Guillermo del Toro has plenty of gaming credibility. The director of Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy and Pacific Rim has also appeared as a high-profile guest in Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding games.
At 61, however, the acclaimed filmmaker has encountered a familiar gaming obstacle: demanding difficulty and the limited options available when a game’s challenge becomes too punishing.
In an IGN interview promoting Pan’s Labyrinth’s return to cinemas, del Toro discussed his enthusiasm for games including Left 4 Dead, Red Dead Redemption, Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding.
He also singled out Motion Twin’s 2018 Metroidvania roguelike Dead Cells. Del Toro praised its world and visual design, describing the game as interesting, but objected to having to restart a run after making substantial progress.
“Dead Cells was really interesting to me, I just hate respawning. You get 35 levels in, and then you start again… you get faster, but please, please do a version without respawning for the older, for the elderly players. I’m available. You can contact me and send it to me. Please, I beg you. Because I like the world, great design.”
His request places him in the middle of one of gaming’s most persistent arguments: whether challenging games should provide optional difficulty settings or assistance for players who want a less severe experience.
The question frequently returns whenever a new Soulslike launches. More recently, Yacht Club Games’ Mina the Hollower renewed the discussion with numerous optional modifiers that can make completion easier or harder.
Dead Cells already offers some help for players who find its standard structure too demanding. An Assist Mode arrived in 2022, alongside Continue Mode, which allows players to resume from their most recent save point rather than restart the entire run.
That existing feature may be close to the checkpoint system del Toro is asking for. Players interested in how challenge, access and classic design intersect can explore the RETROCADE arcade blog, while those considering a dedicated setup can browse the arcade machine buying guide or compare upright arcade cabinets.
For del Toro, the appeal is clear: keep the imaginative world and excellent design, but remove the punishment of losing a long run. His plea may be tongue-in-cheek, yet it reflects a genuine accessibility conversation that continues across modern and retro gaming.
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