Hades vs Dead Cells: which roguelike should you buy first?

If you want to get into roguelikes, two names come up again and again: Hades and Dead Cells. Both are superb, both are cheap, and both are built around dying and trying again. Here is how to pick.

Choose Hades for story and style

Hades wraps its combat in a genuinely great story that unfolds through repeated runs, with gorgeous art and unforgettable characters. It is welcoming, endlessly moreish, and the best on-ramp to the genre. If you want a roguelike that pulls you along with narrative, start here.

Choose Dead Cells for pure action

Dead Cells is faster, harder and more about raw skill. It is a 2D action-platformer with tight, weighty combat and huge build variety, and it rewards mastery over everything else. If you want reflexes and experimentation over story, this is your game.

The verdict

Both are among the best value on PC, so let price decide — check the all-time low on each game's page and grab whichever is cheaper first; you will almost certainly end up owning both. For more, see the best roguelikes on sale.