Dead Cells is a 2018 roguelike-Metroidvania game published by independent game studio Motion Twin. The game was released for Linux, macOS, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on August 7, 2018. A mobile port for iOS was released on August 28, 2019, and an Android port was released on June 3, 2020. In the game, the player takes the role of an amorphous creature called the Prisoner. As the Prisoner, the player must fight their way out of a diseased island in order to slay the island’s King. The player gains weapons, treasure and other tools through exploration of the procedurally-generated levels, using them to fight various mutated creatures. Dead Cells uses a permadeath system, causing the player to lose all items and other currencies each time the player dies.
Production of Dead Cells began after Motion Twin planned development for a follow-up to their previous browser game Die2Nite. Inspirations for the game included Team Fortress 2, The Binding of Isaac, and the Souls series. After release, Motion Twin supported the game with several updates and expansions. The game received positive reviews from critics, who praised its combat style and level design, with specific praise being directed towards the randomized levels and weapons. By March 2021, the game had sold 5 million copies.
