# Blackbar

> Sci-fi text adventure game with word puzzles and censorship themes. (iPhone/iPad app by Mrgan LLC.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackbar/id672002602 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Mrgan LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/320710721)
- Category: Games, Books, Adventure, Word
- Price: $2.99
- Rating: 3.60/5 from 97 App Store ratings · 183 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 9+
- Requires: iOS 14.7 · 3 MB
- Languages: American English, German (Germany)
- Released: 2013-08-23
- Data updated: 2026-08-27
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackbar/id672002602/reviews.md

## What is Blackbar?

"Blackbar is a brilliant game." —Ron Gilbert

"Its allegories are smart, and its approach to story-telling on touch-devices is just as well. 4.5/5" —TouchArcade

"Taut and intelligent. 8/10" —Eurogamer

"A political statement—a super fun one. I _______ love this _______ game." —Loren Brichter

"Awesome and totally unexpected." —Shaun Inman

Blackbar is a text game: a sci-fi story of a dystopian future told through the medium of word puzzles. Reminiscent of text adventures and interactive fiction, it has a unique mechanic centered around the concept of censorship. Censorship is frustrating, but the human spirit can beat that frustration by turning it into a game.

You'll pick up Blackbar instantly; however, its challenges will keep you searching, thinking, and trying for days.

"An ingenious puzzle game that critiques censorship" —Fast Company

"The humor is black, the puzzles go from simple to truly challenging, and the story is top-notch." —Gamemoir

"Playing Blackbar is Like High School English Class, And I Love It." —Kotaku

"Wonderfully written and does a fantastic job of pulling you into a not entirely unrealistic tale." —Gizmodo

"Well-written and entertaining, with just a touch of a deeper message to hit a few concepts home. Just plain awesome." —JayIsGames

## Key features

- Text-based sci-fi story
- Word puzzle gameplay
- Unique censorship mechanic
- Dystopian future narrative
- Challenging and thought-provoking

## Chart rankings

- #72 in Top Paid · Word (US App Store)

## What do users think of Blackbar?

Overall sentiment: mixed

**Pros**

- 💡 Clever and unique gameplay
- 👍 Engaging and thought-provoking story
- 🤔 Challenging puzzles and word games

**Cons**

- ⏱️ Too short for the price
- 🤯 Some puzzles too obscure or difficult
- 🐛 Bugs and compatibility issues

**Commonly reported bugs**

- App crashes or freezes on certain devices
- Inability to progress past initial screen

**Most requested features**

- Longer gameplay and expanded story
- More levels or chapters
- Hints or clues for difficult puzzles

## Recent user reviews (10 of 183)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blackbar/id672002602/reviews.md

### 3/5 — 読める範囲での感想ですが

*2025-07-25*

ネットを利用する機会が増えて、英語を用いる事が日常的になってしまった現在、語彙を増やしたくて様々なアプリを試している。日本語無しだけど好きなアドベンチャーゲーム「White Night」のオススメ欄にコレを見つけて、ディストピア的な雰囲気やシンプルさに惹かれて 500円だからと入手。でも、ゲームアプリとしての体を成している感じがしない。実際の手紙は墨塗りだろうが貰えば全体に目を通せるが、コレは正しく入力しないと先が読めない。読める所は面白いのでストーリーが気になるけど、いかんせん入力すべき単語を想起できるほど英語に慣れてない。ヒントや何か配慮が有れば凄く楽しめそうだけど、とにかく単語が思いつかないユーザーに冷淡でホント「それまで」なので困ります。それに墨塗りの箇所の条件も少し把握できかねている。結構ザルなのに数字ひとつにも神経を尖らせていたり。センスが好くて魅力的なので、ゲームとしてもう少し何とかして欲しいと思います。

### 1/5 — Wanted to love this

*2023-12-29, version 1.2.2*

I love adventure games and word puzzles.

But this was a very predictable, cliched story. And the game design is such that you are completely blocked from proceeding if you can’t guess the often arbitrary missing word.

Difficult puzzles should produce an “aha” moment when you solve them, not an “ugh” or “well, that’s done now” feeling. Blackbar has too many of the latter.

Plus there’s a bug that makes it impossible to finish the game.

### 2/5 — Kinda good?

*2023-04-11*

I didn’t hate this game. But I didn’t really like it either. 

