# Cataclysm vs GnollHack

The clearest difference is rating: GnollHack at 4.7 against Cataclysm's 3.9. GnollHack also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). Cataclysm's advantage is ratings volume (334 vs 111) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 15.0). On price, ads, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Cataclysm sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. GnollHack asks for nothing beyond the download.

GnollHack holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 334 and 111 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Cataclysm's written reviews are positive against 85% of GnollHack's.

Cataclysm ships an update every 3 weeks, GnollHack every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Cataclysm | GnollHack |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.9 (334 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cataclysm-dark-days-ahead/id1017236109/reviews) | **[4.7 (111 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gnollhack/id1626979951/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **334** | 111 |
| Positive reviews | 68.6% of reviews | **85.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 146 MB | 772 MB |
| Requires iOS | **7.0** | 15.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Dancing Bottle](https://appshunter.io/developer/536995131) | [Hyvän mielen pelit ry](https://appshunter.io/developer/1696097244) |

## What reviewers say

### Cataclysm

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cataclysm-dark-days-ahead/id1017236109)

A challenging post-apocalyptic survival roguelike with procedural generation. Explore, craft, and manage your needs to stay alive in a world overrun by monsters. Build, customize vehicles, and discover secrets in a vast, open-ended experience.

**Highlights:** Procedural world generation, Deep crafting system, Vehicle construction and modification, Survival mechanics (hunger, thirst, morale), Bionics and mutations, NPC interaction and quests, Open-ended exploration

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Awesome Sound Pack | $0.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Great game
- 🚀 Highly customizable
- 💡 Endless possibilities
- 👍 Fantastic hardcore roguelike
- 👍 Addictive

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Controls are clunky and unresponsive
- 🐛 Language issues (game in Russian/other languages)
- 🐛 Screen size issues (too small)
- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Outdated version, needs updates

**Reported bugs**

- Keyboard issues (gets stuck, doesn't work properly)
- Compatibility issues with newer devices/iOS versions
- Crashes and freezes

**Requested features**

- Update the game to latest stable version
- Improve touch controls and UI for mobile
- Add screen zooming/magnification options
- Provide better language support and options


### GnollHack

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gnollhack/id1626979951)

Embark on a perilous quest in a remastered classic roguelike. Explore procedurally generated dungeons, battle monsters, and uncover powerful artifacts. With deep strategy, a rich class and race system, and challenging permadeath, every playthrough offers endless replayability.

**Highlights:** Turn-based roguelike gameplay, Modern user interface, Procedurally generated dungeons, 13 classes and 5 races, Hundreds of items and spells, Challenging permadeath mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Cataclysm free?

Cataclysm is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is GnollHack free?

GnollHack is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Cataclysm or GnollHack?

GnollHack is rated higher. Cataclysm averages 3.9 out of 5 from 334 ratings, while GnollHack averages 4.7 from 111 ratings.

### Do Cataclysm or GnollHack have ads?

Neither Cataclysm nor GnollHack shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Cataclysm or GnollHack?

Cataclysm ships an update every 3 weeks, and GnollHack every 5 days. Most recently, Cataclysm was updated on October 21, 2026 and GnollHack on October 20, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*
