Comparison

ICEY vs Grimvalor

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

Head to head
About

ICEY

This is a 2D side-scrolling action game with a meta-narrative twist. Players fight against a narrator's control to uncover the truth about the world and their character's purpose. Features fast-paced combat, combo systems, and challenging cyborg bosses.

Highlights
  • 2D side-scrolling action
  • Meta-narrative gameplay
  • Fast-paced combat
  • Unleash incredible combos
  • Fight massive cyborg bosses
  • MFi controller support
Features
Read full description

ICEY is a 2D side-scrolling action game. As you follow the narrator's omnipresent voice, you will see through ICEY's eyes and learn the truth about her world. “Alright, you caught me! This ISN'T really just a simple 2D action game, and you WON'T be seeing through ICEY's eyes... NOR will you learn the truth about her world." says the narrator. “ICEY is a Meta game in disguise. The narrator will constantly urge you in one direction, but you must ask, "Why? Why am I following his directions? Why can't I learn the truth about this world and ICEY's purpose here?" Fight against his tyranny, and uncover what's really going on for yourself! In fact, you can become ICEY, and let loose the shackles of your own identity. You are ICEY, and ICEY is you... if you want it that way. Feel free to keep hold of your own self, if you wish. Now Is the Time For You to Discover the Truth. [FEATURES] Fast-paced Combat: Crush enemies in the palm of your hand. Attack! Dodge! Counterattack! Do not hesitate. This is the only way to survive! Incredible Combos: With simple controls, amazing combos are easy to unleash, even for beginners. Every skill is special in its own way. Master your favorites and create your own fighting style! Massive Cyborg Bosses: Can you withstand the onslaught of attacks from terrifying cyborg bosses? Every boss unleashes flurries of different attacks. It's up to you to find their weak spots and tear them apart! [Awards] -Nominated, Tokyo Game Show 2016 DENGEKI PlayStation Best Indie Game -Official Selection, 2016 Gamescom Indie Arena Booth -Most Promising Game 2nd Prize, Taipei Game Show 2016 -Official Selection, Casual Connect Asia 2016 -Official Selection, IGF China 2015 -Best Technology Award, Indieplay 2015 Operating system iOS: version 8.0 or higher Recommended configuration RAM: 2 GB or more Storage: 1.2 GB (iOS) Tips - As gameplay smoothness and reliability are affected by screen resolution and the number of applications running in the background, you can adjust the image quality option to achieve balance between image, smoothness and power consumption. - Added MFi controller support Languages Supported: *English *Francais *Español *简体中文 (Simplified Chinese) *繁体中文 (Traditional Chinese) Facebook: /ICEYtheGame Twitter:@ICEYtheGame Service Email: ICEY@xindong.com 2017 X.D. Network Inc. All rights reserved.

About

Grimvalor

Embark on a dark fantasy adventure as a lone warrior battling through a corrupted realm. Master skill-based combat, explore atmospheric landscapes, and face epic boss fights in this challenging hack and slash platformer. Restore the kingdom and uncover the fate of its lost king.

Highlights
  • Skill-based combat
  • Exploration of dark fantasy world
  • Epic boss fights
  • Stunning 3D visuals
  • Customizable touch controls
  • MFi controller support
  • Offline play
Features
Read full description

Slash your way through the hordes of darkness and defeat King Valor's fearsome guardians in this breathtaking adventure! "Chaining together a slick series of attacks, dodges, and jumps, is incredibly satisfying." — PocketGamer "I suspect mobile gaming fans will be playing and replaying this one for years to come." — TouchArcade, 5/5 A malicious power stirs in the forgotten kingdom of Vallaris. Tasked with discovering the fate of its lost king, your quest quickly takes a sinister turn and you are cast into darkness. Surrounded and outnumbered, you must grab your sword, steel your temper and fight your way through a land that does not welcome you. Except for the friendly merchant - he's grateful for your business. ABOUT THE GAME Grimvalor is a challenging hack & slash platformer with fast-paced combat in a dark fantasy world. Take control of a lone warrior on a quest to restore a corrupted realm. Embark on a journey through atmospheric landscapes and dungeons in a massive story-driven premium experience. COMBAT & EXPLORATION Master skill-based combat, learn enemy patterns and bring them down with all your fury. Explore the shattered lands of Vallaris, find and upgrade equipment and level up your character. Face the legacy of King Valor's madness and prevail! FEATURES • Epic boss fights • Stunning 3D visuals accelerated by Metal graphics • Accurate and customizable touch controls • Full support for MFi game controllers • Use iCloud to keep your saves in sync between devices. • Play offline - perfect for commute. • No ads or in-app purchases

