Screenshots & trailers
What players say
Why the number is what it is: aspect mentions counted across 299 sampled Steam reviews (285 positive / 14 negative), recent and most-helpful. Plain keyword counting, fully reproducible; nothing here is written by a machine.
What positive reviews talk about
- Difficulty & balance7% mention it
- Combat5% mention it
- Story & writing4% mention it
- Visuals & art4% mention it
What negative reviews complain about
Negative reviews don't converge on specific aspects.
Satisfaction by hours played
Same score, different games: see how sentiment holds up the longer people play.
Under 5h
93%
55 reviews
5-15h
97%
78 reviews
15-40h
94%
79 reviews
40-100h
96%
56 reviews
100h+
97%
31 reviews
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 89 | 39 |
| Creator reviews (3 tracked) | – | 85 | 1 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 97% | 93 | 1262 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 87 | 139 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 96% | 91 | 2862 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: since the last significant patch (Jun 15, 2026) · 300 reviews sampled · 2862 total reviews in window · weighted 233.3 up / 9.6 down · computed 1h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (163)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 90
- 90
“Dead Cells manages to perfectly combine several different genres and becomes one of the most important and interesting indie projects of 2018. Excellent mechanics, adequate balance of complexity, atmospheric locations, great level generation, nonlinearity and a huge number of all possible combinations of equipment make this game a must-buy. Especially if you like Metroid, The Binding of Isaac and Diablo.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Dead Cells is incredibly addictive. Once you're in, there's no easy way to get out.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Roguelikes are aimed primarily at gameplay junkies who thrive on a challenge. Dead Cells, by contrast, is a game designed for those who don't particularly like roguelikes.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Dead Cells is a visually stunning game that’s perfect for fans of action-packed roguelike platformers. It offers a high level of difficulty and perfectly fluid gameplay. This action title will test not only your nerves, but also your reflexes and endurance. Although the game lacks a deep storyline, its charm lies primarily in its humor and the ever-changing ways it can be played. Dead Cells offers dozens of hours of fun not only for seasoned roguelike players but also for complete newcomers.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Frantic, inventive combat combined with charming visuals and humour make this the only rogue-lite, Metroidvania action-platformer you need right now.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Dead Cells is a masterclass in excellent roguelike design, mixing together nonstop intense action sequences, gorgeous vistas, and an addictive loop of unlocks and rewards into a beautiful experience that no Switch owner will want to go without. There’s dozens, if not hundreds, of hours of content available here, and though some sense of repetition can creep in every now and then, it’s remarkable how fresh Dead Cells can stay through all those hours. This game is a blast to play, full of visual splendor, and packed with things to do; don’t miss out on this one, it’s a must-buy. ”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Dead Cells meshes two genres without either feeling tacked-on or lacking complexity. A must-have for roguelike fans.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“Not content with sheer novelty, Dead Cells importantly taps into the most significant aspect of both of the genres it fuses together. Few games are as addictive as those Metroid-style backtrackers, and perhaps the only thing that has come close this decade is the spate of roguelike platformers that flourished in Spelunky's wake. Dead Cells beautifully captures what makes both of those genres impossible to put down, uniting the “just one more” drive of a roguelike with the “must keep going” compulsion of a Metroid. It's a smart, confident piece of work that works perfectly with the Switch's portability, and anybody interested in either of the genres it builds on should consider checking it out.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“The versatility and flexibility of each run, with its incredible visuals, fluid combat and an extremely satisfying sense of progression make Dead Cells a must play game.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Combining the mechanics of rogue-like titles, Metroidvanias, and Dark Souls might sound too messy or overly complicated, but Motion Twin has done it with style.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Dead Cells surpasses expectations regarding gameplay and destroys the developmental cap for pixel art games. It not only reinvents a genre that has seen little diversity in the last decade, it does so in a way that encourages everyone to invest time to improve and progress. The balance between permanent upgrades and complete wipe-out upon death is perfect, as it will never feel too discouraging to reset due to the optimism that the next run will see a further dive into the world.”
read full review ↗
Fintendo
GameMAG
3DNews
Slant Magazine
Gaming Professors
Jump Dash Roll
Nintendo Life
Hu3br
Paste Magazine
Fun Factor
VGChartz
Cubed3…and 151 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Dead Cells Stability Patch: Less Null Access, More Monster Slaying.Jun 15, 2026significant · resets scoring window
- Astral Ascent: The Dead Cells Rendezvous UpdateNov 27, 2024
- Update 35: The End is Near is now live!Aug 19, 2024significant · resets scoring window
- A super-late (we know) update on Dead CellsFeb 9, 2024
- A New Patch released for current Beta for Update 35!Oct 2, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- The End is Near Update is now in Beta phase!Sep 25, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- A New Patch released for current alpha for Update 35... again!Sep 20, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- New Patch released for current alpha for Update 35!Sep 14, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Update 35 alpha - New system for Cursed mobs i.e the Cursed Biome effectSep 12, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- The second Patch released for current alpha for Update 35!Sep 6, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Patch released for current alpha for Update 35 & details on cursed mob spawnsAug 30, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Update 35 "The End is Near" is in alpha stage!Aug 28, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Our 34th Dead Cells update, "Clean Cut" is live!Apr 27, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Update 34 into beta phase plus incompatible version issues with save files fixedApr 17, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Patch released for current alpha for Update 34Apr 12, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Update 34 "Clean Cut" is in alpha stage!Apr 5, 2023significant · resets scoring window
- Hotfix for Everyone is Here Vol. II updateNov 14, 2022
- Boss Rush update hotfixOct 10, 2022
- The Dead Cells 'Boss Rush' update is out now!Oct 5, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Boss Rush beta hotfix is outSep 28, 2022
- Boss Rush update heads into betaSep 27, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Our next Dead Cells update "Boss Rush" is now in alpha testing - try it out!Sep 19, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- The 'Enter the Panchaku' update is live!Aug 3, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- New changes for the current update 30 betaJul 26, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Update 30 heads into betaJul 19, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- 'Breaking Barriers' introduces accessibility options, Assist Mode & item reworksJun 23, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Accessibility update moves into betaMay 5, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- New alpha with accessibility options, Assist Mode and beginner item reworks!Apr 12, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Patch for Break the Bank updateApr 11, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- 'Break the Bank' Update out now! New biome, 3 enemies, 3 weapons, 3 mutationsMar 30, 2022significant · resets scoring window
- Hotfix for the update 28 betaMar 2, 2022
- Update 28 now in beta, The Bank is back!Feb 17, 2022significant · resets scoring window
…and 22 earlier patch announcements.