Father and Son vs DESERTOPIA
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Father and Son
Embark on a historical adventure through Naples, Pompeii, and Ancient Egypt. Uncover a timeless story of a father and son, experiencing pivotal moments in history. This interactive journey blends cultural exploration with a compelling narrative.
- Explore Naples, Pompeii, and Ancient Egypt
- Experience historical events
- Uncover a father-son story
- Interactive narrative
- Cultural exploration
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Start an exciting and timeless journey between Naples, Pompeii and Ancient Egypt, spanning different historical periods. The adventure takes off from the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, a cultural institution housing some of humanity’s greatest artefacts and treasures. What begins as the story of a son who never knew his father becomes a universal and ageless tale, with the present and the past making up the setting for Michael’s travels. Seek for yourself the beauties of Naples, experience the last hours of life in Pompeii before Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, and explore the ordinary day-to-day life in Ancient Egypt. The past is what makes our present real. Completion time: 50-60 minutes. Some sections are unlocked by checking in at the Archaeological Museum of Naples, publisher of the game. The Father and Son Soundtrack is available for download on the official site.
DESERTOPIA
Transform a barren desert island into a thriving habitat at your own pace. Care for the island, restore wildlife, and make choices that influence its development. Enjoy a therapeutic idle simulator with beautiful art and evolving music.
- Storybook-style art
- 100+ animals and 25+ terrain types
- Weather and water evaporation mechanics
- Multi-layered, evolving music
- Interactive events influencing island development
- Collect trash to clean the environment
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///// Achievements ///// ・2018 Tokyo Game Show | Official Selection ・2018 Kyoto BitSummit Vol.6 | Official Selection ・2018 Kyoto BitSummit Vol.6 | Indie Megabooth Selection ・2017 IMGA Global | Nominee ・2017 IMGA SEA | Nominee ・App Store Earth Day 2018, 2019, 2020 | Featured “A simple game with a deep meaning.” — INSIDE “Experience the role humans play in the ecosystem, and understand that we cannot take whatever we want from Mother Nature without repercussion. Learn how to cherish valuable resources.” — App Store Feature ///// Introduction ///// Desertopia is a relaxing and therapeutic idle simulator where you can spend just 5–10 minutes a day transforming a barren desert island into a vibrant, thriving habitat — all at your own pace. Your goal is to care for the island and help restore its wildlife. Occasionally, you’ll need to pick up floating trash to keep the environment clean. You’ll also make decisions about events triggered by human activity. Will you allow a tour group to visit the island? Should you build a resort? Every choice you make will directly influence how the island develops. ///// Features ///// ・Storybook-style art: Simply watching the animals roam the island can feel therapeutic on its own. ・100+ animals: Desertopia features over 100 unique creatures and 25+ terrain types. More than 15 legendary species may appear under special conditions — some only during festivals and holidays! ・Weather and water evaporation: Water evaporation is a unique gameplay mechanic. You’ll need to summon rain regularly to maintain livable conditions for your wildlife. If neglected, the island will gradually revert to a barren desert. ・Multi-layered music: Enjoy rich, evolving background music that shifts depending on the area and the animals inhabiting it. ・Events: Cruise ships bring visitors and special events to the island, each with both benefits and drawbacks. How your island evolves is entirely up to you. //////////////////// This game contains in-game offers to purchase digital goods or premium items with real-world currency (or with virtual coins and other in-game currencies purchasable using real-world money), where players do not know in advance which specific items they will receive (e.g., loot boxes, item packs, or mystery rewards). Terms of Use: https://gamtropy.com/term-of-use-en/ Privacy Policy: https://gamtropy.com/privacy-policy-en/ © 2017 Gamtropy Co., Ltd. All rights reserved.
Screenshots
Verdict
Father and Son and DESERTOPIA both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 85% of Father and Son's written reviews are positive against 45% of DESERTOPIA's. Father and Son also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 15) and ads (none vs shown). On price, rating, ratings volume and 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
Both are free to download. DESERTOPIA sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $19.99 per month. Father and Son asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Father and Son against 4.5 for DESERTOPIA. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 240 and 287 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 85% of Father and Son's written reviews are positive against 45% of DESERTOPIA's.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.
| Parameter | Father and Son | DESERTOPIA |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (240 ratings) — better | 4.5 (287 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 85.0% of reviews — better | 45.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 240 | 287 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 9.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 172 MB | 218 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | TuoMuseo | Gamtropy Co., Ltd. |
Customer experience
Father and Son
DESERTOPIA
User reviews
Father and Son
From 240 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 💎 Beautiful graphics and art style
- 🎨 Immersive and emotional story
- 🎶 Excellent background music and sound effects
- 🗺️ Realistic depiction of Naples and its museum
- 🕰️ Interesting time-traveling narrative
Room to improve
- ⏱️ Slow pacing and walking speed
- 🔍 Difficulty locating interactive elements
- 🌍 Limited accessibility for non-Italian users
- 🔚 Relatively short overall length
DESERTOPIA
From 287 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🌳 Beautiful art style and relaxing atmosphere
- 🌱 Environmentally-conscious themes
- 👍 No ads or in-app purchases required to progress
Room to improve
- 🕰️ Slow progression and long wait times
- 🐛 Bugs and crashes preventing gameplay
- 🤔 Unclear game mechanics and lack of instructions
Bugs and requests
Father and Son
Reported bugs
2 issues- Crashes or freezes when selecting the Chinese language option
- Inability to progress past certain points in the story
Requested features
4 requests- Expand the story with additional chapters
- Provide an option to skip or speed up walking sequences
- Add support for more languages beyond Italian and English
- Allow non-Italian users to access all content without location restrictions
DESERTOPIA
Reported bugs
3 issues- Inability to exit tutorial or instructions screen
- Disappearing wetlands and other lost progress
- Compatibility issues on certain devices
Requested features
3 requests- More in-depth tutorial and gameplay explanations
- Ability to reset or restart progress
- Faster ways to earn resources and unlock new areas
In-app purchases
Father and Son
No in-app purchases
DESERTOPIA
- Ad-Free Pass (30 Days)$19.991 Month
- Gem Pack I$0.99
- Ad Ticket Pack 1$1.99
- Gem Pack II$4.99
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- NewbiePack$4.99
- Coral reef$4.99
- Ad Ticket Pack 2$4.99
- DNAPack001$4.99
- Gem Pack III$9.99
- Unlock Ancient Island$9.99
- Cat Pack 1$9.99
- (Limited) New Year Pass$9.99
- (Limited) New Year Pack 3$9.99
- Gem Pack IV$19.99
- (Limited) New Year Pack 4$29.99
Questions
Is Father and Son free?
Is DESERTOPIA free?
Which has better reviews, Father and Son or DESERTOPIA?
Do Father and Son or DESERTOPIA have ads?
Which is updated more often, Father and Son or DESERTOPIA?
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