come together to make Dead Cells incredibly rewarding to play with very little frustration. You die a lot, but you're constantly permanently progressing as well. Also every level is procedural generated, so even when you die and have to restart it feels unique and different every time.
Pro Supported by developers and community
The creators of the game are consistently updating the game with new features, adding entirely new areas and weapons each time. The game could have honestly been released a while ago and fared decently but they keep making it better. Even more importantly though, the developers have taken player feedback into account many times. The devs love the game and the community and it shows through their work.
Pro Satisfying combat with a good amount of depth to it
Dead Cells encourages fast-paced gameplay and requires quick reactions. The hits are impactful, the controls are super-responsive, and it's overall very fluid. The game has a good variety of weapons, skills and enemies that all change how the game plays out. Some weapons work best if the enemy is bleeding, some skills hurl enemies at you, some enemies are immune to attacks from the front. Which items you find and decide to keep will change what approach to combat you need to take.
Pro The developers put a lot of love and care into the game
Throughout its time in Early Access, the creators of Dead Cells consistently updated the game with new features, adding entirely new areas and weapons each time. The game could have honestly been released a while ago and fared decently, but they kept making it better. Even more importantly though, the developers took player feedback into account many times. The devs love the game and the community and it shows through their work.
Pro Brilliant game design that presents a good challenge
All the little details come together to make Dead Cells incredibly rewarding to play. Making one mistake can mean death, which makes the game challenging but also fun as you learn how to take on certain enemies with different sets of weapons and skills. Also, every level is procedurally-generated, so even when you die and have to restart it feels unique and different every time. This keeps the game from ever getting old, even after you finish the game on the highest difficulty level.
Pro Two year roadmap, most of it free
The guys responsible for Dead Cell's upkeep claim to have two more years of content planned (as of DEC2019), most of it free. There have already been major updates since it came out of early access, and it just keeps getting better (although I miss the OP Exploding Crossbow).
Cons
Con Shallow story
The story feels totally inconsequential. There isn't much going on with the plot, and what little is there is pretty forgettable. You feel motivated by the progression of the game rather than any emotional connection to the story. If you're looking for something with a stronger narrative to go with the good gameplay, this isn't it.
Con Frustrating to fail
The game gives you one life (except with a certain perk) so if you die then your whole run is over. This would be fine if it wasn't so easy to lose all your health in an instant. At least in Dark Souls you go back to a bonfire so you can fight a boss again, in this game it's back to level 1. This makes it frustrating if you spend a lot of time on a run only for it to all go down the drain from a small mistake.