Comparison

Downwell vs Grimvalor

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Downwell

Venture into a dangerous well with special gun boots to collect gems and battle creatures. Discover shops for upgrades and uncover hidden riches in this procedurally generated action game. Each descent offers a unique challenge.

Highlights
  • Gun boots for combat and descent control
  • Procedurally generated levels
  • Shop for items and upgrades
  • Unique weapons and items
  • Simple, responsive three-button controls
Features
Read full description

Downwell is a curious game about a young boy venturing down a well in search of untold treasures with only his Gunboots to protect him. Make your way further and further down into the darkness filled with nasty creatures and mysterious secrets to collect the spectacular red gems scattered about the rocks. Step into precariously placed shops and buy some helpful items or level up between levels to battle well-dwelling monsters and uncover hidden caves filled with riches and relics. No two trips down the well are ever the same! Simple, Responsive Controls - Designed for mobile from the ground up, Downwell is presented with intuitive and elegant controls that allow for action-packed gameplay using just three buttons. The Amazing Gunboots - The fashionable and lethal Gunboots allow players to unleash a torrent of firepower on the nasty creatures dwelling in the well and slow your decent with each shot. Unique Weapons & Items - Get different weapons, shop for peculiar items and obtain powerful upgrades that all stack and affect the way you play! A New Adventure Every Time - Each level in Downwell is procedurally generated, so no two trips down the well are ever the same providing a fresh new adventure each time! Music by Eirik Suhrke. Sound Design by Joonas Turner.

About

Grimvalor

Embark on a dark fantasy adventure as a lone warrior battling through a corrupted realm. Master skill-based combat, explore atmospheric landscapes, and face epic boss fights in this challenging hack and slash platformer. Restore the kingdom and uncover the fate of its lost king.

Highlights
  • Skill-based combat
  • Exploration of dark fantasy world
  • Epic boss fights
  • Stunning 3D visuals
  • Customizable touch controls
  • MFi controller support
  • Offline play
Features
Read full description

Slash your way through the hordes of darkness and defeat King Valor's fearsome guardians in this breathtaking adventure! "Chaining together a slick series of attacks, dodges, and jumps, is incredibly satisfying." — PocketGamer "I suspect mobile gaming fans will be playing and replaying this one for years to come." — TouchArcade, 5/5 A malicious power stirs in the forgotten kingdom of Vallaris. Tasked with discovering the fate of its lost king, your quest quickly takes a sinister turn and you are cast into darkness. Surrounded and outnumbered, you must grab your sword, steel your temper and fight your way through a land that does not welcome you. Except for the friendly merchant - he's grateful for your business. ABOUT THE GAME Grimvalor is a challenging hack & slash platformer with fast-paced combat in a dark fantasy world. Take control of a lone warrior on a quest to restore a corrupted realm. Embark on a journey through atmospheric landscapes and dungeons in a massive story-driven premium experience. COMBAT & EXPLORATION Master skill-based combat, learn enemy patterns and bring them down with all your fury. Explore the shattered lands of Vallaris, find and upgrade equipment and level up your character. Face the legacy of King Valor's madness and prevail! FEATURES • Epic boss fights • Stunning 3D visuals accelerated by Metal graphics • Accurate and customizable touch controls • Full support for MFi game controllers • Use iCloud to keep your saves in sync between devices. • Play offline - perfect for commute. • No ads or in-app purchases

Screenshots

Downwell4 screens
Grimvalor4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Grimvalor at every 2 months against Downwell's every 9 months. Grimvalor also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.7) and review sentiment (91% vs 80%). Downwell's advantage is price ($2.99 vs $5.99) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 14.0). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and chart position there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Downwell costs $2.99 and Grimvalor $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Grimvalor holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Grimvalor has 9.8K ratings behind it against 1.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of Downwell's written reviews are positive against 91% of Grimvalor's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Downwell ships an update every 9 months, Grimvalor every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Downwell versus Grimvalor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDownwellGrimvalor
Price$2.99 — better$5.99
Rating4.7 (1.8K ratings)4.9 (9.8K ratings) — better
Positive reviews79.6% of reviews90.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.8K9.8K — better
Update frequencyEvery 9 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank#27 — better#66
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size80 MB739 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperDevolver Digital, Inc.Direlight

Customer experience

Downwell

All ratings1,753 ratings
Positive92.6%
Neutral3.5%
Negative3.9%
Written reviews373 reviews
Positive79.6%
Neutral8.0%
Negative12.3%

Grimvalor

All ratings9,754 ratings
Positive97.2%
Neutral1.4%
Negative1.4%
Written reviews803 reviews
Positive90.8%
Neutral3.2%
Negative6.0%

User reviews

Downwell

From 1.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Smooth gameplay
  • 🎨 Excellent retro visuals
  • 🎶 Great chiptune soundtrack
  • 👍 Addictive and challenging
  • 💰 Good value for money

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes when switching apps
  • 🔇 No option to mute sound effects
  • 👆 Controls can be obstructed by fingers
  • 🔋 Drains battery quickly

Grimvalor

From 9.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Smooth gameplay
  • 👍 Excellent controls
  • 🎨 Beautiful graphics
  • 🎶 Great soundtrack
  • 💰 Worth the price

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
  • 🕹️ Challenging difficulty spikes
  • 🕹️ Frustrating jumping puzzles
  • 🕹️ Dodge mechanic issues
  • 🔍 Lack of character customization

Bugs and requests

Downwell

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Game freezes on iPhone 6s
  • Performance issues on older iPads

Requested features

4 requests
  • Horizontal/landscape mode
  • Ability to save progress
  • More level/game mode variety
  • Customizable controls

Grimvalor

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Dodge not registering properly
  • Crashes in New Game Plus
  • Companion AI issues
  • Graphical glitches on older devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • More levels and content
  • Ability to replay bosses
  • Enemy scaling for higher difficulties
  • Expanded weapon and trinket selection
  • New game plus improvements

In-app purchases

None

Downwell

No in-app purchases

None

Grimvalor

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Downwell free?
Downwell costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Grimvalor free?
Grimvalor costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Downwell or Grimvalor?
Grimvalor is rated higher. Downwell averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.8K ratings, while Grimvalor averages 4.9 from 9.8K ratings.
Do Downwell or Grimvalor have ads?
Neither Downwell nor Grimvalor shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Downwell or Grimvalor?
Downwell ships an update every 9 months, and Grimvalor every 2 months. Most recently, Downwell was updated on October 16, 2026 and Grimvalor on October 18, 2026.
Which is more popular, Downwell or Grimvalor?
Downwell currently peaks at #27 in the App Store charts, and Grimvalor at #66. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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