# Merchant of the Skies — user reviews

> 47 indexed App Store user reviews of Merchant of the Skies by Astral Ride, rated 4.50/5 from 118 ratings.

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merchant-of-the-skies/id6754459969/reviews
- App overview in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/merchant-of-the-skies/id6754459969.md
- Rating breakdown: 5★ 98 · 4★ 7 · 3★ 2 · 2★ 0 · 1★ 11

## Newest reviews (10 of 47)

### 3/5 — Used to love the game

*2026-09-01*

This game has been fun and atmospherically pleasing to me, but since the recent update I can't stand it. The new navigation control responds to clicks instantly, making it frustrating to just look around the map and compare islands. Maybe this is okay with a mouse, but not on a touchscreen. The new trade menu is efficient, but I liked seeing the item artwork and considering trades visually. It should be switchable.

Edit: Thank you for the prompt response. I haven't uninstalled, and look forward to a future update that strikes the right balance on controls and display!

**Developer response:** Thank you for taking the time to write this, and sorry the update changed the feel of the game for you. You're right that browsing the map on a touchscreen shouldn't be this delicate, and we're working on improvements to map navigation right now. Glad the new trade menu at least earns "efficient" from you. We hope a future update wins you back

### 3/5 — Enjoyable game - recent update is mixed

*2026-08-27*

Game is overall a lot of fun. Recent update improved the trade screen, which makes resource movements better. But also now has challenges with navigation when I just want to view what’s in a town. And holding on the screen to try to click the right place to see in the town now also carries the risk your ship is just going to start moving and waste your fuel, which is a limited resource. There’s no option to turn off this “improved” navigation feature. Very frustrating

**Developer response:** Thanks for the detailed and fair review. You're right: viewing a town should never put your ship at risk of sailing off and burning fuel, and we're working on improvements to exactly that. Happy to hear the new trade screen is working well for you. Feedback this specific is genuinely useful, so thank you.

### 2/5 — 답답한 인터페이스, 청각장애 플레이금지

*2026-07-07*

쥐똥만한 바 움직여서 수량조절(거래소에 돈이 없어서 매번 필수임) 하며 플레이했는데 소리를 듣고 따라해야하는거같은 부분이 나옵니다. 근데 전 청각장애가 있거든요? 무역겜에 청각이 필요할줄이야 ㅅㅂ 스킵도 안되고 나가지도 못해서 문어에게 처맞다가 매우화나서 씁니다. 문어하나에 내 돈 날렸네

**Developer response:** We sincerely apologize. A sound-dependent minigame with no skip option is a clear accessibility problem, and we failed to properly consider hearing-impaired players. We've filed the skip function, visual cues, and quantity control improvements with the development team. If you contact us at contact@astralride.com, we'll help with your situation. - AstralRide"

### 3/5 — ゲーム自体できません　追記改善されました

*2026-05-20*

開くことさえできない

**Developer response:** ご確認と追記のご報告、ありがとうございます!修正が反映されて安心いたしました。起動できない間、ご不便をおかけして申し訳ありませんでした。今後も改善を続けてまいります。空の交易をお楽しみください!- AstralRide

### 1/5 — Game not loading

*2026-05-17*

The game doesn’t load it just crashes it says in patch notes it’s been fixed but it still doesn’t work

**Developer response:** Please download version 1.6.02 when it's available to fix any crash issues. Or update your iOS to 26+ if you can't wait. Thank you for your patience,

### 1/5 — Crashes

*2026-05-16*

I couldn’t find app support on your minimalist site, so I have to contact you via review. Your app will not run. I tried rebooting my iPad. A gray screen appears for a few seconds and then it quits. Please refund my money.

**Developer response:** Please download version 1.6.02 when it's available to fix any crash issues. 
Or update your iOS to 26+ if you can't wait. 

Thank you for your patience,

### 1/5 — Game crashes on startup

*2026-05-15*

I just bought the game and once I open the game, it crashes instantly.

**Developer response:** Please download version 1.6.02 when it's available to fix any crash issues. Or update your iOS to 26+ if you can't wait. Thank you for your patience,

### 5/5 — Relaxing, beautiful, and engaging.

*2026-05-15*

This was already one of my favourite games on macOS. Highly recommended. I hope they consider a sequel.

My only complaint is the French translation is a little off; in particular, recharging the ship “pour 10 golds“.

**Developer response:** Thanks a ton! So glad to hear you're enjoying the move from macOS to mobile. Really appreciate the support and the high recommendation

### 1/5 — Crashes instantly.

*2026-05-15*

The game doesn't launch, just crashes.

