Dead Cells cover

Dead Cells

Critic score12 critics
First release
Aug 06, 2018
Developer
Evil Empire
Engine
Heaps.io
Genres
Indie, Adventure, Platform · Action, Fantasy

Dead Cells is a 2D side-scrolling action platformer combining roguelike and Metroidvania design. Players control the Prisoner, an immortal creature that possesses corpses and fights through procedurally generated levels filled with mutated enemies. Combat centers on melee weapons, bows, traps, and dodging, with enemy patterns that reward careful observation. Death is permanent for each run, stripping the player of most collected items, though an in-game currency called Cells allows for purchasing upgrades that persist between attempts. Levels are assembled from pre-designed sections in randomized configurations, and progression through the game unlocks new traversal abilities via collectible Runes.

Also known as 데드 셀 (Dead Cells), deadcells.exe, 死亡细胞

Attributes

No Attributes added.

Details

Storyline, release dates, time to beat, age ratings, modes, links, keywords

Storyline
The Prisoner, an amorphous creature capable of possessing dead bodies, awakens in the depths of an island prison with no memory. A soldier tells the Prisoner they can no longer die. Through repeated escape attempts, the Prisoner learns that the island was once a powerful kingdom brought to ruin when a plague called "The Malaise" transformed most of its citizens into mutated monsters. After escaping the prison depths, the Prisoner resolves to kill the island's reclusive King, believing that his death will change something on the island. Fighting through plague-infested regions, the Prisoner reaches the throne room and slays the comatose monarch, only for the King's corpse to explode violently, destroying the Prisoner's host body. The head crawls through a fountain drain that leads back to the prison, where the cycle begins again.Read more

The Prisoner, an amorphous creature capable of possessing dead bodies, awakens in the depths of an island prison with no memory. A soldier tells the Prisoner they can no longer die. Through repeated escape attempts, the Prisoner learns that the island was once a powerful kingdom brought to ruin when a plague called "The Malaise" transformed most of its citizens into mutated monsters. After escaping the prison depths, the Prisoner resolves to kill the island's reclusive King, believing that his death will change something on the island. Fighting through plague-infested regions, the Prisoner reaches the throne room and slays the comatose monarch, only for the King's corpse to explode violently, destroying the Prisoner's host body. The head crawls through a fountain drain that leads back to the prison, where the cycle begins again.

Release dates
PC (Microsoft Windows)
Aug 06, 2018
Mac
Aug 06, 2018
Linux
Aug 06, 2018
All 15 release dates
PC (Microsoft Windows)
Aug 07, 2018
Mac
Aug 07, 2018
PlayStation 4
Aug 07, 2018
Xbox One
Aug 07, 2018
Nintendo Switch
Aug 07, 2018
Linux
Aug 07, 2018
iOS
Aug 28, 2019
Android
Jun 02, 2020
PlayStation 5
Jun 29, 2023
PC (Microsoft Windows)
May 10, 2017
Mac
Jun 26, 2018
Linux
Jun 26, 2018
Time to beatIGDB · recorded
Main Story
5h
Main + Extras
22h
Completionist
100h
Game modes
Single player
Perspective
Side view
Keywords
roguelike, metroidvania, permadeath, action-adventure, steam
… All 23, pixel art, random level generation, teleportation, wall jump, steam achievements, digital distribution, steam cloud, pax west 2017, pax east 2017, pre-release public testing, steam workshop, shopping, skill points in game, bow and arrow, parrying, roguelite, the game awards - best action game - winner, the game awards - best independent game - nominee

At a Glance

Critic Score
90
Main Story (IGDB)
5h
Main + Extras (IGDB)
22h
Completionist (IGDB)
100h

Overview

Steam review summary

Steam users rate this Overwhelmingly Positive, 156,964 reviews in all languages, recorded 17 October 2026

Valve's summary of Steam user reviews. Valve counts only reviews from purchases on Steam, not key activations, and leaves out review periods it has marked as off-topic. It isn't part of the CritScore score.

Review summary: SteamSteam data provided via the Steam Web API (opens in a new tab)Not affiliated with Valve →

About storefront and compatibility information

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