Comparison

TIME LOCKER vs Salvage Protocol

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

Head to head
About

TIME LOCKER

Control the flow of time with a single touch in this minimalist shooter. Slow down time by moving cautiously, or speed it up with aggressive maneuvers. Outmaneuver relentless enemies and upgrade your abilities to achieve a high score.

Highlights
  • Time control with one finger
  • Minimalist shooter gameplay
  • Enemy variety (animals, T-Rex)
  • Character and equipment upgrades
  • High score chasing
Read full description

"Freezes Time When You Stop Moving" You can control the speed of time with only one finger! Move slowly, and time slows down. Move quickly, and it speeds up. But the looming darkness behind you never stops. You must keep going — sometimes with calm precision, sometimes with bold aggression. Time Locker is a minimalist shooter. Many foes will attack you, including animals, mammoths, soldiers, and even a giant T-Rex. Control the speed of time and enhance your character and equipment without limit to get a high score. - Runner-Up : App Store(JP) Best of 2016 - Grand prize : Indie Stream Award 2016 - 5STAR : Touch Arcade

About

Salvage Protocol

Features
Read full description

Salvage Protocol is a deterministic turn-based tactics game. There is no dice, no hit chance, and no critical rolls — damage is fixed and every outcome is knowable before you commit. Winning is pure planning, positioning, and reading the enemy. Lose a unit and it's gone for the run. Command a squad of salvaged combat mechs across a 6×8 grid. Pick your chassis, spend each unit's move and action, line up attacks, and use once-per-battle special abilities — dash strikes, shockwave slams, and armor-piercing shots — to break the enemy formation. FEATURES • Deterministic combat — no RNG. Damage previews are exact; if you can read the board, you can win. • Four modes — a 10-level campaign with a mid-boss and a final boss, plus Endless, Daily Challenge, and Puzzle Challenge. • Five distinct mech chassis, each with its own stats and special ability. Build the squad that fits your plan. • Star ratings, achievements, and stat tracking to master every mission. • One-handed portrait play, tuned for quick tactical sessions. • Fully offline. No account, no internet, no servers — your progress stays on your device. • Accessibility options — reduced motion, combat speed, colorblind support, and volume controls. Free to play. An optional rewarded ad lets you revive a fallen squad — it is never required to progress. No dice. No excuses. Just tactics.

Screenshots

TIME LOCKER4 screens
Salvage Protocol4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Salvage Protocol at none against TIME LOCKER's 8. Salvage Protocol also leads on ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months). On price and 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

Both are free to download. TIME LOCKER sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Salvage Protocol asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TIME LOCKER ships an update every 2 months, Salvage Protocol every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
TIME LOCKER versus Salvage Protocol: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTIME LOCKERSalvage Protocol
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (346 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews85.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings346 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size87 MB26 MB
Age rating9++4
Developersotaro otsukaSeonggon Sim

Bugs and requests

TIME LOCKER

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Ads not working properly
  • Saved progress getting lost
  • Compatibility issues on older devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Permanent character unlocks
  • Difficulty options or customization
  • Expanded weapon and enemy variety
  • Improved visibility and UI elements

Salvage Protocol

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

8 purchases

TIME LOCKER

One-time8
  • PANDA$0.99
  • GREEN MARKER$0.99
  • GORI WRAP$0.99
Show 5 more
  • TORTOISE$0.99
  • PENGUIN$0.99
  • HUSKY$0.99
  • ALLO SAURUS$0.99
  • BIG COIN$2.99
None

Salvage Protocol

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TIME LOCKER free?
TIME LOCKER is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Salvage Protocol free?
Salvage Protocol is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do TIME LOCKER or Salvage Protocol have ads?
TIME LOCKER shows ads; Salvage Protocol does not.
Which is updated more often, TIME LOCKER or Salvage Protocol?
TIME LOCKER ships an update every 2 months, and Salvage Protocol every 2 weeks. Most recently, TIME LOCKER was updated on October 21, 2026 and Salvage Protocol on October 4, 2026.

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