Dead Cells vs Midnight Brawl
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Roguevania exploration
- Frantic 2D action combat
- Nonlinear progression
- Permadeath with learning
- Unlockable weapons and skills
- DLC content packs
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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.
Midnight Brawl
Embark on a tactical combat adventure in a war-torn land where darkness reigns. Use your flashlight strategically to navigate, find supplies, and outwit enemies, uncovering a story of loyalty and betrayal.
- Fight in darkness with limited visibility
- Strategic flashlight use to reveal threats and expose position
- Assault enemy strongholds with varied objectives
- Make tactical decisions using cover and movement
- Explore areas to recover valuable resources
- Upgrade abilities and combat skills
- Experience a story of war and betrayal
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In the darkness, lighting the way and revealing yourself are the same thing. A newly discovered continent has been consumed by war. Artillery fire makes travel impossible during the day, while moonless nights force survivors to search for supplies with only a flashlight to guide them. You play as a Shiba Inu soldier who joins the newly formed Fifth Division of the “Saviors.” At first, you and your commander share the same goal: drive out those who prey on the innocent and help people survive in a land ruled by chaos. But as each mission is completed and the division grows stronger, its original ideals begin to change. How will trusted companions become enemies? What truth lies behind the missions you have been ordered to complete? GAME FEATURES - Fight in darkness: Search for enemies in dangerous environments with limited visibility - Use light carefully: Your flashlight reveals hidden threats, but it can also expose your position - Complete missions: Assault enemy strongholds with different objectives and conditions - Make tactical decisions: Use cover, visibility, and movement to gain an advantage - Search for supplies: Explore each area and recover valuable resources - Upgrade your abilities: Strengthen cards and combat skills before taking on tougher missions - Challenge powerful bosses: Explore each section first or confront the boss directly - Experience the story: Follow a tale of war, loyalty, order, and betrayal Turn on your flashlight and step into the night. Just remember: when you can see the enemy, the enemy may already see you.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Midnight Brawl at Free against Dead Cells's $8.99. Midnight Brawl also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months). Dead Cells's advantage is ratings volume (12K vs 1) and chart position (#7 vs unranked). On ads, device support and iOS requirement 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
Midnight Brawl is free to download; Dead Cells costs $8.99 up front. Dead Cells sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Midnight Brawl asks for nothing beyond the download.
Midnight Brawl holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dead Cells has 12K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Dead Cells ships an update every 2 months, Midnight Brawl every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Dead Cells | Midnight Brawl |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $8.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.8 (12K ratings) | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 88.5% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 12K — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #7 — better | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1.8 GB | 638 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Playdigious | 刘 志伟 |
Customer experience
Dead Cells
Midnight Brawl
Bugs and 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
Midnight Brawl
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Dead Cells
- The Bad Seed$3.99
- Fatal Falls$3.99
- The Queen and the Sea$3.99
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- Return to Castlevania$6.99
Midnight Brawl
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Dead Cells free?
Is Midnight Brawl free?
Which has better reviews, Dead Cells or Midnight Brawl?
Do Dead Cells or Midnight Brawl have ads?
Which is updated more often, Dead Cells or Midnight Brawl?
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