I was late to the party with Dead Cells when it launched on PC in 2018, but I had heard nothing but good things before I pulled the trigger on buying it for myself. I typically don't like roguelikes, but I do love a good challenge. This game packs so many different styles into a punishingly difficult side-scrolling adventure and I really enjoyed it for what it is.
But odds are, you've heard about, played, or seen Dead Cells before now. The game isn't anything new, but it just dropped on the Play Store last week and not only does the port keep the original game's spirit, but adds several optimizations and improvements for mobile. From auto-hit mode to stellar touch controls, this is a perfect example of how mobile ports should be done.
You're going to die in Dead Cells, and you're probably going to die a lot — but that's part of the fun. When you do, you're tossed back to the beginning of the game and have to redo the progress you lost and hopefully make it a bit further. Top all of that off with some challenging enemy encounters (some of which are very difficult) and you get a game that breeds portions of the Souls-like formula with the classic roguelike we all know.
However, that shouldn't deter you. Combat is quite basic once you learn enemy patterns, dodge and parry timings, and when to attack or just run. There's loot to be found, which adds build diversity to the game and makes each run feel unique. No two gameplays will feel the same, since the game world is regenerated randomly when you die. And like I said before, you'll be doing plenty of that.
You're going to die in Dead Cells, and you're probably going to die a lot.
The touch controls are some of the best I've ever experienced in a mobile game. It does feature controller support, though, so I recommend that route if you can take it. To coincide with the mobile optimizations, the developers added an auto-hit mode, which lets you instead focus on dodging, jumping, and otherwise evading enemy attacks and letting the game attack for you. Your first weapon slot will always default to a melee weapon. While I think this is a good way to make the experience a little more accessible for more people, I chose the classic mode. You do whichever you think will lead to the most fulfilling gaming experience.
In light of all of this, I'd argue that Dead Cells is at the top of the best games available on the Play Store right now. Not only is the game itself incredibly good, but the mobile port was done extremely well. I look through a lot of games writing for Android Central, and this is the one I enjoyed more than anything. It may be on the higher end when it comes to price, but I assure you it's worth every cent.
Once you're done here or need a break from Dead Cells (I wouldn't blame you), be sure to check out our big list of the best games available on Android right now, or take a look back at previous Games of the Week!
One of the best indie games to come out in recent years is finally available on Android. It ain't cheap, but anyone looking for hours of content and a solid challenge should strongly consider picking it up.
