Comparison

SKYHILL vs Dead Cells

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SKYHILL

Survive a post-apocalyptic world filled with mutants after a bio-weapon attack. Scavenge for supplies, craft weapons, and battle terrifying creatures in a procedurally generated skyscraper. Every decision matters in this roguelike RPG where survival is the only goal.

Highlights
  • Roguelike RPG gameplay
  • Apocalyptic survival setting
  • Randomly generated maps
  • Craft weapons and find objects
  • Battle nightmarish creatures
  • Turn-based combat
  • Unlock special abilities
Features
Read full description

Please note: This app requires iPhone 5 or better, iPad 4 or better or iPad Mini 2 or better. Older devices are not supported. World War III was one cruel tragedy, at least for the others. You seemed to have a quite nice time, hidden in your fancy penthouse at the Skyhill Hotel... Till the impact of a bio-weapon blew away the life you once knew. Now there are mutants everywhere, and they're eager to rip you to shreds with their vicious claws. But they aren't your only problem: Your supplies are running out. You have to leave your luxurious penthouse and search for food. Walking through the skyscraper means going through hell. There is danger around every corner and death is a steady companion. But seriously, how would someone prepare for something like this? It doesn't matter anymore. Nothing matters but survival. And time is running out. Open the door. Key Features: • Roguelike RPG gameplay in an apocalyptic survival setting • Feels fresh every session – randomly generated maps • Gain experience, craft weapons and look for useful objects • Face an army of nightmarish creatures • Go for the head or land a body shot – but choose wisely • Everything you find can be helpful • Difficulty levels give you the chance to actually survive this, or try to outlast this hell under the worst conditions • Open end – is there still hope? Come and find out! • Various special abilities to unlock • Turn based combat with a sophisticated risk and reward system • Fast travel with the elevator

About

Dead Cells

Explore a sprawling, ever-changing castle as a failed alchemic experiment. Master frantic 2D combat with a variety of weapons and skills against dangerous foes. Death is not the end; learn from each attempt to progress through this roguevania action platformer.

Highlights
  • Roguevania exploration
  • Frantic 2D action combat
  • Nonlinear progression
  • Permadeath with learning
  • Unlockable weapons and skills
  • DLC content packs
Read full description

Death is not the end. Play as a failed alchemic experiment and explore the sprawling, ever-changing castle to find out what happened on this gloomy island…! That is, assuming you’re able to fight your way past its keepers. Dead Cells is a roguevania action platformer that will require you to master frantic 2D combat with a wide variety of weapons and skills against merciless minions and boss. Kill. Die. Learn. Repeat. First available on PC and consoles, the indie hit Dead Cells is now slaying foes on mobile! Main Features • Roguevania: The progressive exploration of an interconnected world, with the replayability of a rogue-lite and the adrenaline-pumping threat of permadeath • Frantic and Dynamic 2D Action: Learn your enemies’ patterns to stay alive, or prepare to be sent back to your cell before you can say “baguette” • Nonlinear Progression: Unlock new levels with every death, opt for the path that suits your current build, your playstyle or just your mood. Surely, the ramparts can’t be as bad as the sewers, right? • Play at your own pace: Will you explore every nook and cranny of the castle, or rush to the end? *Latest updates are available: Clean Cut & The End is Near* RETURN TO CASTLEVANIA DLC Time for some vampire slaying • New storyline - overcome the Ruler of Darkness alongside Alucard and Richter Belmont, • 2 new biomes - Explore Dracula's Castle and its outskirts • 9 new monsters - Werewolves, haunted armors, and medusas are waiting for you • 14 new weapons - wield the Vampire Killer or the Holy Water to defeat creatures of the night, • 3 new bosses - go fangs to fangs against Death and Dracula himself • 20 new outfits - dress as your favorite Castlevania characters such as Simon and Richter Belmont or Alucard • Alternative soundtracks - play along 51 Castlevania original tracks and 12 tunes reimagined in the style of Dead Cells THE BAD SEED DLC You reap what you sow • New levels to lose your head in the not-so-peaceful Dilapidated Arboretum and the noxious Morass of the Banished • New monsters to rip to pieces: get to know the locals, such as the Jerkshroom and the Yeeter • New weapons to play with: trim sticking-out heads with the Scythe Claw, or make them dance to the sound of the Rhythm n' Bouzouki • New boss to fight against: Mama Tick is dying to meet you FATAL FALLS DLC Ready for a leap of faith? • 3 new biomes - Get some fresh air at the Fractured Shrines, splash around at the Undying Shores and take a picture at the Mausoleum • 8 new monsters - The Cold Blooded Guardians and their friends would love to teach you about their culture. ... Wait, aren't those relatives of yours in the Undying Shores...? • 7 new weapons - Lil' Serenade is perfect for breaking the ice with the locals, although the Snake Fangs would make for a perfect souvenir... • 1 new boss - The Scarecrow is very proud of his gardening skills and won't hesitate to show off QUEEN AND THE SEA DLC Take it to the sea! • 2 new biomes - Battle your way through a rotten shipwreck, or scale a burning lighthouse and confront your deadliest foe yet. • 9 new weapons, including a throwable shark, a trident and a pirate hook hand (eyepatch not included). • 2 new bosses - Don't lose your head before you meet the Queen! This DLC also gives you the usual extras: - A not-so-cute pet. - Loads of new outfits. - New enemies to bash. WARNING: Devices with less than 2 Gb of RAM may not be able to run this content correctly. We recommend not to take this DLC if your device is under 2gb of RAM. Carefully redesigned for mobile with a revamped interface • Two game modes available: Original & Auto-Hit • Custom controls & More touch controls options available: Change the buttons’ position and size to your liking, swipe to dodge… • MFi external controller support • No ads, no F2P mechanics! If you run into a problem, please contact us at support@playdigious.mail.helpshift.com with as much information as possible on the issue.

