# Bleak Sword vs Dead Cells+

The clearest difference is monetization model: Dead Cells+ at free against Bleak Sword's paid. Dead Cells+ also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (14K vs 899). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Dead Cells+ holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dead Cells+ has 14K ratings behind it against 899, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Bleak Sword's written reviews are positive against 90% of Dead Cells+'s.

Bleak Sword ships an update every 8 months, Dead Cells+ every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bleak Sword | Dead Cells+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (899 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bleak-sword/id1403554793/reviews) | **[4.9 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dead-cells-plus/id1626984813/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 899 | **14K** |
| Positive reviews | 79.9% of reviews | **89.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Size | 467 MB | 1.8 GB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Devolver Digital, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/457410262) | [Playdigious](https://appshunter.io/developer/1041387229) |

## What reviewers say

### Bleak Sword

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bleak-sword/id1403554793)

Embark on a dark fantasy adventure across cursed diorama battlefields. Battle creatures through nine chapters, lifting a legendary curse by upgrading your hero with magic and items. Challenge yourself further in Arena Mode with unlockable achievements.

**Highlights:** Diorama battlefields, Nine tense chapters, Powerful magic invocation, Item discovery, Character leveling and stat upgrades, Arena Mode, Unlockable achievements

**Features:** With Apple Arcade, Game Controller support, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and responsive controls
- 👍 Satisfying combat mechanics
- 🎨 Unique and atmospheric pixel art style
- 🕹️ Challenging but fair gameplay
- 🕰️ Suitable for short play sessions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional save data loss issues
- 🔍 Difficulty in tracking character on screen
- 🤕 Overly punishing difficulty curve
- 🧠 Lack of progression and upgrade systems
- 🔍 Blurry visuals on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- Controls becoming unresponsive after app switch
- Inconsistent blocking mechanics

**Requested features**

- Landscape mode support for tablets
- Ability to skip credits after first completion
- More enemy and boss variety
- Customizable controls
- Expanded story and lore


### Dead Cells+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dead-cells-plus/id1626984813)

Embark on a challenging 2D action platformer adventure as a failed alchemic experiment. Explore a dynamic, interconnected world, master combat, and unlock new paths with each playthrough. This version includes extensive DLC content with new storylines, biomes, enemies, weapons, and bosses.

**Highlights:** Roguevania exploration, Frantic 2D combat, Nonlinear progression, Daily leaderboards, Return to Castlevania DLC, The Bad Seed DLC, Fatal Falls DLC

**Features:** With Apple Arcade, Game Controller support, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 Excellent controls
- 🎨 Beautiful pixel art
- 🔍 Engaging exploration
- 💡 Helpful accessibility options

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional audio issues
- 🔋 Performance drops on some devices
- 🤔 Lack of cloud save sync across devices
- 🕹️ Touchscreen controls can be finicky

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes or freezes during boss battles
- Map not updating properly after teleporting
- Controller buttons not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Ability to listen to own music/podcasts while playing
- More customization options for button layout
- Multiplayer or co-op mode
- Improved save/progress sync across devices


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bleak Sword free?

Bleak Sword is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Dead Cells+ free?

Dead Cells+ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Bleak Sword or Dead Cells+?

Dead Cells+ is rated higher. Bleak Sword averages 4.5 out of 5 from 899 ratings, while Dead Cells+ averages 4.9 from 14K ratings.

### Do Bleak Sword or Dead Cells+ have ads?

Neither Bleak Sword nor Dead Cells+ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bleak Sword or Dead Cells+?

Bleak Sword ships an update every 8 months, and Dead Cells+ every 3 months. Most recently, Bleak Sword was updated on September 20, 2026 and Dead Cells+ on September 23, 2026.

---

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