Games like Hades for short, punchy runs

Start with Hades II if you have not played it, then Dead Cells. Both give you short runs, fast fights and upgrades that change your build every time. On phones, Archero and Soul Knight are the easy picks.

What Hades does so well

Hades is an action roguelike by Supergiant Games, released in 2020. You play Zagreus fighting out of the Underworld room by room, with boons from the Olympian gods. When you die, you go home, talk to the cast and try again a little stronger.

Hades II reached 1.0 on September 25, 2025, with Melinoe as the hero. The first Hades is on iPhone for Netflix members.

Real games like Hades

Hades II. The sequel, with magic, new gods and two routes to fight through. Same studio, same feel.
Dead Cells. Motion Twin's side-view roguelike with fast melee and a huge weapon pool. It is on phones and consoles.
Enter the Gungeon. Dodge Roll's bullet-hell roguelike. Guns instead of swords, and a dodge roll that saves your life.
Archero. Habby's phone roguelike. You stop to shoot and move to dodge, picking a skill after each level.
Soul Knight. ChillyRoom's pixel dungeon shooter on phones. Hundreds of weapons and co-op with friends.

Short runs on a phone

Hades runs on iPhone through Netflix, but not on Android. Without Netflix, Dead Cells, Archero and Soul Knight are on the App Store and Google Play.

Pick games that pause cleanly. A Hades-style fight goes badly when a message pops up mid-room.

Roam roguelites

Aethervale. A top-down action RPG. Sword, spells and goblins on the gate road.
Voxel Rift. Pick a hero and cut your way into the rift. A voxel action RPG with hordes.
Arrow Glade. An archer roguelite. One bow against the shadows of Verdant Glade.
Pop the Slime King. A survivors-style archer roguelite. Pop the slimes, then pop their king.
Bullet Crypt. A top-down roguelite shooter. You steer, he shoots, the crypt goes deeper.