Screenshots

ICEY4 screens
Grimvalor4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Grimvalor at 4.9 against ICEY's 4.6. Grimvalor also leads on ratings volume (9.8K vs 209) and chart position (#157 vs unranked). ICEY's advantage is price ($1.99 vs $5.99) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 14.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

ICEY costs $1.99 and Grimvalor $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Grimvalor holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Grimvalor has 9.8K ratings behind it against 209, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of ICEY's written reviews are positive against 91% of Grimvalor's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ICEY ships an update every 3 months, Grimvalor every 2 months. Both last shipped on September 28, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
ICEY versus Grimvalor: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterICEYGrimvalor
Price$1.99 — better$5.99
Rating4.6 (209 ratings)4.9 (9.8K ratings) — better
Positive reviews82.1% of reviews90.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2099.8K — better
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsEvery 2 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#157 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better14.0
Further details — not scored
Size1.1 GB739 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperX.D. Network Inc.Direlight

Customer experience

ICEY

All ratings209 ratings
Positive92.8%
Neutral0.5%
Negative6.7%
Written reviews324 reviews
Positive82.1%
Neutral4.3%
Negative13.6%

Grimvalor

All ratings9,754 ratings
Positive97.2%
Neutral1.4%
Negative1.4%
Written reviews803 reviews
Positive90.8%
Neutral3.2%
Negative6.0%

User reviews

ICEY

From 209 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fluid and dynamic gameplay
  • 👍 Excellent graphics and animations
  • 💡 Unique and engaging story with fourth-wall breaks
  • 🎨 Beautiful art style and character design
  • 🎮 Satisfying combat and combo system

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional performance issues and crashes
  • ⏱️ Short overall playtime
  • 🔍 Unclear or confusing progression at times
  • 🎮 Controls can feel awkward on touch screen

Grimvalor

From 9.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Smooth gameplay
  • 👍 Excellent controls
  • 🎨 Beautiful graphics
  • 🎶 Great soundtrack
  • 💰 Worth the price

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and crashes
  • 🕹️ Challenging difficulty spikes
  • 🕹️ Frustrating jumping puzzles
  • 🕹️ Dodge mechanic issues
  • 🔍 Lack of character customization

Bugs and requests

ICEY

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Texture issues and pink squares on some devices
  • Controller support not fully functional

Requested features

3 requests
  • Cloud save support
  • Customizable controls and button mapping
  • More content and gameplay modes

Grimvalor

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Dodge not registering properly
  • Crashes in New Game Plus
  • Companion AI issues
  • Graphical glitches on older devices

Requested features

5 requests
  • More levels and content
  • Ability to replay bosses
  • Enemy scaling for higher difficulties
  • Expanded weapon and trinket selection
  • New game plus improvements

In-app purchases

None

ICEY

No in-app purchases

None

Grimvalor

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is ICEY free?
ICEY costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Grimvalor free?
Grimvalor costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, ICEY or Grimvalor?
Grimvalor is rated higher. ICEY averages 4.6 out of 5 from 209 ratings, while Grimvalor averages 4.9 from 9.8K ratings.
Do ICEY or Grimvalor have ads?
Neither ICEY nor Grimvalor shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ICEY or Grimvalor?
ICEY ships an update every 3 months, and Grimvalor every 2 months. Most recently, ICEY was updated on September 28, 2026 and Grimvalor on September 28, 2026.

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