Comparison

Hero Emblems II vs Shadow Merge

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

Head to head
About

Hero Emblems II

Embark on an epic adventure combining match-3 puzzles with classic JRPG elements. Lead a team of heroic warriors, unleash powerful skills through strategic emblem matching, and explore a world filled with magic, monsters, and ancient mysteries.

Highlights
  • Match-3 emblem battles
  • Traditional JRPG exploration
  • Unique hero skills and backstories
  • Equipment customization
  • Food consumption system for buffs
  • Japanese character voice acting
Features
Read full description

A new evolution of match-3, combat, and adventure! Hero Emblems II is a JRPG that combines elements of side-scrollers and match-3 games. Players control members of the Night Chasers, a group of heroic warriors, as they embark on an adventure to save their lands from an evil threat. [Game Features] ◆ Thrilling match-3 battle experiences Match three Emblems to clear them from the board and make your heroes attack. Clear four or more to generate Magic Emblems, allowing your heroes to unleash powerful skills. Perform combos to launch even more powerful attacks and vanquish your enemies! ◆ Traditional JRPG experience In a world of magic and swordplay, players will control members of the Night Chasers as they embark on an adventure together. Enter deep caves, explore ancient ruins, unlock treasure chests, fight against ferocious monsters, upgrade your equipment in town, and gain new information from villagers in the local taverns. A exciting RPG experience is waiting for you in Hero Emblems II! ◆ Substitute Heroes Each Hero possesses their own unique skills and backstory. There's Zack, the Human Warrior; Lucien, the Marten Knight; Sid, the Felinian Black Mage; Abner the Bard, and many more! Lead your favorite heroes into battle! ◆ Thrilling Japanese character voices in battles Personalized character voices make combat a thrilling, intense and fun experience! ◆ More equipment Enemies attack with a wide range of debuffs such as Poison, Ignition, Petrification or Curses. To fight against these tough opponents, you will need to choose your Heroes' weapons and armor carefully, and make good use of accessories to resist enemy debuffs and boost your Heroes' abilities! ◆'Food Consumption System' for Enhancing Battle Power A hero's adventure is always brimming with all sorts of challenges. Vicious monsters boast tremendous strength and always catch people off guard with their varied attack styles. Now, heroes can boost their abilities by indulging in delightful delicacies, allowing them to thwart monster attacks with a more refreshing rhythm! ◆One-time payment, IAP-free, and ad-free A New Chapter in the Night Chasers' History A long time ago, there was a mercenary group known as the Night Chasers. Instead of making money, these heroic warriors went around helping those in need. During the war, they helped a great many people who were suffering under tyranny and injustice. However, in the ensuing age of peace, the Night Chasers were no longer needed, and were forced to disband. Years later, four young people - Zack, Lucien, Sid, and Odelia - decided to carry on their legacy, forming the new Night Chasers. One day, Zack and his party save an Elven girl named Dolores. Suffering from amnesia, Dolores cannot remember why she has ventured so far from the Elven Kingdom – only that she has been sent on an urgent quest. Concerned for her well-being, the Night Chasers take her into their fold, leading them to discover an ancient and terrible threat to the kingdom... ** Recommend to use iPhone 6/iPad min4/iPad Air2/iPad 5th Gen./iPad Pro or later devices for better experiences.**

