Comparison

Sunless Sea vs Duskfall

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

Head to head
About

Sunless Sea

Embark on a perilous journey as a steamship captain in a dark Victorian Gothic universe. Explore a vast, procedurally generated underworld, facing madness, cannibalism, and terrifying creatures. Your legacy lives on through generations as you uncover secrets and achieve your life's ambition.

Highlights
  • Vast narrative-driven world with 350,000+ words
  • Hand-drawn art and atmospheric visuals
  • Generational gameplay with legacy progression
  • Real-time combat against ships and creatures
  • Manage terror and madness
  • Ship and crew customization
  • Engage in trade and smuggling
Features
Read full description

LOSE YOUR MIND. EAT YOUR CREW. DIE. Failbetter’s award-winning PC game is now on iOS! Take the helm of your steamship and set sail for the unknown. Sunless Sea is a game of discovery, loneliness and frequent death, set in the award-winning Victorian Gothic universe of Fallen London. If the giant crabs, sentient icebergs and swarms of bats don’t get you, madness and cannibalism certainly will. But that old black ocean beckons, and there’s loot for the brave souls who dare to sail her. Betray your crew, sell your soul to a Devil, marry your sweetheart. Survive long enough and you’ll achieve your life’s ambition. You will die, but your legacy will live on… KEY FEATURES - A deep, compelling world packed with 350,000+ words of stories and secrets. Find your father’s bones. Determine London’s destiny. Defy the gods of the deep sea. - Beautiful, hand drawn art: castles of sparkling ice, prisons perched on lily pads, fog-shrouded lighthouses and the DAWN MACHINE. - Your captain will die. But you can pass on resources from one generation to the next. Acquire a family home and a hoard of heirlooms. Build up your own story across generations of zailors who braved the sea and lost - or won... - Real-time combat against ships and Zee-beasts, spider-crewed dreadnoughts and sentient icebergs. - Light and dark, terror and madness: stray too far from the gas-lamps of civilisation and your crew will grow fearful and eventually lose their sanity. - Upgrade your steamship with powerful engines, cannons and pneumatic torpedo guns. (Or buy a bigger, better ship.) - Hire unique officers like the Haunted Doctor and the Irrepressible Cannoneer. Each has a story to tell, if you can draw it out of them. - Choose a ship’s mascot: the Comatose Ferret, the Wretched Mog, the Elegiac Cockatoo, and more! - Trade or smuggle silk and souls, mushroom wine and hallucinogenic honey. REVIEWS - “Absolutely the best writing in any video game since, well, as long as I can remember.” (10/10 – PCGamesN) - “A very compelling and satisfying adventure... The realm of possibilities seems endless, and every time I set sail I find something new.” (9/10 – Destructoid) - “Sunless Sea's method of storytelling isn't unique, but it has never been realised with such impact and elegance.” (10/10 – Eurogamer)

About

Duskfall

Embark on a dark fantasy adventure in this turn-based dungeon crawler RPG. Explore intricate dungeons, engage in strategic combat, and uncover a compelling storyline. Upgrade your hero with thousands of items and craft legendary gear.

Highlights
  • Turn-based dungeon crawling
  • Strategic combat system
  • Fantasy world exploration
  • Hero customization and upgrades
  • Crafting and enchantment
  • Offline gameplay
Features
Read full description

Embark on a thrilling journey with this turn-based dungeon crawler RPG! Immerse yourself in the captivating world of Duskfall. Dive into the heart of dungeons, where every step holds secrets, treasures, and formidable foes. Epic Dungeon Adventures: Navigate through intricate dungeons, uncovering mysteries and facing mythical creatures. Engage in turn-based battles, employing strategic prowess to triumph over challenging foes. Fantasy World Exploration: Roam through a richly crafted fantasy world, filled with captivating landscapes and enigmatic characters. Unravel the secrets of ancient lore and embark on a quest that will test your courage and wit. Strategic Turn-Based Combat: Equip your hero, plan your moves wisely, and engage in strategic turn-based battles. Conquer enemies, discover hidden pathways, and emerge victorious in this thrilling RPG experience. Upgrade and Customize: Collect thousands of items, from powerful weapons to enchanted armor. Upgrade your gear, unlock new abilities, and customize your hero to fit your playstyle. Compelling Storyline: Immerse yourself in a deep and captivating narrative that unfolds as you progress. Encounter intriguing characters, make impactful choices, and shape the outcome of your epic adventure. Crafting and Enchantment: Experiment with the magical arts at the forge. Craft powerful potions, enchant your equipment, and create legendary items that will aid you in your quest. Offline Gameplay: Play anytime, anywhere – Duskfall offers an offline gaming experience. Dive into dungeons and embark on quests even when offline. Embark on a heroic journey in Duskfall, where dungeons hold the keys to unrivaled adventures. Download now and discover the true essence of turn-based RPG gaming!

