This Dead Cells And Prince of Persia Mashup Is A Must-Play On Switch
‘The Rogue Prince of Persia’ brings together two of gaming’s best franchises.
Some combinations just make sense. Things like peanut butter and chocolate, a Fallout TV show, or Stephen King movie adaptations seem like such obvious and easy wins. This is true for video games, too. Occasionally a studio will announce a project that ticks all the boxes fans expect, a no-brainer elevator pitch that reads as a must play. And one of those games just dropped for the Nintendo Switch.
The Rogue Prince of Persia is exactly what it sounds like. A roguelite genre adventure set in the Prince of Persia franchise is enough to get the attention of both sets of fans. Even more exciting is the studio behind the project: Evil Empire. Best known for its work on Dead Cells, Evil Empire understands what makes a modern roguelite tick. Get ready for buttery smooth level design, intricate loadout strategies, and lots and lots of sudden death.
The Rogue Prince of Persia grafts the series’ trademark acrobatics onto the DNA of Dead Cells. You play an unnamed Prince, armed with a mix of close-quarters weapons and a ranged bola, who repeatedly storms procedurally generated sections of a besieged Persian realm. Each run is short, lethal, and packed with emergent platforming opportunities. You’ll need to master wall runs, ledge grabs, dash-cancels, and more. Parkour is a core part of both offense and exploration, and the game rewards players who can thread combat through tight platforming sequences.
It’s a game designed for flow. Combat uses a familiar Dead Cells-style loadout: a primary melee weapon, a secondary long-range tool, and a slate of passive perks and consumables you pick up during runs. Where Rogue Prince of Persia distinguishes itself is in how it layers acrobatic mobility on top of that template. The result is a dance between aggression and parkour, where a successful encounter often looks like a one-take cinematic: run, wall-run, slash, bola, roll away, repeat.
Be ready for spikes, saws, and other sharp objects at every turn.
If you loved Dead Cells, you’ll feel eerily at home. The loop will be instantly familiar. You collect currency during runs to buy permanent unlocks that broaden your options on subsequent attempts. You’ll have your pick of Prince-specific toys and abilities that emphasize the acrobatic traversal.
Critics and players have been vocal: yes, the game wears its inspirations on its sleeve. You’ll see familiar level structures, weapon archetypes, and even encounter pacing that echoes Dead Cells. But the differences matter. The wall-running and ledge-based movement open alternative routes through rooms that make exploration feel more vertical. Boss arenas become three-dimensional playgrounds rather than flat fight boxes, and that changes how you plan builds (mobility perks can be as important as raw damage).
While it leans hard on its Dead Cells heritage, do not come to Rogue Prince expecting a sprawling Sands of Time narrative. This is a roguelite, and its storytelling follows that logic: vignettes, unlockable lore bits, and small character beats that drip out as you progress. The plot, a Prince trying to reclaim his homeland from invaders, frames the runs and the world details are enough to make each biome feel distinct without getting in the way of the core loop. It’s atmospheric rather than epic; if you want sweeping, cinematic Prince drama, you’ll still look to other entries in the franchise. But if you enjoy your narrative as secondary to your action then Rogue Prince’s tone, art, and soundtrack deliver.
The lovely Laleh will be your go-to source for dozens of outfits often inspired by other games.
If you’re a fan of fast, skill-expressive roguelites (and you liked Dead Cells) this is a no-brainer recommendation. The combat and movement systems are finely tuned, and the game’s moments of triumph are genuinely exhilarating. That said, be aware of the two common caveats: a lack of long-form content compared to giants of the genre, and the game’s replay value hinges on whether future updates keep adding biomes, weapons, and modifiers.
For those looking for a deep lore rabbit hole or a long, sprawling single-player saga, temper your expectations. But if you want bite-sized runs with superb mechanical fidelity that are perfect for quick Switch sessions, this is a must-try.