About

Shadow Merge

Features
Read full description

Match 3 stones. Summon an army. Watch the shadows burn. Shadow Merge: Tactics is a dark fantasy match 3 auto battler roguelite. Plan your moves on a 6x6 stone board, raise a swarm of warriors and archers, and send them into an endless siege against monsters, elite fiends and towering bosses. There is no castle to defend: your army is your only life. Lose it and the run is over. HOW IT WORKS - PREPARE: every round you get action points (AP) to swap stones. Match 3 or more to spawn units. Bigger matches call bigger armies. - COMBAT: the grid locks and your army fights automatically in a fast, smooth pixel battle. No pausing, no micromanaging: your planning wins the war. - SURVIVE: clear the wave, keep your survivors and prepare for something worse. Mini-bosses arrive every 5th wave, the Dark Lord every 10th. SEVEN STONES, SEVEN CHOICES - Dark Wood spawns archers for ranged damage. - Metal spawns warriors for the front line. - Water wraps your units in a defensive shield aura. - Demon's Blood sends them into a frenzy. - Berserk and Wizard Stones summon elite fighters. - Soul Crystals refund AP and fuel your permanent upgrades. ROGUELITE DEPTH - Choose a Rite after big fights: pick one blessing to shape the run, from Iron Front to Rain of Bolts and Soul Broker. - Spend Soul Crystals in the Meta-Shop on permanent upgrades: Vanguard Training, Strategic Reserve and Alchemical Insight. - No two runs feel the same. Chain combos, plan AP and decide what to buff. BUILT FOR MOBILE - Fast 2x battle speed toggle when you want the action quicker. - Play offline. No internet needed to fight. - Global leaderboards for Max Wave and Max Power with Sign in with Apple. - Haptics, atmospheric dark fantasy music and a hand-crafted gothic interface. - Available in English, Turkish, German, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Russian and Swedish. FAIR MONETIZATION - Free to play with 4 free runs every day. Watch a short ad for a bonus run or to revive your fallen army once per run. - Shadow Merge Pro is a one-time purchase: unlimited daily runs, a free revive every run and no banner ads. No subscription, no tricks. If you love puzzle strategy, auto battlers, roguelike runs, army builders and dark fantasy tactics, this one is for you. Match, merge and conquer the shadows. Support: https://shadowmerge.netlify.app/support Privacy Policy: https://shadowmerge.netlify.app/privacy Terms of Use: https://shadowmerge.netlify.app/terms

Screenshots

Hero Emblems II4 screens
Shadow Merge4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Shadow Merge at Free against Hero Emblems II's $6.99. Shadow Merge also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks). Hero Emblems II's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ads (none vs shown). On device support 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

Shadow Merge is free to download; Hero Emblems II costs $6.99 up front. Shadow Merge sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Hero Emblems II asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hero Emblems II ships an update every 3 weeks, Shadow Merge every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Hero Emblems II versus Shadow Merge: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHero Emblems IIShadow Merge
Price$6.99Free — better
Rating4.3 (156 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews62.8% of reviews—
Number of ratings156 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 4 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid—
Best chart rank#92 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS10.3 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size544 MB73 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperHeatPot Games Ltd.Ozan Can OCAK

Bugs and requests

Hero Emblems II

Reported bugs

11 issues
  • Game crashes during final boss battles
  • Soft crashes and emblem dropping errors
  • iCloud sync not working properly after reinstall
  • Location markers disappearing after quest completion
  • Touchscreen input not working on one side of map
Show 6 more
  • Elf character joining prevents map movement
  • Five-star gems unable to convert with adjacent gems
  • Visual glitches and display errors
  • iPad home bar black border display issue
  • iPad orientation support missing
  • Game freezing and crashing randomly

Requested features

11 requests
  • Enemy level indicators for dungeon difficulty assessment
  • Quest journal and quest tracking system
  • Endgame endless mode for post-story gameplay
  • Easy or casual difficulty mode
  • Game+ or New Game+ mode
Show 6 more
  • Multiplayer PvP battle mode
  • Korean language support
  • Better iCloud sync functionality
  • Difficulty balancing adjustments
  • More distinct puzzle board icons
  • Faster map navigation speed

Shadow Merge

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Hero Emblems II

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Shadow Merge

One-time1
  • Shadow Merge Pro$1.99

Questions

Is Hero Emblems II free?
Hero Emblems II costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Shadow Merge free?
Shadow Merge is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Hero Emblems II or Shadow Merge have ads?
Shadow Merge shows ads; Hero Emblems II does not.
Which is updated more often, Hero Emblems II or Shadow Merge?
Hero Emblems II ships an update every 3 weeks, and Shadow Merge every 4 days. Most recently, Hero Emblems II was updated on November 6, 2026 and Shadow Merge on October 31, 2026.

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