Screenshots

Duskfall4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Duskfall at Free against Sunless Sea's $9.99. Duskfall also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.3) and ratings volume (3.6K vs 93). Sunless Sea's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 13) and ads (none vs shown). On update cadence 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

Duskfall is free to download; Sunless Sea costs $9.99 up front. Duskfall sells 13 one-off in-app purchases. Sunless Sea asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Duskfall holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Duskfall has 3.6K ratings behind it against 93, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 66% of Sunless Sea's written reviews are positive against 86% of Duskfall's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Sunless Sea ships an update every 3 weeks, Duskfall every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard9 real differences · 1 level
Sunless Sea versus Duskfall: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSunless SeaDuskfall
Price$9.99Free — better
Rating4.3 (93 ratings)4.8 (3.6K ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.3% of reviews85.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings933.6K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 2 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS8.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size510 MB230 MB
Age rating12++12
DeveloperFailbetter GamesViktor Domonyi

Customer experience

Sunless Sea

All ratings93 ratings
Positive80.6%
Neutral6.5%
Negative12.9%
Written reviews104 reviews
Positive66.3%
Neutral9.6%
Negative24.0%

Duskfall

All ratings3,579 ratings
Positive97.9%
Neutral1.1%
Negative0.9%
Written reviews331 reviews
Positive85.8%
Neutral5.4%
Negative8.8%

User reviews

Sunless Sea

From 93 App Store ratings

What we love

  • ✨ Masterpiece writing and lore
  • 🌍 Huge, explorable map
  • 📚 Deep, complex narrative
  • 🎨 Beautiful art and atmosphere
  • 💎 Unique and original gameplay

Room to improve

  • 🐌 Slow pace and travel
  • 💀 High difficulty and permadeath
  • 💸 Tedious grinding for resources
  • ❓ Unclear objectives and tutorials
  • ⚙️ Clunky or unintuitive UI/controls

Duskfall

From 3.6K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great retro experience
  • 🚀 Satisfying RPG/dungeon crawler
  • 💡 Customizable character
  • 👍 Good basic fun
  • 👍 Impressive and interesting

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Sudden difficulty spike
  • 🔒 Inventory paywall
  • 🐛 Unreliable updates
  • 🐛 Inventory management issues
  • 🐛 Unclear progression and lack of hints

Bugs and requests

Sunless Sea

Reported bugs

15 issues
  • Crashes frequently
  • Screen turns purple
  • Audio stutters
  • iPad restarts
  • Black bars on iPad Pro 11"
Show 10 more
  • Does not work on iPad Pro 2020 (device restart)
  • Lagging since iOS 11
  • Game crashes immediately upon loading
  • Loads to menu but crashes on new/continue game
  • Unstable, crashes frequently
  • Cannot launch from dock after trading for a new ship ('battle' bug)
  • Screen rotation issue
  • Half throttle broken (forward/backward)
  • Excruciating freezing from tapping HUD elements
  • UI not properly adapted for touch

Requested features

18 requests
  • Zubmariner DLC for iOS
  • Sunless Skies for apps
  • Russian language support
  • Italian language support
  • German language support
Show 13 more
  • Full screen support for newer iPads
  • iPad Mini 6 screen support
  • Link Fallen London accounts
  • Improve battery life
  • Add a 'Fast Mode' for travel
  • Improve journal/quest log
  • Add job mechanics (fisherman, bounty hunter, etc.)
  • On-screen joystick for steering
  • Adjustable lore window opacity/size/location
  • Automatic screen rotation
  • Russian or Ukrainian localization
  • Zubmarineer DLC on iOS
  • Pirate Poet quest on iOS

Duskfall

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Items disappearing after purchases
  • Doors/gates relocking after progress
  • Clues not saved in quest log

Requested features

8 requests
  • More in-game purchase options
  • More skill optimization
  • Hint feature or help for stuck players
  • Ability to see companion classes
  • Ability to customize companions
Show 3 more
  • Speed up option for enemy turns
  • Respawning enemies for grinding
  • Better inventory management

In-app purchases

None

Sunless Sea

No in-app purchases

13 purchases

Duskfall

One-time13
  • Duskfall Pack$0.99
  • Remove Ads$1.99
  • Duskfall Pack$1.99
Show 10 more
  • Seasons Tier 2 Pass$5.99
  • 600 gems$5.99
  • Duskfall Pack$5.99
  • 1300 gems$11.99
  • Duskfall Pack$11.99
  • 3000 gems$22.99
  • Duskfall Pack$22.99
  • Duskfall Pack$34.99
  • 7000 gems$35.99
  • 16000 gems$69.99

Questions

Is Sunless Sea free?
Sunless Sea costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Duskfall free?
Duskfall is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Sunless Sea or Duskfall?
Duskfall is rated higher. Sunless Sea averages 4.3 out of 5 from 93 ratings, while Duskfall averages 4.8 from 3.6K ratings.
Do Sunless Sea or Duskfall have ads?
Duskfall shows ads; Sunless Sea does not.
Which is updated more often, Sunless Sea or Duskfall?
Sunless Sea ships an update every 3 weeks, and Duskfall every 2 weeks. Most recently, Sunless Sea was updated on October 14, 2026 and Duskfall on October 18, 2026.

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