# XCOM 2 Collection vs Dead Cells

The clearest difference is rating: Dead Cells at 4.8 against XCOM 2 Collection's 4.2. Dead Cells also leads on price ($8.99 vs $14.99) and review sentiment (89% vs 64%). XCOM 2 Collection's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4). On update cadence and ads there is nothing between them.

XCOM 2 Collection costs $14.99 and Dead Cells $8.99 up front. Dead Cells sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. XCOM 2 Collection asks for nothing beyond the download.

Dead Cells holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dead Cells has 12K ratings behind it against 860, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of XCOM 2 Collection's written reviews are positive against 89% of Dead Cells's.

XCOM 2 Collection ships an update monthly, Dead Cells every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | XCOM 2 Collection | Dead Cells |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $14.99 | **$8.99** |
| Rating | [4.2 (860 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xcom-2-collection/id1288508230/reviews) | **[4.8 (12K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dead-cells/id1389752090/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 860 | **12K** |
| Positive reviews | 63.5% of reviews | **88.5% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Monthly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | #33 | **#10** |
| Size | 3.4 GB | 1.8 GB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **12.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Feral Interactive Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/402470125) | [Playdigious](https://appshunter.io/developer/1041387229) |

## What reviewers say

### XCOM 2 Collection

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xcom-2-collection/id1288508230)

**Currently charting:** #33 Top Paid · Action, #45 Top Paid · Strategy, #114 Top Paid · Games, #153 Top Paid (US App Store)

Lead a resistance against an alien occupation on Earth. Engage in turn-based tactical combat, customize your soldiers, and undertake unique missions. This collection includes the full game and all DLC packs, optimized for mobile devices.

**Highlights:** Turn-based tactical combat, Full game and DLC included, Mobile-optimized touch interface, Soldier customization, Procedurally generated missions, Alien resistance gameplay

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 🎮 Excellent mobile controls
- 💎 Full game experience with DLC
- 👍 Faithful port of PC version

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔋 High battery drain
- 🔍 Graphical downgrade from PC
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🤔 Difficulty with double-tap movement

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to change equipment
- Crashes on certain missions
- Disappearing save files
- Issues with device compatibility

**Requested features**

- Add controller support
- Provide option to disable War of the Chosen
- Improve camera controls and UI
- Add more graphical settings


### Dead Cells

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dead-cells/id1389752090)

**Currently charting:** #10 Top Paid · Role Playing, #34 Top Paid · Action, #115 Top Paid · Games, #182 Top Paid (US App Store)

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Bad Seed | $3.99 | one-time |
| Fatal Falls | $3.99 | one-time |
| The Queen and the Sea | $3.99 | one-time |
| Return to Castlevania | $6.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 Excellent controls
- 💎 High-quality graphics
- 🎮 Great controller support
- 🔥 Addictive and challenging

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Audio glitches and bugs
- 🤔 Lack of custom mode
- 📱 Finicky touch controls
- 🔇 No background music support

**Reported bugs**

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

**Requested features**

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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is XCOM 2 Collection free?

XCOM 2 Collection costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Dead Cells free?

Dead Cells costs $8.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, XCOM 2 Collection or Dead Cells?

Dead Cells is rated higher. XCOM 2 Collection averages 4.2 out of 5 from 860 ratings, while Dead Cells averages 4.8 from 12K ratings.

### Do XCOM 2 Collection or Dead Cells have ads?

Neither XCOM 2 Collection nor Dead Cells shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, XCOM 2 Collection or Dead Cells?

XCOM 2 Collection ships an update monthly, and Dead Cells every 5 weeks. Most recently, XCOM 2 Collection was updated on October 2, 2026 and Dead Cells on October 4, 2026.

### Which is more popular, XCOM 2 Collection or Dead Cells?

XCOM 2 Collection currently peaks at #33 in the App Store charts, and Dead Cells at #10. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*