PS4 / PS5
Dead Cells has a long update history and an overall list much larger than its original platinum group. Separate movement runes, Boss Stem Cells and execution challenges. Assist options can make progression accessible, while certain Custom Mode settings disable trophies: they are different systems and should be checked before starting. Giant, Queen and Castlevania content should not obscure the particular group you are completing.
PS4 since 2018 and native PS5 since 2023. Original-group roadmap, with DLC and additional groups separated.
- Required difficulty: The base group reaches four Boss Stem Cells; Assist Mode does not disable trophies.
- Missable trophies: No permanent missables; new runs allow recovery of specific conditions.
- Online: No co-op is required; the list includes an individual daily challenge.
Unlock runes to open routes
Vine, Teleportation, Ram and Spider runes transform available routes. When a passage seems inaccessible, identify the missing ability rather than repeating only familiar paths. Seek rune encounters and then explore their branches; several regions award first-visit trophies. These powers persist between runs, making a newly obtained rune useful progress even when the next boss ends the attempt.
- Record blocked passages alongside their required rune.
Keep equipment and scrolls coherent
Choose a main stat matching your intended weapons and skills. Scrolls are essential growth, so skipping them without a reason can leave damage inadequate in later biomes. Coordinate cooldowns with enemy openings and learn to roll through attacks rather than constantly trading health. Blueprints and permanent unlocks expand future possibilities without replacing a coherent build in the current run.
- Check weapon colours, scrolls and synergies before changing equipment.
Read Assist and Custom settings separately
Assist Mode adjusts difficulty while retaining trophies, but that does not validate every Custom Mode configuration. Read lock warnings associated with active options and the available equipment pool before departing. If the menu says achievements are disabled, fix the settings before reaching a boss. Shared seeds are unnecessary: use configurations the game marks eligible rather than importing another roguelike’s rules.
- Check trophy warnings before confirming the run.
Increase Cells without confusing groups
Boss Stem Cells alter run rules, so confirm the active level before leaving the opening area. The original route reaches a four-cell completion rather than requiring the five-cell final boss or every paid expansion. Learn base encounters and resource management before advancing. Distinguish absorbing a new cell from finishing a run with that number active: the trophy conditions are different.
- Compare owned Cells with the number actually active.
Dedicate attempts to special restrictions
No-hit bosses, the Cursed Sword and Ygdar Orus Li Ox require their own preparation. Choose one target, use suitable equipment and difficulty, then verify the result instead of combining everything in the first successful run. Reduced incoming damage is not the same as avoiding a hit, so perfect fights still need their actual restriction. Finish the daily challenge and audit the base group before chasing overall expansion completion.
- Prepare each restriction as an explicitly targeted run.
Trophies to watch
Steam rolled.
You beat "The Concierge" without taking a single hit!
Reduced damage does not replace avoiding every hit.
I like to live dangerously…
Against all odds, you finished the game with the Cursed Sword!
Prepare a dedicated run using the required weapon.
Let's get down to the nitty gritty…
four Boss Stem Cells active
Check that four Cells are actually active before departing.
Frequently asked questions
Are Assist Mode and Custom Mode equivalent?
No. Assist Mode retains trophies, while certain Custom options disable them. Read menu warnings for the configuration actually selected.
Must I finish every expansion?
No. Numerous additional trophies belong to separate groups. Original platinum does not require one hundred percent of all released content.
Is an acquired Cell already active?
Do not confuse ownership with configuration. Check the run level in the opening area and complete it with the required number active.
Sources
- Dead Cells Invades PS4 August 7, 6 Tips for Surviving
- Dead Cells – Rogue-lite metroidvania with some souls-lite combat on top! Kill, die, learn, repeat.
- Dead Cells (PS4® & PS5®)
- Dead Cells – official wiki: Assist Mode and Accessibility
- Dead Cells – official wiki: Custom Mode
Trophy lists
Buying the game
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