Retro Commander vs Xenowerk Tactics
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Retro Commander
Engage in post-apocalyptic real-time strategy battles. Command diverse units and technologies in a rich story campaign or test your skills against AI and players in cross-platform multiplayer. Features include a map editor and extensive modding capabilities.
- Post-apocalyptic RTS gameplay
- Story campaign with unique factions
- Single-player skirmish matches vs AI
- Cross-platform multiplayer
- Map editor and modding support
- Diverse units and research options
- Multiple game modes (capture the flag, battle royale)
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Retro Commander is a post-apocalyptic real-time strategy wargame (RTS). Take command and fight it out in a world where a cataclysmic timeline has transpired on Mother Earth. Wage wars solo, against the AI, or take on your gaming comrades and friends in cross-platform multiplayer matches. Form teams and clans and fight co-op style with the AI and other players for ultimate victory. As opposed to other real-time strategy game, Retro Commander tries to focus on both, a fun single player and a thrilling multiplayer experience. The game strives to be easy to learn with a modern user interface. Single player comes with skirmish matches against the AI as well as a comic-based story campaign. Multiplayer can be played cross-platform and includes a ranking and rating system. POST-APOCALYPTIC: Real-time strategy (RTS) played in a post-apocalyptic timeline on Mother Earth. The environment includes day-night cycles, rain, snow, wind and solar flare activity. STORY CAMPAIGN: Deep campaign and story line of humanity after a cataclysmic event. Factions come with their own specialized technologies such as stealth, robots, drones or shields. SINGLE & MULTIPLAYER: A challenging AI for both single and multiplayer matches with co-op play. Cross-platform multiplayer including LAN/internet. ONLINE play comes with an award and rating system. PLAY MODES: In addition to regular skirmish matches, the game supports missions such as elimination, survival, capture the flag, defense and battle royale. Available in both single and multiplayer also are escort and rescue missions. STRUCTURES & TROOPS: Common troops for land, sea and air warfare is available to all factions. Specialized elements such as stealth, shields, EMP weapons, nukes, portals, orbital weapons, assimilator and other troops and structures provide for additional variety. RESEARCH: A tech tree and research options enable to build specialized structures and troops. A Tech Snatcher can be used to steal enemy technology. MODDING: A map editor is included allowing for player-modded maps including player-modded campaigns. All elements including troops, structures, as well as graphics and sound effects, can be modded if desired.
Xenowerk Tactics
Lead an emergency response team in a post-disaster apocalyptic adventure. Explore infected zones, scavenge resources, and engage in real-time combat against mutant hordes. Manage your base and operatives to either cover up the incident or save the world.
- Squad-based real-time combat
- World map exploration
- Base management
- Character development
- Single-player offline gameplay
- Tactical pause for orders
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Requires iPhone 6, iPad Air 2 or newer. Play the first part for free. Get access to the full game with an in-app purchase. Play as the commander of an emergency response team after a disaster at a secret lab, hidden deep in the arctic region. Your task is to cover up and maximize profits for the Xenowerk corporation, or to save the world, depending on whom you ask... EXPLORE Deploy squads on expeditions into the infected zone. Explore a ferocious landscape scattered with remnants of Xenowerk's absurd research facilities. Use skills, traits and mutations to mitigate the dangers, horrors and mishaps during your journeys. Push your operatives to the limit, not to waste any precious time. Explore jungles, swamps, laboratories, shelters and factories. Scavenge for valuable resources. Carry out various missions. Secure strategic safe zones. Find and rescue M.I.A. operatives. FIGHT Control your squad in real-time combat against hordes of mutants. Use operative skills and mutations, such as Frag Grenade, Bait & Trap, Adrenaline, Pyrokinesis and much more, to skew the odds in your favor. Activate Tactical Pause at any time to give more detailed orders. MANAGE Recruit and evolve Marines, Rangers and Scientists as your operatives. But choose wisely, some may obtain dubious traits or mutations. Spend gathered resources to enhance your base of operations; Barracks, Recruitment, Field hospital, Armory, etc. Spend earnings on treatments, upgrades and recruitment. Cater for the whims of the Xenowerk Management to keep getting funded. Earn some extra cash-under-the-table by selling off resources on the Black Market. Or maybe try to save the world... • Single Player off-line game. No connection required. • Tactical squad-based, real-time combat. • World map exploration with loads of handcrafted and generated missions. • Home base management and character development. • Beautiful graphics rendered with physically based techniques. • Keep up to 10 different save games and store them in the cloud. • English, Deutsch, Français, Español, Italiano, 简体中文, 한국어, 日本語, 繁体中文, русский, Português do Brasil
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Xenowerk Tactics at 4.6 against Retro Commander's 3.8. Xenowerk Tactics also leads on ratings volume (341 vs 15) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). Retro Commander's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases 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. Retro Commander sells 14 one-off in-app purchases and Xenowerk Tactics sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Xenowerk Tactics holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 3.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Xenowerk Tactics has 341 ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 81% of Retro Commander's written reviews are positive against 76% of Xenowerk Tactics's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
Retro Commander ships an update every 2 months, Xenowerk Tactics every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 29, 2026.
| Parameter | Retro Commander | Xenowerk Tactics |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.8 (15 ratings) | 4.6 (341 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 81.3% of reviews — better | 75.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 15 | 341 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 9.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 152 MB | 572 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Noble Master LLC | Pixelbite |
Customer experience
Retro Commander
Xenowerk Tactics
Bugs and requests
Retro Commander
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
Xenowerk Tactics
Reported bugs
3 issues- Won't let me run the missions
- Game just loads with white loading dots, cannot play
- Keeps crashing
Requested features
8 requests- Add a super easy mode for people who are really bad
- More interesting combat, more depth to exploration
- Loot, finding gear and weapons to distribute among operators
- More interesting character progression and customization
- More dramatic effects of trauma and horror
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- More levels, more troops, an arsenal of weapons and gear
- Ability to switch weapons/armor for characters of the same class
- A.I. deploy function to send soldiers to different locations
In-app purchases
Retro Commander
- Map: Chapter 02$0.99
- Map: Battle Map 02$0.99
- Map: Battle Map 05$0.99
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- Clan Manager$1.99
- Map: Chapter 03$3.99
- Map: Chapter 08$3.99
- Map: Battle Map A1$3.99
- Map: Chapter 04$3.99
- Map: Chapter 06$3.99
- Map: Chapter 07$3.99
- Map: Battle Map 03$3.99
- Map: Battle Map 04$3.99
- Modded Maps$4.99
- All Maps & Modding$19.99
Xenowerk Tactics
- FULL GAME$6.99
Questions
Is Retro Commander free?
Is Xenowerk Tactics free?
Which has better reviews, Retro Commander or Xenowerk Tactics?
Do Retro Commander or Xenowerk Tactics have ads?
Which is updated more often, Retro Commander or Xenowerk Tactics?
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