Dead Cells isn’t just a rogue-lite action-platformer, there’s also some Metroidvania DNA in this brutally difficult little game. Every area that you explore has one, two or three exit doors you can use. There’s a standard path, and then there’s a whole bunch of optional areas with totally new enemies — and in one particular case, all new mechanics.
You might not realize how many bonus areas there are in this game. There are a whole lot, and we’ve put together a quick guide explaining how to access each zone. You’ll need runes to access these optional areas — check the rune location guide in the link bank below for all the details. Search for a passage that uses the specific runes listed in this guide, and you’ll always find a door to one of the extra areas.
More Dead Cells guides on Gameranx:
- Dead Cells: How To Find Keys & Cash In The Promenade | Secrets Guide
- Dead Cells: How To Get The Vine, Teleportation, Ram & Spider Runes | Locations Guide
- Dead Cells: Want To Make Easy Progress? Equip Double Turrets | Powerful Build Guide
How To Access Every Area | Hidden & Optional Areas Guide
There are 13 areas (or biomes) in Dead Cells, and each tiered area usually has a standard exit, and an optional exit leading to a special location that isn’t required. The standard exit doesn’t require any runes, while the special, secret, or optional exits almost always require one of the four rune powers.
- Prison Quarters:
- Leads To: Promenade of the Damned (Standard, No Runes)
- Leads To: Toxic Sewers (Vine Rune)
- Promenade of the Damned:
- Leads To: Ramparts (Standard, No Runes)
- Leads To: Ossuary (Teleportation Rune)
- Leads To: Prison Depths (Spider Rune)
- Toxic Sewers:
- Leads To: Ramparts (Standard, No Runes)
- Leads To: Ancient Sewers (Ram Rune)
- Ramparts:
- Leads To: Black Bridge (Standard, No Runes, Concierge Boss)
- Leads To: Insufferable Crypt (Requires 3 Boss Source Cells)
- Prison Depths:
- Leads To: Ossuary (Standard, No Runes)
- Ancient Sewers:
- Leads To: Insufferable Crypt (Standard, No Runes, Watcher Boss)
- Ossuary:
- Leads To: Black Bridge (Standard, No Runes)
- Black Bridge: (Concierge Boss)
- Leads To: Stilt Village (Standard, No Runes)
- Leads To: Slumbering Sanctuary (Spider Rune)
- Insufferable Crypt: (Watcher Boss)
- Leads To: Slumbering Sanctuary (Standard, No Runes)
- Leads To: Graveyard (Spider Rune)
- Stilt Village:
- Leads To: Clock Tower (Standard, No Runes)
- Leads To: Forgotten Sepulcher (Teleportation Rune)
- Slumbering Sanctuary:
- Leads To: Clock Tower (Standard, No Runes)
- Leads To: Forgotten Sepulcher (Standard, No Runes)
- Graveyard:
- Leads To: Forgotten Sepulcher (Standard, No Runes)
- Clock Tower:
- Leads To: Clock Room (Standard, No Runes, Time Keeper Boss)
- Forgotten Sepulcher:
- Leads To: Clock Room (Standard, No Runes, Time Keeper Boss)
- Clock Room: (Time Keeper Boss)
- Leads To: High Peak Castle (Standard, No Runes)
- High Peak Castle:
- Leads To: Throne Room (Standard, No Runes, Hand of the King Boss)
