# Dark Realm: Guardian of Flames — user reviews > 80 indexed App Store user reviews of Dark Realm by Big Fish Premium, LLC, rated 4.40/5 from 753 ratings. - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-realm-guardian-of-flames/id1306235630/reviews - App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-realm-guardian-of-flames/id1306235630.md - Rating breakdown: 5★ 483 · 4★ 166 · 3★ 53 · 2★ 14 · 1★ 37 ## What do users think of Dark Realm? Overall sentiment: mixed **Pros** - 🚀 Engaging story and characters - 👍 Varied and creative hidden object scenes - 🎨 Beautiful graphics and art style - ⏱️ Lengthy gameplay with bonus content **Cons** - 🐛 Recurring glitches and bugs, especially in the first scene - 💰 Perceived high pricing compared to other games - 📖 Small text and font size on mobile devices - 🎮 Challenging and frustrating mini-games **Commonly reported bugs** - Screen not scrolling to access all areas - Inventory items disappearing during gameplay - Inability to progress past certain points due to glitches - Crashes and freezes, especially towards the end of the game **Most requested features** - More customization options for settings - Improved touchscreen controls and sensitivity - Ability to skip or bypass dialogue and cutscenes - Better optimization for mobile devices ## Newest reviews (15 of 80) ### 4/5 — Really great, intriguing game minus the glitch! *2024-02-16, version 1.0.1* *Update* I re-played this game, and again, the same opening glitch. This time, I changed profiles, then made sure to not place any of the planets yet. That seemed to work! Hope this helps someone! I, too, had the glitch in the opening terrace scene, where the screen does not move over when it is supposed to. I deleted game, closed all apps, restarted, same problem. Waited a few days, unstalled game, then turned off iPad, back on, then closed all open apps, then off and back on and it worked. This time I also did not immediately unlock the game, so maybe that was it instead. Frustrating, to say the least. The game is quite long, hops are varied, puzzles are easy to medium. I really liked the end puzzle card game. However, I felt there are too many characters, and therefore the characters are not fleshed out. I would’ve liked more interactions with a smaller cast. Which is sad, the glimpses you got of these characters were intriguing, maybe save some for a sequel or another game. Morphing objects in all hops, puzzle pieces in each scene, both of which you can go back after the game and get any you missed. Took off 1.5 stars for the glitch, then added back .5 stars for the length. ### 4/5 — Decent game *2022-02-12, version 1.0.1* It was written with small girls in mind. The artwork is great and the puzzles and hops are challenging. ### 3/5 — Inventory not available to fly kite *2021-04-09, version 1.0.1* I really liked this game, but nearly to the end in the last chapter the inventory is unavailable, so i cannot get to the kite/rope to fly it up to the second stone head. I’m on an iPad Pro latest version of iOS playing at the second level of expertise. This needs to be either fixed, or a cue of what needs to be done to get the inventory to show up. ### 3/5 — Great game but couldn’t finish *2021-03-31, version 1.0.1* I was enjoying this game a great deal, but when I got to the next to the last chapter, my tools were not available to saddle the flying beast. I tried restarting the app and then my iPad, but the tools were there in the previous scene but disappeared when I entered the arboretum. If I delete the app and reinstall, I will have to start all over because it does not back up the data on my iPad. Fix the glitch so I can finish the game and I will gladly give the app 5 stars. ### 4/5 — Price is wrong *2021-03-30, version 1.0.1* Unless you have put up your prices considerably, this deal for the week is supposed to be 55% off but every time I try to buy it, the price is $10.99. I absolutely won’t pay that. Over time I have bought a lot of games and that price is currently the full price so why aren’t you honouring your so called deal, which would bring the price down to $4.99 in Australia! 30 March 2021 ### 2/5 — Is this on sale or not? *2021-03-29, version 1.0.1* According to to the big fish guide this is on sale.. but it’s not. ### 3/5 — Price lie *2021-03-29, version 1.0.1* This is a pretty good game. Nice and colourful with music that is pleasing to hear. I am not happy about being told it was 55% off but I was charged full price. ### 2/5 — on sale for 6.99?! *2021-03-27, version 1.0.1* says it’s on 55% sale. nope. ### 4/5 — Guardian *2021-03-26, version 1.0.1* The game has an interesting story and is engaging & entertaining. I agree it is a little pricey at $10.00 especially since I thought I was purchasing at 55% off. I think these games should post the cost upfront. ### 1/5 — バグ？ *2020-12-19, version 1.0.1* 課金前の雨を降らせたところから進めません💦 ### 1/5 — Bug still not fixed *2020-08-29, version 1.0.1* Inventory still disappears when bucket needs filling with water. I see this problem was reported two years ago. ### 1/5 — Glitch on first level *2020-06-02, version 1.0.1* Same as so many other people - can’t move to the right on the very first scene so impossible to complete the level. Normally Mad Head games are really good quality, so I’m surprised that they’ve not fixed this. ### 3/5 — Add many many more skips *2020-05-11, version 1.0.1* Game is good but it needs more Skips! Takes too long to listen to all the dialogues and long winded action scenes Text is microscopic. Much too small. ### 1/5 — はあ？ *2020-03-19, version 1.0.1* 課金したら同じ所から進まなくなってます。お金返して欲しい！ ### 3/5 — Not sure *2019-02-26, version 1.0.1* Found it a bit hard to follow. Played for a bit but too hard to get into for me so deleted. ## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated) ### 1/5 — Glitched *2022-10-10, version 1.0.1* Disappointing to get a glitch ### 1/5 — Inventar verschwindet *2022-01-13, version 1.0.1* Voll Schrott, das Spiel. Wirklich schade, denn es ließ sich wirklich sehr gut an. Aber Inventar verschwindet in der Oase, kann nicht weiterspielen. Das Problem ist wohl schon bekannt, wurde leider nicht behoben! Geht gar nicht. ### 1/5 — Problem with the game *2021-12-25, version 1.0.1* I just downloaded this game and started playing it before buying it. Im grateful I did this because right now I’m experiencing the same bug or glitch in the beginning of the game that others mentioned. I can’t move to the other side of the deck in the first scene. Please fix this issue Big fish. Im a big fan of your games and this is a big let down. ### 1/5 — Dark Realm...Guardian of Flames *2021-07-07, version 1.0.1* I,too,am unable to complete the first level as the screen does not move to where I need to go. I have deleted this game FOUR times and it still won't work. You said in your updates that this glitch was resolved...please fix it. I would like to buy it but not until its fixed! ### 1/5 — Deal *2021-04-01, version 1.0.1* This game has been on the deals on big fish app 55% off but when you go to unlock it it still comes up at the price of £6.99 what’s going on with the big fish app??? ### 1/5 — Dark Realm *2021-03-30, version 1.0.1* I have tried this game and was really enjoying it. I got it on big fish deals supposedly 55% off, but when it came to unlock the full version it was at full price of £6.99, so if that was the discounted price then the full price is £10.84. That is appalling as I’ve never paid that for any game I’ve played and I’ve been playing for around 2yrs. If I could I’d have given no stars for this deceit. ### 1/5 — No deal *2021-03-29, version 1.0.1* Big Fish you show this as 55% off but as soon as you try to unlock it is still coming up at full price. Did nobody check this before going live with the deal!! ### 1/5 — Game not playable *2021-03-28, version 1.0.1* Major fault at first scene ### 1/5 — Dark Realms Guardian of the Flames *2021-03-27, version 1.0.1* This is directed at Big fish - the game is advertised under your deals as 55% off but every time I download it the price stays at £6.99 - how can this be 55% off?? ### 1/5 — Still impossible to play *2021-01-06, version 1.0.1* Two years ago people complained this game had a game-breaking glitch in the first scene, and it still has the SAME exact glitch. I'm not even sure why Big Fish is a going concern any more. Do. Not. Bother. ## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated) ### 5/5 — Klasse Spiel! *2022-04-04, version 1.0.1* Spannend, zügig durchzuspielen, logische Geschichte, schön gestaltete Schauplätze - reines Spielvergnügen! Minigames und WBS in verschiedenen Variationen und Sammelobjekte gab es auch. Das hat richtig Spaß gemacht! ### 5/5 — Big fish *2022-01-06, version 1.0.1* I love it ### 5/5 — Prima 😊 *2020-06-12, version 1.0.1* Alles da ich was ich zu einem guten Spiel brauche. Schön gestaltet, einfallsreich, gute Minispiele, meistens nachvollziehbare Logik, gute Tipfunktion, also ohne (meist nicht hilfreiches) Handbuch spielbar. Kritik: Die Schrift ist für Smartphone viel zu klein, Nachbesserung wäre vonnöten. Steuerung muss dringend verbessert werden, Gegenstände kombinieren und manche