**Developer response:** Please download version 1.6.02 when it's available to fix any crash issues. 
Or update your iOS to 26+ if you can't wait. 

Thank you for your patience,

### 1/5 — no

*2026-05-14*

The iPhone 16e keeps crashing and can't enter games.

**Developer response:** Hi,

Thank you for trying those steps. The issue is being addressed in version 1.5.95. Please try again once the update is available.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

## Most critical reviews (10 lowest-rated)

### 1/5 — Trou d'air

*2026-08-28*

Ce jeu est débile ou mal expliqué. Ma première mission est de livrer une lettre sur une île si lointaine que je n'ai pas les réserves pour l'atteindre. Les noms des îles ne sont pas traduits, la navigation sur la carte peu ergonomique, je ne comprends pas les critiques positives. Seul le modèle commercial est bon.

**Developer response:** Bonjour, merci pour ce retour direct. Vous avez raison sur la première mission : elle ne devrait pas vous envoyer si loin avec si peu de réserves, et nous travaillons sur des améliorations du début de partie ainsi que de la navigation sur la carte. Merci d'avoir pris le temps de nous écrire, c'est ce genre de message qui nous aide à progresser.

### 1/5 — Constantly losing progress

*2026-07-07*

It’s a good game, but the “save and quit” function works intermittently. Very annoying after spending hours playing then having to repeat lengthy quests because progress was lost.

**Developer response:** Sorry about that, losing hours of progress is the worst experience a game can offer. We're investigating save reliability, and details would genuinely help: could you email contact@astralride.com with your device, iOS version and when it happens (mid-quest, after closing the app...)? Thank you for the patience and the fair review. - AstralRide

### 1/5 — Game breaking glitch

*2026-06-15*

I really enjoyed the game. Then the quests have now got a game breaking glitch. 50xwood to the shipwrights. I have x 3 of these. I have 150 wood. Yet the mission has looped. Until I resolve the mission at the other island. And so on. I can not resolve either, as I have to resolve the other. 

When this is resolved I will give 5 star

**Developer response:** Hello,

Well this is a rare bug, It should be fixed in version 1.6.06.
Be on the lookout for this update. If the update doesn't fix it, please shoot an email to contact+mots@astralride.com

Thank you and sorry for the inconvenience,

### 1/5 — No tutorial???

*2026-05-21*

So now the game works, but there are NO INSTRUCTIONS. I looked at a YouTube video, and even they couldn’t figure it out! If your game is NOT READY, do not launch it!

**Developer response:** Please download version 1.6.02 when it's available to fix any crash issues. 
Or update your iOS to 26+ if you can't wait. 

Thank you for your patience,

### 1/5 — App won’t open

*2026-05-20*

Update. Still does not work even after the second update. I would contact them directly but I cannot find out how

**Developer response:** Sorry for the rough start, and for being hard to reach: you can always contact us at contact@astralride.com. The launch crash was fully fixed in version 1.6.02 and later, so if you update now the game should run. If it still doesn't, or you'd prefer a refund, email us and we'll make it right. - AstralRide

### 1/5 — I’m extremely disappointed

*2026-05-19*

I have emailed to report the problem many times. It has been a full week since I bought this game, and I have never been able to launch and play it successfully. Every time I get a reply from the developer saying the issue has been fixed, yet I still cannot open the game normally up to now

**Developer response:** We owe you an apology: it took us too long to fix this, and being told "it's fixed" while you still couldn't play made it worse. The launch crash was fully resolved in version 1.6.02 and later. If you're willing, please update and try again. If you'd rather not, email contact@astralride.com and we'll arrange a refund. - AstralRide

### 1/5 — Game will not launch

*2026-05-19*

Bought the game and installed it and haven’t been able to launch it yet. Goes straight to a grey screen and then closes. Uninstalled and reinstalled multiple times with no success.

**Developer response:** Sorry to hear that! The grey screen crash is something we'd like to look into. Please update to latest version and reach out at contact@astralride.com and we'll do our best to help you get it running!

### 1/5 — 起動しない

*2026-05-19*

アプリが立ち上がりません

**Developer response:** 버전1.6.02をダウンロードしてクラッシュの問題を修正してください。
待てない場合は、iOSを26以上にアップデートしてください。
ご辛抱いただきありがとうございます。

### 1/5 — App won’t open

*2026-05-18*

The last patch says the issue was fixed but it’s still happening. I try to open it and the screen goes black for a split second before crashing

### 1/5 — Immediate Crash After Purchase

*2026-05-17*

Just bought the game, it won’t run at all.

