Comparison

Lifeline vs Eldrum

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

Head to head
About

Lifeline

An interactive horror game where your choices determine a woman's survival in a mysterious facility. Guide her through dark hallways and make critical decisions to help her escape an unknown threat.

Highlights
  • Interactive horror experience
  • Branching narrative choices
  • Real-time heart-rate monitor feedback
  • Multi-platform play (phone, Apple Watch)
  • Multiple language support
Features
Read full description

The Lifeline series takes a terrifying turn in this interactive horror experience. Every decision you make could help Wynn to safety, or lead her to an untimely end. Something has gone horribly wrong... Venture deep into a mysterious scientific facility, where a woman named Wynn has just woken up strapped to a hospital bed. She doesn't remember what happened to her - all she knows right now is that she has to get out of this place. And her only link to the outside world... is YOU! Help Wynn navigate creepy darkened hallways as the shrieks of something inhuman get closer... In this thrilling interactive horror experience, your choices shape the story and ultimately decide Wynn's fate! • A truly immersive horror experience! • The Green Series continues with a terrifying twist! • Written by award-winning author Daryl Gregory. • Norman Fairbanks returns with an original bone-chilling score. • Wynn’s heart-rate monitor gives real-time feedback as you make decisions in the story. • Interact with the story on your phone, Apple Watch, or through notifications! • Play in English, German, French, Japanese, Russian, or Chinese at launch! WATCH US: http://www.youtube.com/c/LifelineGame Praise for Lifeline: “I’ve played many games that I find engrossing, but Lifeline may be one of the first that changed the way I thought about my daily routine, which leapt off the screen and became a part of my lived experience.” - Eli Cymet, Gamezebo “For a few brief hours I cared – really cared – about the fate of a completely fictional character. I don’t think any other game I’ve played has made me feel that way before.” - Matt Thrower, PocketGamer

About

Eldrum

Embark on a dark fantasy text-based RPG where your decisions forge your path. Explore a war-torn world, uncover secrets, and shape your character's destiny through branching narratives and multiple endings. This immersive experience offers deep gameplay reminiscent of tabletop RPGs.

Highlights
  • Text-based choices adventure RPG
  • Nostalgic table-top RPG style
  • Character building and equipment
  • Multiple endings based on choices
  • Secrets to discover
  • High replayability
Features
Read full description

Dive into a dark, immersive world where your choices shape your destiny. Eldrum: Red Tide is a gripping text-based RPG that combines the depth of D&D, the strategic gameplay of CRPGs, and the narrative freedom of CYOA gamebooks. Eldrum: Red Tide is a dark fantasy story about a former soldier who is searching for his family in a world ravaged by war. Your brother is gone without a trace. What happened to him? The answer to this question lies at the end of a long and dangerous journey. The world has changed. The place where you were born was burned to ash. People out there are struggling to survive. You are a shadow of your former self, having suffered grave injuries during the war. But the past is the past. What matters is the here and now. You have the freedom to shape your own destiny. There is always a choice. FEATURES - Nostalgic table-top RPG style - Many secrets to discover - Equip and build your character - Multiple endings that vary depending on your choices throughout the story - Replayability with different play styles opening up different locations, NPCs and gear - Text based choices adventure RPG - Supports both phones and tablets - Accessible to blind and low-vision players Eldrum: Red Tide is the second game in the Eldrum series. The games' stories are linked and there are references between the games, but they can be played in any order.

Screenshots

Lifeline4 screens
Eldrum4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Eldrum at Free against Lifeline's $2.99. Eldrum also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.3) and review sentiment (95% vs 67%). Lifeline's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and device support (4 vs 2). On ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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

Eldrum is free to download; Lifeline costs $2.99 up front. Eldrum sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Lifeline asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Eldrum holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 351 and 433 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Lifeline's written reviews are positive against 95% of Eldrum's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Lifeline ships an update weekly, Eldrum every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Lifeline versus Eldrum: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLifelineEldrum
Price$2.99Free — better
Rating4.3 (351 ratings)4.9 (433 ratings) — better
Positive reviews67.5% of reviews94.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings351433 — better
Update frequencyWeekly — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS8.4 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size142 MB198 MB
Age rating9+12+
Developer3 Minute Games, Inc.Act None

Customer experience

Lifeline

All ratings351 ratings
Positive80.3%
Neutral9.1%
Negative10.5%
Written reviews283 reviews
Positive67.5%
Neutral18.4%
Negative14.1%

Eldrum

All ratings433 ratings
Positive97.7%
Neutral1.2%
Negative1.2%
Written reviews95 reviews
Positive94.7%
Neutral1.1%
Negative4.2%

User reviews

Lifeline

From 351 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Engaging story
  • 👍 Immersive experience
  • 🔒 Ties into larger Lifeline universe
  • 💡 Innovative use of heart rate monitoring

Room to improve

  • 🕰️ Frequent long pauses in gameplay
  • 👎 Protagonist Wynn can be frustrating or unlikable
  • 🐛 Inconsistencies between dialogue options and actual responses

Eldrum

From 433 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great story
  • 👍 Immersive and engaging
  • 🎨 Excellent visuals and atmosphere
  • 📚 Detailed and well-written lore
  • 🎮 Compelling gameplay with meaningful choices

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional combat balance issues
  • 🕹️ Challenging combat system for some players
  • 📱 Not optimized for larger screens (iPad)

Bugs and requests

Lifeline

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Website links in-game no longer working
  • Game restarting from the beginning unexpectedly

Requested features

3 requests
  • Option to skip long pauses
  • More impactful choices that affect the story
  • Ability to revisit past decisions

Eldrum

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Inconsistent enemy shield/evasion chances
  • Difficulty spikes in certain encounters

Requested features

2 requests
  • Sound effects for combat
  • More content and story expansions

In-app purchases

None

Lifeline

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Eldrum

One-time3
  • Upgrade from Basic to Premium$2.49
  • Basic$6.99
  • Premium$7.99

Questions

Is Lifeline free?
Lifeline costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Eldrum free?
Eldrum is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Lifeline or Eldrum?
Eldrum is rated higher. Lifeline averages 4.3 out of 5 from 351 ratings, while Eldrum averages 4.9 from 433 ratings.
Do Lifeline or Eldrum have ads?
Neither Lifeline nor Eldrum shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Lifeline or Eldrum?
Lifeline ships an update weekly, and Eldrum every 9 days. Most recently, Lifeline was updated on October 26, 2026 and Eldrum on October 22, 2026.

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