An Indie Backlog curated overview. We round up the best indie games on Nintendo Switch and how professional critics and players received each one — the scores below are theirs, linked to the source.
A roguevania that fuses Metroid exploration with souls-like combat into a frantic, addictive loop you’ll be chasing for a hundred runs.
At a Glance
| Developer | Motion Twin |
| Release year | 2018 |
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PlayStation, Xbox |
| Subgenre | Roguevania |
| Length | ~28 hours (main story) |
| Metacritic | 89 / 100 |
| Steam rating | Overwhelmingly Positive (~97%, 180,000+ reviews) |
| Steam Deck | Verified |
| Languages | 15 |
About the Game
Dead Cells, from French worker-cooperative Motion Twin, is a “roguevania” — it marries the interconnected exploration of a metroidvania with the permadeath, randomized runs of a roguelike. You play a blob of sentient cells inhabiting a corpse, hacking through a cursed island that rearranges itself every time you die.
The combat is the star: fast, weighty, and demanding, with a huge arsenal of weapons and skills you unlock and combine across runs. Death sends you back to the start, but permanent upgrades and new gear mean every attempt pushes a little further. It’s the kind of “just one more run” loop that swallows evenings whole.
Motion Twin supported it for years with a stream of free and paid updates — including crossover content with Castlevania, Hollow Knight, and others — turning an already-great game into one of the deepest action-roguelikes on any platform. On Switch’s handheld, its bite-sized runs are a perfect fit.
Screenshots
Screenshots: official Steam media for Dead Cells.
Why It Made the List
Dead Cells makes the list for pure feel. The moment-to-moment combat is among the best in any 2D game, the run-based structure is endlessly replayable, and years of free updates mean there’s always more to chase. A handheld dream.
What the Critics Say
Dead Cells holds a Metacritic score of 89. Critics praised its combat, fluidity, and replayability; the main caveat is that its difficulty and randomness can frustrate newcomers.
What Players Say
On Steam it’s rated Overwhelmingly Positive across more than 180,000 reviews — about 97% positive. Players highlight the combat feel and the sheer volume of post-launch content.
Praise & Criticism
Praise
- Exceptional, fluid combat
- Endlessly replayable run structure
- Years of generous free updates
- Great in handheld bursts
Criticism
- Punishing for newcomers
- Randomness can sink a run
- Story is minimal
Games Like This
- Hades — the gold standard of action-roguelikes
- Hollow Knight — the metroidvania it riffs on
- Cult of the Lamb — roguelike combat with a twist
Where to Buy
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