**Developer response:** Please download version 1.6.02 when it's available to fix any crash issues. Or update your iOS to 26+ if you can't wait. Thank you for your patience,

## Most praised reviews (10 highest-rated)

### 5/5 — Исправьте баг с достижением

*2026-08-24*

Все супер! Игра отличная, но есть баг с достижениями. Я играл без интернета, восстановил ботанический сад, но при подключении к интернету достижение так и не отметилось, хотя сад уже восстановлен

**Developer response:** Спасибо за отзыв и за точное описание бага! Вы правы, достижения, полученные без интернета, не всегда засчитываются при повторном подключении, и мы работаем над улучшениями в этой части. Обновите игру до последней версии, а если достижение так и не откроется, напишите нам через контакт поддержки на странице игры, поможем разобраться.

### 5/5 — Beautiful

*2026-08-08*

I never leave a review for any game let alone a mobile one but i can honestly say this game is absolutely beautiful, Simple “cozy” trading game with a fun and captaining story elements with well written characters and it’s so refreshing to have a game where it lets you figure out what to do and doesn’t hold you hand, Subtle brag but i’ve finished the campaign with a total of £2,670 million help in most part to the bank with its interest rates. All round a fantastic play. Hope you Guys and Gals have to opportunity to make more

**Developer response:** A first-ever review is an honor, thank you! Letting players figure things out without hand-holding is very much on purpose, so it's great to hear it clicked. And 2,670 million is seriously impressive, the bank thanks you for your loyal business. We'd love the chance to make more, and reviews like yours are what make that possible.

### 5/5 — Super jeu

*2026-07-24*

Tres bon jeu avec un debut et une fin

**Developer response:** Merci beaucoup ! "Un début et une fin", c'est exactement ce qu'on aime dans les jeux premium : une vraie aventure complète, sans artifices. Ravi que le voyage vous ait plu. Bon commerce dans les nuages ! - AstralRide

### 5/5 — Excellent jeu de gestion

*2026-07-19*

Très jolis graphismes pixel art et excellent jeu de gestion !

**Developer response:** Merci beaucoup ! Ravi que le pixel art et la gestion vous plaisent, c'est exactement le mélange qu'on voulait mettre en avant. Bon commerce dans les nuages ! - AstralRide

### 5/5 — Gutes Spiel

*2026-07-17*

Gutes Spiel nur fände ich es gut wenn nach dem Kauf von einem meinem Schiff man das Geld fürs alte zurückbekommen würde

**Developer response:** Danke für die Bewertung! Der Vorschlag, alte Schiffe beim Kauf eines neuen in Zahlung geben zu können, ist gut nachvollziehbar. Wir haben ihn ans Entwicklerteam weitergegeben. Viel Spaß weiterhin über den Wolken! - AstralRide

### 5/5 — Finished it, loved it

*2026-07-08*

Loved minmaxing my pathing early game and my company’s trades routes in the late game

**Developer response:** Thank you! A player who minmaxes their routes from the first island to the final trade empire is exactly who we made this for. Congrats on seeing it through to the end, and happy skies! - AstralRide

### 5/5 — Lil treasure

*2026-06-14*

Life has little treasures and this is one of em. Literally shed a tear of joy when I beat the game.

**Developer response:** Thank you so much for sharing your experience!
Very happy you enjoyed Merchant of the Skies _O_

### 5/5 — Developers Quick to Respond

*2026-05-23*

Just bought the game, it won’t run at all.

Edit: The game has been updated and corrected. I will update when I play more

**Developer response:** Please download version 1.6.02 when it's available to fix any crash issues. Or update your iOS to 26+ if you can't wait. Thank you for your patience,

### 5/5 — Cute game

*2026-05-22*

The crashing issue is fixed, its running pretty smoothly now.

Its a nice trading game with some quirky characters. I enjoy the route automation and economy building. Quick turnaround on a fix when the game was crashing for me.

**Developer response:** Really glad to hear it's running smoothly now! Thanks for the kind words and for your patience while we sorted the fix. Enjoy the skies! ⛵

### 5/5 — Still supporting

*2026-05-17*

As I’ve played the game before on pc I know it’s good, but that crashing issue is still not resolved. It immediately crashes. I’ve tried everything.

**Developer response:** Please download version 1.6.02 when it's available to fix any crash issues. Or update your iOS to 26+ if you can't wait. Thank you for your patience,

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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 2026-09-08.*