Dead Cells gets free Break the Bank DLC all about loot, loot, and more loot

Developers Motion Twin and Evil Empire have released a new free DLC for Dead Cells, called Break the Bank, which follows on from January's substantial The Queen and the Sea update. Dead Cells is fundamentally the same game as it was at release—and it was great at release—but the post-launch support that this action-heavy roguelike has received is really something.

The clue is in the title with Break the Bank: as the above trailer shows, this is all about hitting things hard and salivating as the sweet, sweet cash pours out of them. That's right, we're talking 'bout that cheddar: dinero, dough, cabbage, moola, phat brass, the readies, lucre, loot... it's all in the bank and, if you whack enough stuff, is all yours.

The Bank is the new optional biome that will randomly appear in runs, and manifests as a flashy chest in-between biomes (but not before a boss). Opening the chest will make the bank replace whatever the next area was going to be (you choose your path via exits in Dead Cells), and guarantees a bunch of stuff including a cursed chest: most charming of all, you get offered a loan upon entry (which has to be paid back at the end).

Dead Cells' Break the Bank DLC. — (Image credit: Motion Twin)

The bank includes existing enemies as well as three new money-themed nasties: the agitated pickpocket is after your gold; the gold gorger eats gold until it reaches a final form that, per the developer, will "kick your ass"; the golden kamikaze bat is a bat that drops a lotta coin.

Continuing the gold theme, three new weapons aim to help out your bottom line. The gold digger gives gold on hits, plus crits when you're rich enough, while the dagger of cupidity crits in the immediate aftermath of picking up gold. The money shooter... it shoots your money at things. Three new mutations are also gold-themed, the most interesting of which is being gold-plated: you lose cash, not health, when hit.

In addition to this, Motion Twin has added two new bank-themed outfits, including a fetching top hat combo, and worked-in a bunch of balance fixes and quality of life improvements.

Finally, the update comes with brief notes on future plans and one very exciting line: Motion Twin thanks players for supporting Dead Cells by buying the DLCs, "and for getting Motion Twin's new project over the line." Hopefully we'll find out more about that new project soon.

As for Dead Cells: "we’re not finished yet—there'll be more DLC and free updates coming for at least another year and some of that content has got us very, very excited..."

The Break the Bank update is out now, and free for all owners of Dead Cells.

Rich is a games journalist with 15 years' experience, beginning his career on Edge magazine before working for a wide range of outlets, including Ars Technica, Eurogamer, GamesRadar+, Gamespot, the Guardian, IGN, the New Statesman, Polygon, and Vice. He was the editor of Kotaku UK, the UK arm of Kotaku, for three years before joining PC Gamer. He is the author of a Brief History of Video Games, a full history of the medium, which the Midwest Book Review described as "[a] must-read for serious minded game historians and curious video game connoisseurs alike."