Dead Cells studio thanks Guillermo del Toro for playing its game, gently suggests he try the easy mode
August 1, 2026
In a recent interview with IGN, celebrated filmmaker Guillermo del Toro expressed his admiration for the challenging action-roguelike game, Dead Cells. However, he also voiced a desire for a mode that would alleviate the frustrations associated with the game’s difficulty, particularly the frequent restarts typical of the roguelike genre.
Response from Motion Twin
In response to del Toro’s comments, the development team at Motion Twin reached out to clarify that an easier gameplay option is already available. They enthusiastically invited the director to explore the game’s Assist mode, which allows players to resurrect at the beginning of the current biome or at the nearest checkpoint, rather than having to restart the entire run.
“We’d like to officially add this moment into our own personal Cabinet of Curiosities,” the studio remarked. “We are surprised and truly honored to see that Mr. del Toro is a Dead Cells player, and we can even help him right now: there is an Assist mode in the game!”
This Assist mode seems to align perfectly with del Toro’s request for a less punishing experience. He noted, “You get 35 levels in and then you start again, you get faster, but please do a version without respawning for the elderly players.” It appears that his concerns were primarily about the roguelike mechanics that lead to significant setbacks upon death, such as losing all collected items and facing a randomized map.
It’s worth noting that del Toro’s oversight regarding the Assist mode is not uncommon. Many gamers, regardless of their experience level, often find themselves searching for basic gameplay features, such as saving progress in new titles. This highlights a shared experience among players, reminding us that there are (almost) no dumb questions in the gaming community.
Dead Cells studio thanks Guillermo del Toro for playing its game, gently suggests he try the easy mode
In a recent interview with IGN, celebrated filmmaker Guillermo del Toro expressed his admiration for the challenging action-roguelike game, Dead Cells. However, he also voiced a desire for a mode that would alleviate the frustrations associated with the game’s difficulty, particularly the frequent restarts typical of the roguelike genre.
Response from Motion Twin
In response to del Toro’s comments, the development team at Motion Twin reached out to clarify that an easier gameplay option is already available. They enthusiastically invited the director to explore the game’s Assist mode, which allows players to resurrect at the beginning of the current biome or at the nearest checkpoint, rather than having to restart the entire run.
“We’d like to officially add this moment into our own personal Cabinet of Curiosities,” the studio remarked. “We are surprised and truly honored to see that Mr. del Toro is a Dead Cells player, and we can even help him right now: there is an Assist mode in the game!”
This Assist mode seems to align perfectly with del Toro’s request for a less punishing experience. He noted, “You get 35 levels in and then you start again, you get faster, but please do a version without respawning for the elderly players.” It appears that his concerns were primarily about the roguelike mechanics that lead to significant setbacks upon death, such as losing all collected items and facing a randomized map.
It’s worth noting that del Toro’s oversight regarding the Assist mode is not uncommon. Many gamers, regardless of their experience level, often find themselves searching for basic gameplay features, such as saving progress in new titles. This highlights a shared experience among players, reminding us that there are (almost) no dumb questions in the gaming community.