In Cell, we play as a primitive, unthinking species — fighting, fleeing or mating. Physical improvement follows the mating. Every new generation of the player’s species brings an advance based on what’s been chewed on. All the eating generates DNA points and scheduled milestones allow players to advance to grander scales of tide-pool conflict. Enemy creatures that once were too big are now merely evenly matched opponents, and, later, smaller prey.

Since Cell is the starter level, it must be the one that sets the rules for the game, right? Using that logic, the key rule appears to be that the player’s actions provide them the options to shape and empower their character. If I make my creature eat an electrified enemy, for example, I can make my creature spit electricity once I intelligently re-design it.