Sunless Sea vs Duskfall
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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)
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.
- Turn-based dungeon crawling
- Strategic combat system
- Fantasy world exploration
- Hero customization and upgrades
- Crafting and enchantment
- Offline gameplay
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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
Verdict
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
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.
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.
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.
| Parameter | Sunless Sea | Duskfall |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $9.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.3 (93 ratings) | 4.8 (3.6K ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 66.3% of reviews | 85.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 93 | 3.6K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 510 MB | 230 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | +12 |
| Developer | Failbetter Games | Viktor Domonyi |
Customer experience
Sunless Sea
Duskfall
User reviews
Sunless Sea
From 93 App Store ratingsWhat 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 ratingsWhat 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"
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- 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
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- 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
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- Speed up option for enemy turns
- Respawning enemies for grinding
- Better inventory management
In-app purchases
Sunless Sea
No in-app purchases
Duskfall
- Duskfall Pack$0.99
- Remove Ads$1.99
- Duskfall Pack$1.99
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- 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









