# Phoenix 2 vs Black Paradox

The clearest difference is price: Phoenix 2 at Free against Black Paradox's $3.99. Phoenix 2 also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.9) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 13 months). Black Paradox's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 11) and ads (none vs shown). On device support there is nothing between them.

Phoenix 2 is free to download; Black Paradox costs $3.99 up front. Phoenix 2 sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Black Paradox asks for nothing beyond the download.

Phoenix 2 holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.9. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Phoenix 2 has 26K ratings behind it against 121, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 73% of Phoenix 2's written reviews are positive against 51% of Black Paradox's.

Phoenix 2 ships an update every 3 weeks, Black Paradox every 13 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Phoenix 2 | Black Paradox |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $3.99 |
| Rating | **[4.7 (26K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phoenix-2/id1134895689/reviews)** | [3.9 (121 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/black-paradox/id1436190913/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **26K** | 121 |
| Positive reviews | **73.3% of reviews** | 50.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 weeks** | Every 13 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 295 MB | 456 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **10.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Firi Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/361212278) | [Tiny Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/907446397) |

## What reviewers say

### Phoenix 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phoenix-2/id1134895689)

Blast through waves of alien invaders in this classic arcade space shooter. Collect and upgrade over 100 unique ships, complete exciting missions, and compete on global leaderboards. Enjoy short game sessions or an action-packed campaign with stunning graphics.

**Highlights:** Over 100 unique ships, Ship collection and upgrades, Action-packed campaign, Special abilities, Daily missions, Global leaderboards, Cross-platform play

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Game Controller support

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 800 Credits | $0.99 | one-time |
| 5000 Credits | $4.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $4.99 | one-time |
| VIP | $4.99 | one-time |
| 12000 Credits | $9.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $9.99 | one-time |
| 25000 Credits | $19.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $19.99 | one-time |
| 65000 Credits | $49.99 | one-time |
| Special Offer | $49.99 | one-time |
| 140K Credits | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fantastic mobile game
- 🚀 Incredibly fun and addictive
- 🚀 Best bullet hell game on the phone
- 🚀 Easily the best bullet hell I've played
- 🚀 Amazing game for on the go fun

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Great Gameplay Ruined by Frustrating Ad Experience
- 💰 Supers aren't well implemented
- 💰 Micro-transactions too much
- 💰 Progression limited, hard to earn credits
- 🐛 Terrible, uninspiring compared to original Phoenix HD

**Reported bugs**

- Warp gate charge time bug
- Occasional crashes
- Incompatible with older devices

**Requested features**

- Add haptic feedback
- Implement an endless mode
- Allow players to customize ships
- Add a level creator
- Provide an offline mode


### Black Paradox

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/black-paradox/id1436190913)

Embark on a time-traveling shooter adventure as a bounty hunter. Battle a galactic criminal organization using a vast arsenal of weapons, powerups, and drones. Master unique abilities and overcome diverse enemies and bosses in a visually stunning pixel art world.

**Highlights:** Time-traveling bounty hunter gameplay, 15+ unique weapons, 30+ powerups and 10+ drones, 50+ enemy types and 7 bosses, Character growth and stat upgrades, Controller support, Pixel art and synth-wave soundtrack

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎨 Stunning retro 80s aesthetic and visual design
- 🎵 Excellent soundtrack with catchy synth-wave music
- ⚙️ Well-balanced weapon system with unique mechanics
- 🎮 Engaging roguelike gameplay with procedurally generated levels
- 💰 Premium game without intrusive microtransactions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes on launch across multiple iOS versions
- 🔋 Excessive battery drain and device overheating
- 📱 Compatibility issues with newer iPhone models
- 🎮 Unresponsive controls on screen edges
- ⚠️ Game freezes and stops firing weapons randomly

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes on startup with iOS 14 and newer
- Game incompatible with iPhone 12/13 Pro Max
- Progress resets after freezing on boss intros
- Controls unresponsive on left and right screen edges
- Weapons stop firing randomly mid-game

**Requested features**

- iCloud save synchronization across devices
- Controller support (MFi compatible)
- Additional character skins and cosmetics
- More bosses and levels
- Endless mode for extended play


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Phoenix 2 free?

Phoenix 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Black Paradox free?

Black Paradox costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Phoenix 2 or Black Paradox?

Phoenix 2 is rated higher. Phoenix 2 averages 4.7 out of 5 from 26K ratings, while Black Paradox averages 3.9 from 121 ratings.

### Do Phoenix 2 or Black Paradox have ads?

Phoenix 2 shows ads; Black Paradox does not.

### Which is updated more often, Phoenix 2 or Black Paradox?

Phoenix 2 ships an update every 3 weeks, and Black Paradox every 13 months. Most recently, Phoenix 2 was updated on September 29, 2026 and Black Paradox on September 26, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*