The previously announced Dead Cells update of "little stocking fillers" has dropped, and update 21 won't be the last you see of the game, which fully released over two years ago and still regularly gets new content. As befitting the season, this update comes with two Christmassy outfits for the beheaded, the classic red and white Santa suit and a costume turning them into a surprisingly bouncy Frosty the Snowman. Additionally, you can now enjoy a new Christmas in-game diet, due to a cosmetic change that turns all food items into cheese.
As the name suggests, the Malaise update focuses on improving the Malaise mechanic and making it less punishing—being hit for example no longer increases your malaise, killing enemies decreases it, and the "Malaise Cleared" event completely stops the bar from filling until the end of the biome. "We're aiming to give a cycling nature to the mechanic, with a Malaise that should stay in-between 3 and 7 during most of the run (except boss fights)," Motion Twin writes in the patch notes. "Balancing that new mechanic is going to be a major challenge and we're counting a lot on your help and feedback."
But that isn't all—the new update also adds the katana weapon. It allows you to combine a standard slash with a dashing charge attack, and it's been the most-requested weapon from the community, according to Motion Twin. There's a new mob, also inspired by a community suggestion, five new mutations, and a lore room for the Hand of the King. That's quite a few stocking fillers. You can find the full patch notes on the Dead Cells website.
Motion Twin is now taking a well-deserved Christmas break, but more Dead Cells content is on the way—Fatal Falls, the second paid DLC, is set to release in early 2021.