Minispiele waren auf Smartphone nicht möglich deswegen, z.B. Perlenkette durch Labyrinth im Bonuskapitel. Smartphoneproblem: durch schwarz hinterlegte Schriftleiste oben wurden Funktionen schwer sichtbar z.B. Bild schließen. ### 5/5 — My favorite HOP game *2020-03-13, version 1.0.1* This game is very cool, I only wish there were some newer games like this one. I’ve been playing the HOP games for years and I’m wondering why there aren’t many new ones. I find the music, the graphics, and the story line are great. Love the genre of this game. Please make more like this!!! ### 5/5 — nice game *2019-09-09, version 1.0.1* really enjoyed it ### 5/5 — Creative, beautifully made series *2018-05-27, version 1.0.1* I love the entire Dark Realm series because the developers have really made an effort to create an immersive world. I appreciate their creativity and attention to small details, such as characters breaking the 4th wall and manipulating parts of my screen or the game controls; I also love it when I attempt to use an object in a scene and can watch my attempt play out and fail (instead of nothing happening at all). These details are above and beyond what I’ve seen in other hidden-object games and show the thoughtfulness of the developers. What’s more, I feel invested in the characters due to the continuity throughout the series (and great voice actors). Yes, I occasionally skip puzzles, but they’re supposed to be challenging—that’s the point—and I’m grateful for custom settings so I can choose to skip or not as I like. If you want an experience that’s more than the usual click-click-clicking, I highly recommend the Dark Realm series. ### 5/5 — Excellent! *2018-03-11, version 1.0.0* Loved this game. I’ve played a lot of BFG apps, and this was one of the best games I’ve played so far. The graphics were excellent, and the gameplay was extremely varied. The games were a little bit easy, but it’s nice to not have to struggle constantly. Just an enjoyable game to relax after a long day! I would highly recommend it! ### 5/5 — Very nice puzzle game *2018-03-09, version 1.0.0* Enjoyed the story line of this one and like working out the puzzles. The graphics are good too. Another game for a few quid and worth it. ### 5/5 — Great game (so far anyway) *2018-03-06, version 1.0.0* Have to say that my initial experience with the game was awful. I have an iPhone 6 and right off the bat I was stuck on the initial terrace scene and soon found out in the forum that others were not having a good time either on the terrace. However, thanks to Big Fish’s help site, my prob was that I had too many apps running. I hate to read so all this researching made my head hurt but it was a good thing. This is an FYI to all you gamers out there. If you are having probs with the game, clear out your open apps and reboot your phone. Happy time. So... I find this game to be one of the best entries in Big Fish’s lineup. I’m old by the way, 68, and find the puzzles to be far from mind numbing (so far anyway) which is a nice change of pace. For me anyway. The various HOPs are original, unique and clever compared to most of the others HOP games I’ve played. They’re downright interesting. And as always with BF games, the visuals and artwork are stellar. One thing I do want to negatively comment on (and this is directed at the game creators/designers/etc) is that most of the BF games I be played lately have a female protagonist. I’m a male and having some testosterone running the show would be a nice change of pace. Or maybe even a non specified gender. Anyhoo...As I continue playing, I hope I don’t regret saying what a great game this is. Having fun. ### 5/5 — Unique style! *2018-03-06, version 1.0.0* Great game - totally characteristic of Mad Head Games 😊 Good character voices overs, somewhat interactive hidden object scenes. Found some puzzles difficult and very unique. Teleporting map is provided. Collectibles and morphing objects to find. One must really pay close attention to this storyline and tasks at hand. Always up for a Good Challenge and this one is definitely challenging. One thing that I felt the developer could have elaborated on was the instructions and aspects of this game. Other than that, a definite Buy! Love this developer and their originality. One must take their time to fully engage in this storyline. Experienced no glitches and gameplay was smooth. Graphics were crystal clear and beautiful, not to mention the special effects, that could be wild at times. Play & Enjoy - Buy this game! KdBoots 🤠 --- *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.*