Dead Cells
Hooks you almost right away
What the data shows
- In the first 2 hours 1 in 9 reviews are negative (12%); after 15h it's 1 in 35 (3%).
- Fully opens up by hour 3.
- The opening is criticised less than in 88% of games we track.
- The game has no story achievements, so drop-off points can't be measured.
- 92% of owners got the first achievement.
When it gets good
Share of positive reviews by how many hours the reviewer had played when writing the review.
before it gets good opening up fully opened up
Based on all 185,419 Steam reviews in every language. Median playtime in a sample of 297 reviews: 19.2h for positive, 20.3h for negative. Almost every game is rated lower in the first 2–3 hours: that window includes refunds and quick first impressions. What matters is how deep the dip is and how fast the game recovers.
Where players quit
Share of players who started the game and reached each story milestone. 100% is the most common achievement (92% of owners), so people who bought the game and never launched it don't count.
This game has no story achievements, so we can't tell where players quit.
All achievements (121)
story milestone ending side
- Love the serenity... Reach the Promenade of the Condemned for the first time. 100%
- Quit tickling! Absorb the Vine Rune. 95%
- A room with a view! Reach the Ramparts for the first time. 89%
- What's that funky smell? Reach the Toxic Sewers for the first time. 85%
- Shrewd sleuth Find your first secret zone. 84%
- Finally, a moment of rest... Reach the Black Bridge for the first time. 83%
- ¡Arriba, arriba! ¡Ándale, ándale! Open your first timed door. 79%
- Here comes a new challenger! Absorb the Challenger Rune! 79%
- The Fat and The Furious You beat "The Concierge"! 79%
- Slash! Slash! Roll! Unlock 10 weapons. 77%
- My fish is fresh! Reach the Stilt Village for the first time. 76%
- Absolution Be cursed... Survive. 74%
- What are you rubbing at anyway? Absorb the Teleportation rune. 70%
- Tic… Toc… Reach the Clock Tower for the first time! 67%
- High drama Reach the Clock Room for the first time! 62%
- Blade Master You have beaten the "Time Keeper"! 61%
- Please leave your shoes at the entrance. Reach the Castle for the first time. 59%
- Smells like burned flesh Reach the Ossuary for the first time. 57%
- We've all been there before... A downward smash attack... right into some deadly spikes! 55%
- Afraid of the dark? Reach the Forgotten Sepulcher for the first time! 54%
- See, that wasn't so hard now, was it? Successfully complete a Challenge Rift. 52%
- Bend the knee? I think not… Reach the Throne Room for the first time. 52%
- Pimp my ride. Unlock 10 skills. 50%
- La Brute Absorb the Ram's Rune. 50%
- YOLO! Or not? Cheat Death… 48%
- Who needs an Italian plumber? Reach the Ancient Sewers for the first time. 46%
- Surgical extraction Absorb your first Boss Stem Cell 45%
- The last rampart falls... Beat the Hand of the King. 44%
- Incy Wincy… Absorb the Spider's Rune! 42%
- Even the rats avoid the place... Reach the Insufferable Crypt for the first time. 42%
- Is there something in your eye? You beat "Conjunctivius"! 42%
- Fortune and glory, kid. Fortune and Glory... Reach the Slumbering Sanctuary for the first time! 42%
- It rubs the lotion on its skin! Reach the Prison Depths for the first time. 38%
- Go play outside! Reach the Arboretum for the first time. 37%
- The Bank always wins in the end Reach the Bank for the first time. 37%
- Sky Fall Reach the Fractured Shrines for the first time. 36%
- The dead center of the island... Reach the Graveyard for the first time. 35%
- The mud is getting warm, so you might as well swim. Reach the Morass of the Banished for the first time. 34%
- Going down! Kill an enemy with an elevator. 30%
- Cheers! Reach the Derelict Distillery for the first time! 29%
- Don't. Touch. Anything! Reach the Corrupted Prison for the first time. 29%
- Knee deep in mud... Reach the Nest for the first time. 28%
- Not so tough You slayed 100 elites. Badman. 28%
- Trapped Trapper Trap an enemy using the Fractured Shrines environment! 27%
- Faster than light! You finished a daily challenge. Well done! 25%
- Am I still on the island? Reach the Castle's Outskirts for the first time. 25%
- Masterful extraction Absorb your second Boss Stem Cell 25%
- I've got my eyes on you... You beat "Mama Tick"! 25%
- Bound for Hell Sacrifice the Mushroom Boi. 24%
- Ohhhhhh! That hurt! Die while carrying at least 100 cells. Burn. 24%
- Up, Guards, and at them again! Finish the game with a Boss Stem Cell active. 24%
- Steam rolled. You beat "The Concierge" without taking a single hit! 22%
- Into the vampire's den Reach Dracula's Castle for the first time. 21%
- Oh how fast they grow! Get the Leghugger to evolve 21%