Pros:
—I enjoyed stretching my brain a bit with the word play. There were two words that really stumped me. I admit I had to find a walk-through online to get past those levels. I appreciate that in a game. 

Cons:
—It took me a little over two hours to complete it. If I’m paying to play, I expect some more playtime. 
—I can definitely understand how some could be confused at the start of the game. A brief explanation could help. Perhaps make it the start to the game, you could write vague instructions (not too vague), with blanks to make it part of the puzzle your starting. 

Would I recommend this game? Probably not. It’s a nice little game, but it just needs more.

### 1/5 — Didn’t work

*2023-03-03, version 1.2.2*

I downloaded the app after paying but the app does not work on Iphone 13 pro. It just come a first screen and nothing else - no button with “next” Or anything to move from that screen. I shut down, closed all apps, open again and nothing.

### 5/5 — patience pays off

*2022-11-11, version 1.2.2*

Such a clever, well written game. Clearly a lot of passion went behind its creation and it shows. You need a decent amount of patience to work out some of the ‘puzzles’ but it’s not too difficult once you get the hang of it.

### 4/5 — Enjoyable puzzles, too short

*2021-12-20*

My wife and I have both played Grayout, and now Blackbar.  They were very enjoyable!  I like how easy they were to pick up/put down. No menus, loading screens, time sensitive activities- it was as simple as checking your text messages, so I never felt tied to it.

My suggestion would be making them longer, or possibly having them branch storylines in the style of a choose-your-own-adventure.  That would allow for some replayability at least.

Definitely worth your time and money, so pick it up if you haven’t!

### 1/5 — Enjoyed it until I got stuck

*2021-07-14, version 1.2.1*

But with no clues, there was no way to continue. 
Waste of money, deleted

### 2/5 — How

*2021-02-16, version 1.2.1*

How does it work? I filled in the black space and the screen just stays the same? No buttons to push? The screen doesn’t slide up down back or forth? How do you move past the first page?

### 1/5 — Doesn’t work on iOS 14

*2020-12-30, version 1.2.1*

I only get one page, the ability to type an answer and then nothing. That’s it. There is no enter key or ability to move forward to anything else. Crazy.

### 4/5 — Way too short

*2020-12-18, version 1.2.1*

A nice novel concept, but way too short. Perhaps half an hour playing time. I would love to see them develop this further.

## Frequently asked questions about Blackbar

### What kind of game is Blackbar?

Blackbar is a text-based game that tells a sci-fi story of a dystopian future through word puzzles. It's reminiscent of text adventures and interactive fiction, with a unique mechanic centered around censorship.

### What are the main gameplay mechanics?

The core gameplay involves solving word puzzles that are integrated into the narrative. A central mechanic is the concept of censorship, which players must overcome through thinking and problem-solving.

### Is Blackbar a free game?

Based on the provided information, Blackbar is a paid application. It does not feature in-app purchases or advertisements.

### Who is the target audience for Blackbar?

This game is designed for players who appreciate narrative-driven experiences, enjoy word puzzles, and are interested in thought-provoking themes like censorship and dystopian futures. It appeals to fans of interactive fiction and unique puzzle mechanics.

### What makes Blackbar unique?

Blackbar stands out with its innovative censorship mechanic, which is woven directly into the word puzzle gameplay. The game offers a compelling dystopian narrative and a blend of intellectual challenge and thematic depth, making it a distinctive experience.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.2.2 — 2022-10-25

• Fixed a bug preventing the solution of one page

### 1.2.1 — 2018-06-02

This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon.

• Fixed a small visual bug on one page
• Fixed a layout problem in the credits on small devices

### 1.2 — 2017-09-27

• Added a 3-second long-press gesture to reset the story to the beginning
• Corrected an issue in iOS 11 arising from new, "smart" quotes

### 1.1.3 — 2016-02-01

• Fixed an embarrassing bug in the credits.

### 1.1.2 — 2016-01-22

• Blackbar is now available with a German localization! Jetzt auch auf Deutsch! Many thanks to our friend Martin Pittenauer.
• Added Credits to the end of the game, with a link to Blackbar's prequel, Grayout.
• Fixed a rare crash

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## More apps by Mrgan LLC

- [Grayout](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/grayout/id1023152763)

All apps by Mrgan LLC: https://appshunter.io/developer/320710721

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-27.*