Comparison

The Phenomenon vs Haunted Dorm

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

Head to head
About

The Phenomenon

Embark on an episodic survival horror adventure as a paranormal researcher. Explore vast maps, utilize specialized devices, and confront intelligent creatures. Engage in cross-platform multiplayer and compete for global leaderboard dominance.

Highlights
  • Cross-platform multiplayer
  • Episodic survival horror
  • Paranormal research devices
  • Smart AI creatures
  • Global leaderboards
  • High replayability
Features
Read full description

The Phenomenon is an episodic survival horror game with high replayability, supporting online co-op multiplayer and cross-platform play. First released in 2015 as a solo-developed game, it has grown over time with updates and new players. Play alone or with friends as Barry Nellan, a paranormal researcher whose work is known worldwide. He has investigated many cases connected with unexplained activity. Most gave no real results, but the last one… In Episode 1, you will explore a map of 3 square kilometers with over 500 spawns of objects, use devices for paranormal research, fight against creatures with smart and tricky AI, discover many other things that make each new game unique, and compete with other players to take first place in the global leaderboards.

About

Haunted Dorm

Survive a relentless ghost by hiding in a room and building defenses. This horror-themed tower defense and escape game challenges you to strategically construct and upgrade turrets to fend off evil spirits and win.

Highlights
  • Tower defense gameplay
  • Escape from ghosts
  • Build and upgrade turrets
  • Strategic facility placement
  • Horror-themed survival
Features
Read full description

A fierce ghost is coming! The corridor is in great danger.Everyone could be hunted. The only way to survive is to hide in the room behind the door. Maybe you're wondering what the hell is this? This is a tower defense and escape game. Do you want to challenge yourself? Want to release your stress? Whatever you want, I can help you get it, as long as you lie down on a bed. Back to the topic, this is a horror-style tower defense and escape game. In the game, players need to escape the pursuit of ghosts and find a suitable dormitory to survive in. Build and upgrade turrets and fend off evil spirits. In the game, players can only build facilities on the empty floor in the room. After the empty floor is clicked on, the building menu will pop up. In the game, players need to selectively build facilities according to their own economic status, so as to expand their advantages step by step. If the player defeats the ghost, you won the game, and if the player is eliminated by the ghost, you lost the game. Our Facebook fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/haunteddorm/ Words from the developer Hunted Dorm is now online! I'm glad to be here to talk to you players. We're working on the next version, and we'll give priority to the online multiplayer mode, so you'll be able to experience the fun of fighting with others soon. More interesting buildings and modes of play will also be unlocked. If you have any good ideas and suggestions, please leave them in the comments section!

Screenshots

The Phenomenon4 screens
Haunted Dorm4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Haunted Dorm at 4.4 against The Phenomenon's 4.0. Haunted Dorm also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). On price, review sentiment, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Haunted Dorm holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.1K and 1.3K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of The Phenomenon's written reviews are positive against 62% of Haunted Dorm's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The Phenomenon ships an update every 5 weeks, Haunted Dorm every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
The Phenomenon versus Haunted Dorm: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe PhenomenonHaunted Dorm
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (1.1K ratings)4.4 (1.3K ratings) — better
Positive reviews54.8% of reviews62.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.1K1.3K — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeksEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationAd-supportedAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size340 MB205 MB
Age rating+129+
DeveloperKokots LLCBeijing Mihuan Games Technology Co., Ltd

Customer experience

The Phenomenon

All ratings1,115 ratings
Positive75.4%
Neutral5.6%
Negative19.0%
Written reviews263 reviews
Positive54.8%
Neutral10.3%
Negative35.0%

Haunted Dorm

All ratings1,173 ratings
Positive85.3%
Neutral5.9%
Negative8.9%
Written reviews865 reviews
Positive62.0%
Neutral15.0%
Negative23.0%

User reviews

The Phenomenon

From 1.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Realistic graphics
  • 🤩 Immersive horror experience
  • 💯 Excellent game quality
  • 🥰 Fun to play with friends

Room to improve

  • 🔇 Audio issues (can't hear audio)
  • 🌚 Game too dark/needs better lighting
  • 🕹️ Buggy controls and camera
  • ⏱️ Limited playtime due to in-game currency system

Haunted Dorm

From 1.3K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Fun and addictive gameplay
  • 🚀 Great time-passing game
  • ❤️ Satisfying progression system
  • 🎨 Interesting concept and visuals

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🔋 Ads disrupt gameplay
  • 🤖 Unbalanced AI difficulty
  • 🔒 Lack of progress saving

Bugs and requests

The Phenomenon

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Multiplayer mode not working properly
  • Inability to change language settings
  • Frequent crashes and freezes
  • Graphical glitches and visual bugs

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add 3-4 player multiplayer mode
  • Implement a save/checkpoint system
  • Improve tutorial and onboarding
  • Optimize performance on older devices

Haunted Dorm

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Freezing screens and unresponsive controls
  • Inconsistent sound issues after watching ads
  • Progress and unlocks reset when exiting the game
  • Compatibility issues on newer devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Multiplayer mode to play with friends
  • More levels and game modes
  • Ability to choose difficulty settings
  • Option to disable ads or pay to remove them

In-app purchases

None

The Phenomenon

No in-app purchases

None

Haunted Dorm

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is The Phenomenon free?
The Phenomenon is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Haunted Dorm free?
Haunted Dorm is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, The Phenomenon or Haunted Dorm?
Haunted Dorm is rated higher. The Phenomenon averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1.1K ratings, while Haunted Dorm averages 4.4 from 1.3K ratings.
Do The Phenomenon or Haunted Dorm have ads?
Both The Phenomenon and Haunted Dorm show ads.
Which is updated more often, The Phenomenon or Haunted Dorm?
The Phenomenon ships an update every 5 weeks, and Haunted Dorm every 3 weeks. Most recently, The Phenomenon was updated on October 29, 2026 and Haunted Dorm on October 30, 2026.

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