Scourgebringer is Dead Cells meets Celeste, and it's fantastic Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Scourgebringer is Dead Cells meets Celeste, and it's fantastic Out next year in Early Access. Feature by Christian Donlan Features Editor Updated on 21 Aug 2019 21 comments Scourgebringer's Gamescom demo is about twenty minutes long. This doesn't explain why I've put about five hours into it so far. I'm intoxicated. This game is intoxicating. And it's so simple. And so direct. I love it already. I want more. How simple is it? Scourgebringer is movement and connection. You zip around pixelly 2D dungeons, moving from one procedurally scrambled room to the next, waiting for the doors to lock you in and the enemies to spawn. Some enemies stick to the walls and fire bullets as they race back and forth. Others hover and take their time before striking. Some are swarms of bees. Some are pink slugs with teeth. It's all very unfriendly. But you may be the unfriendliest of the lot. Light attack, heavy attack, gun that recharges as you do melee damage: it's quite a lot to take in at first. But there's also a dash attack that combines with wall-running and a generous in-air time to make movement as much a part of your arsenal as the weapons you're using. And there's a screen-finishing mega attack for when you're really screwed. Watch on YouTube It feels like too much at first, but listen! Beneath the carnage and the chaos there is that multiplier waiting to be fed with combos. Switch weapons and mix things up and you get more blood from your enemies to spend at the store. Learn the rooms and you start to anticipate the waves. There's a mini-boss, which I think unlocks the mega-boss. They're both brilliant fun. And the whole thing promises a final game of truly thrilling proportions. A dungeon dive that will leave you breathless. I'm a bit breathless already, to be honest. When I'm in the zone I can just move and move and move through this world, zipping around and dealing damage, never taking a shot in return. When I'm not in the zone I at least get to enjoy some gloriously applied screenshake. Scourgebringer hits Early Access early next year. The developers suggest it's a bit like Celeste and a bit like Dead Cells. It is, I guess. But what it's really like is Scourgebringer. I cannot wait to play more. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More Features Digital Foundry Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090: a new level in graphics performance The Digital Foundry video review - and how the new GPU champion delivers for 4K 120fps gaming. 14 Feature Evercore Heroes wants to wind people up the right way "There's less rage at them, because they didn't end your fun." Feature What games get wrong about horses And what they could do about it. 34 Feature Shout out to all the Overwatch supports - where would we be without you? Merci. 55 Latest Articles Digital Foundry Sennheiser's legendary HD 599 open-back headphones are just £70 at Amazon in the Prime Early Access Sale Comfortable with neutral sound and a wide sound stage. Preview Football Manager's new Console edition is the best you'll get without a PC Getting Touch-right. 1 Splatoon 3 Amiibos will be out next month Ink-coming! 3 Fans think Phil Spencer's shelf is teasing the Xbox Game Pass streaming box UPDATE: Xbox confirms old Keystone prototype. 61 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store