Dead Cells review
Kill, die, learn and repeat in a castle that keeps changing
- Playdigious
- Paid
- iPhone & iPad, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux
4.8 from 12.4K App Store ratings 1M+ Google Play downloads
Does it deserve #1?
Is Dead Cells worth it?
Yes. Dead Cells scores 9.2/10 and ranks #1 in Action & Shooter Games. It's best for players who want a deep, premium roguelite with no ads or timers. Skip it if you want a free game or hate replaying levels after every death. Price: $8.99 on the App Store, $8.49 on Google Play; four DLC packs sold separately.
The verdict
Dead Cells is the action game to buy if you want one that respects your time and money. Each run through the shifting castle mixes fast, precise combat with weapons and shortcuts you unlock as you go, so even dying feels like progress. The mobile port has thoughtful touch controls, full controller support and all four expansions. Big content updates have ended, so what you get now is the finished game.
- Roguelite runs through a shifting castle
- Four expansion packs
- Boss Rush and Speedrun modes
- Controller support
- Offline single-player
Score breakdown
Overall = features 30% · design 20% · speed 20% · value 15% · privacy 15%. Why these weights?
What's new
- Oct 2026Fixes crashes when picking up items or minimizing, and adds a More Games button
- Feb 2025Clean Cut and The End is Near add new weapons, enemies, mutations and Speedrun Mode
- Feb 2025Playdigious called this the last major content update for the mobile version
Privacy 9.2/10
App Store label: user content and diagnostics may be collected but are not linked to you, and nothing is used to track you. Google Play lists only app performance data.
What we like
- One price, no ads, no energy timers
- Combat feels precise even on a touchscreen
- Huge variety of weapons, biomes and bosses
What could be better
- Major content updates have ended on mobile
- DLC packs cost extra, up to $6.99 each
- Steep difficulty can frustrate newcomers
Players who want a deep, premium roguelite with no ads or timers
you want a free game or hate replaying levels after every death
Questions about Dead Cells
Is Dead Cells worth it in 2026?
Yes. Dead Cells scores 9.2/10 and ranks #1 in Action & Shooter Games. It's best for players who want a deep, premium roguelite with no ads or timers. Skip it if you want a free game or hate replaying levels after every death. Price: $8.99 on the App Store, $8.49 on Google Play; four DLC packs sold separately.
Is Dead Cells free?
No. It's a one-time purchase ($8.99 on the App Store) with four optional DLC packs, and Apple Arcade also carries a separate Dead Cells+ version.
Can you play Dead Cells offline?
Yes. It's a single-player game that works without an internet connection, and it supports game controllers.
Is Dead Cells OK for kids?
It's rated 13+ on the App Store and Teen on Google Play.
What are the best alternatives to Dead Cells?
The closest alternatives are Vampire Survivors, Geometry Dash and Fortnite. See all of them ranked on our Dead Cells alternatives page.
Where does Dead Cells rank?
Dead Cells ranks #1 of 8 in our Action & Shooter Games ranking, with an overall score of 9.2 out of 10.