- Herder Have 2 pets active at the same time 20%
- Don't fear the Reaper Reach the Defiled Necropolis for the first time. 19%
- You dig Reach the Cavern for the first time. 19%
- Iceberg right ahead! Reach the Shipwreck for the first time! 18%
- Hot and cold Reach the Guardian's Haven for the first time. 17%
- Return to sender You killed an Infected Worker with his own barrel! 17%
- Death comes for us all... but not you! You beat Death! 17%
- Artful extraction Absorb your third Boss Stem Cell 17%
- 8th wonder Reach the Lighthouse for the first time! 16%
- Size doesn't matter You beat the Giant! 16%
- Finished, without fear. Finish the game with two Boss Stem Cells active 15%
- Bag of Tricks Kill the Vendor Mimic. 15%
- Beware the step! Reach the Undying Shores for the first time. 14%
- First aid Let an Apostate revive at least 3 souls. 14%
- Blades N' Roses Reach the Mausoleum for the first time. 14%
- The cowl does not make the monk Wear the Cultist outfit to access the Undying Shores. 14%
- The Dance You beat the "Time Keeper" without taking a single hit. 13%
- Watering Time! You beat the Scarecrow! 13%
- Deft extraction Absorb your fourth Boss Stem Cell 13%
- In mushroom, we trust. Defeat the Scarecrow without bouncing on any mushrooms. 12%
- Firefighter You finished the Lighthouse! 12%
- Harder Better Faster Stronger Finish the game with three Boss Stem Cells active 12%
- Never fallen Finish the game with "Ygdar Orus Li Ox" in your possession! 11%
- Her Majesty You beat the Queen! 10%
- What is a man? Reach the Master's Keep for the first time. 10%
- A sparkle in the night Reach the Crown for the first time! 9.9%
- You're not my family Get the Leghugger to kill an Armored Shrimp 9.3%
- Perfect extraction Absorb your fifth Boss Stem Cell 9.2%
- Gentleman Finish the first level without breaking a door. 9.2%
- Let's get down to the nitty gritty... Finish the game with four Boss Stem Cells active 8.9%
- A cut above Defeat at least 5 enemies in a row with the Scarecrow's Sickles. 8.6%
- You don't belong in this world! You beat Dracula! 8.5%
- They came from behind! Suicide by elevator. 8.0%
- Do you need... A hand?? Bahaha! Beat the Hand of the King without taking a single hit. 8.0%
- Pact with the devil Appease "Mama Tick's" anger. 7.2%
- Life on the edge Reach the Astrolab for the first time. 7.0%
- Stargazing Reach the Observatory for the first time. 6.6%
- Flawless victory. You beat "Conjunctivius" without taking a single hit! 6.6%
- See you in 100 years You beat the last encounter of Castlevania! 6.4%
- I don't step on toes... You beat the Collector! 6.3%
- David and Goliath... You beat "The Giant" without taking a single hit! 5.9%
- I like to live dangerously… Against all odds, you finished the game with the Cursed Sword! 4.7%
- Born sapper You completed the Derelict Distillery without using the Barrel Launcher! 4.2%
- Green thumbs You beat the Scarecrow without taking a single hit! 4.0%
- Take that, sucker! You beat "Mama Tick" without taking a single hit! 3.9%
- Nothing left to... collect. You beat "The Collector" without taking a single hit! 3.8%
- What? There's nothing wrong with these... Finish the game with the starter sword, bow or shield. 3.6%
- Who's a good boi? Finish the game without sacrificing the Mushroom Boi! 3.4%
- Pool Party Electrify an enemy with the Lightning Rods while they are in water. 3.4%
- Lilibet You beat the Queen without taking a single hit! 2.9%
- Put that thing back where it came from or so help me Help the shark get back to the water 2.8%
- Me, jealous? Try using Serenade and another pet at the same time... 2.7%
- I still have 8 lives Have Maria's Cat deal the last hit to Death. 2.3%
- Unwavering loyalty You finished the Lighthouse without taking any damage! 2.3%
- Dodge Death! You beat Death without taking a single hit! 2.3%
- Up to the eyeball in debt Beat the game with the maximum debt remaining. 2.1%
- Black flag Kill a Pirate Captain with the Scavenged Bombard 1.8%
- On Her Majesty's Secret Service Beat the Queen with a Queen outfit 1.8%
- Honorary Belmont You beat the last encounter of Castlevania without taking a single hit! 1.6%
- Knowledge is power Hit the same enemy with 5 orbiting Bibles in short succession. 1.5%
- Infiltration Finish the Lighthouse while wearing a Servant outfit 1.5%
- Can you stop moving please?! Kill a Werewolf with a Throwing Axe 1.4%
- Plank walk Throw an enemy into spikes using the Hand Hook 1.4%
- Long live the Queen Beat the Queen by pushing her into the void 1.3%
- Full house Beat the Queen with the Killing Deck 1.2%
- Spare! Kill five enemies with a single throw and recall of the Wrecking Ball 1.1%
- Does what it says on the tin You beat the last encounter of Castlevania with the Vampire Killer. 0.9%