Screenshots

SKYHILL4 screens
Dead Cells4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Dead Cells at 4.8 against SKYHILL's 4.0. Dead Cells also leads on review sentiment (89% vs 52%) and ratings volume (12K vs 36). SKYHILL's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and price ($2.99 vs $8.99). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

SKYHILL costs $2.99 and Dead Cells $8.99 up front. Dead Cells sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. SKYHILL asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Dead Cells holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dead Cells has 12K ratings behind it against 36, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 52% of SKYHILL's written reviews are positive against 89% of Dead Cells's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SKYHILL ships an update every 2 weeks, Dead Cells every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 2 level
SKYHILL versus Dead Cells: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSKYHILLDead Cells
Price$2.99 — better$8.99
Rating4.0 (36 ratings)4.8 (12K ratings) — better
Positive reviews51.6% of reviews88.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3612K — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeks — betterEvery 5 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank—#9 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better
Requires iOS8.1 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size271 MB1.8 GB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperDaedalic Entertainment GmbHPlaydigious

Customer experience

SKYHILL

All ratings36 ratings
Positive75.0%
Neutral11.1%
Negative13.9%
Written reviews223 reviews
Positive51.6%
Neutral7.6%
Negative40.8%

Dead Cells

All ratings12,164 ratings
Positive95.6%
Neutral1.5%
Negative3.0%
Written reviews1,780 reviews
Positive88.5%
Neutral3.6%
Negative7.9%

Bugs and requests

SKYHILL

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Dead Cells

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Saves not compatible across platforms
  • Texture and graphical issues on some devices
  • Persistent memory leaks causing performance drops

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add Chinese language support
  • Implement cross-save functionality
  • Introduce online multiplayer mode
  • Optimize for older devices

In-app purchases

None

SKYHILL

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

Dead Cells

One-time4
  • The Bad Seed$3.99
  • Fatal Falls$3.99
  • The Queen and the Sea$3.99
Show 1 more
  • Return to Castlevania$6.99

Questions

Is SKYHILL free?
SKYHILL costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Dead Cells free?
Dead Cells costs $8.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SKYHILL or Dead Cells?
Dead Cells is rated higher. SKYHILL averages 4.0 out of 5 from 36 ratings, while Dead Cells averages 4.8 from 12K ratings.
Do SKYHILL or Dead Cells have ads?
Neither SKYHILL nor Dead Cells shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SKYHILL or Dead Cells?
SKYHILL ships an update every 2 weeks, and Dead Cells every 5 weeks. Most recently, SKYHILL was updated on September 25, 2026 and Dead Cells on September 27, 2026.

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