# Life is Strange vs The Complex

The clearest difference is rating: The Complex at 4.4 against Life is Strange's 3.5. The Complex also leads on update cadence (every 3 months vs every 33 months) and review sentiment (46% vs 30%). Life is Strange's advantage is ratings volume (1.2K vs 187). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Life is Strange sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and The Complex sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

The Complex holds the better App Store score, 4.4 against 3.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Life is Strange has 1.2K ratings behind it against 187, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 30% of Life is Strange's written reviews are positive against 46% of The Complex's.

Life is Strange ships an update every 33 months, The Complex every 3 months. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Life is Strange | The Complex |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.5 (1.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/life-is-strange-before-storm/id1293250289/reviews) | **[4.4 (187 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-complex/id1498618748/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.2K** | 187 |
| Positive reviews | 30.3% of reviews | **45.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 33 months | **Every 3 months** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 1.3 GB | 2.0 GB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [SQUARE ENIX](https://appshunter.io/developer/300186801) | [Wales Interactive Ltd.](https://appshunter.io/developer/478870653) |

## What reviewers say

### Life is Strange

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/life-is-strange-before-storm/id1293250289)

Experience a choice-driven narrative adventure as a rebellious teen forming an unlikely friendship. Your decisions shape the story, leading to multiple endings. Engage in unique conversation modes, customize your character's appearance, and leave your mark on the world with tags and drawings.

**Highlights:** Choice and consequence driven narrative, Multiple endings, Risk/reward conversation mode, Witty tags and drawings, Outfit customization, Licensed indie soundtrack

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bonus Episode | $1.99 | one-time |
| Episode 1 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Episode 2 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Episode 3 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Season Pass  Episode 3-4 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Season Pass  2-4 | $6.99 | one-time |
| Season Pass  Episode 1-3 | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great story and characters
- 🎨 Beautiful art style
- 🎶 Excellent soundtrack
- 👍 Engaging gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent glitches and bugs
- 🕹️ Frustrating controls and navigation
- 🚧 Unpolished mobile port
- 💰 Expensive for a mobile game

**Reported bugs**

- Characters disappearing or glitching during scenes
- Crashes and freezes, especially in later episodes
- Inability to progress due to game-breaking bugs
- Graphical issues like distorted textures and animations

**Requested features**

- Add controller support
- Improve camera and movement controls
- Optimize performance and stability
- Provide more free content


### The Complex

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-complex/id1498618748)

Experience a sci-fi thriller where your choices shape the narrative and lead to one of eight endings. Navigate a locked-down lab after a bio-weapon attack, managing relationships and your character's personality.

**Highlights:** Interactive gameplay, Multiple endings, Relationship tracking, Personality tracking, Branching narrative

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The Complex - Unlock Full Game | $4.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Life is Strange free?

Life is Strange is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is The Complex free?

The Complex is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Life is Strange or The Complex?

The Complex is rated higher. Life is Strange averages 3.5 out of 5 from 1.2K ratings, while The Complex averages 4.4 from 187 ratings.

### Do Life is Strange or The Complex have ads?

Neither Life is Strange nor The Complex shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Life is Strange or The Complex?

Life is Strange ships an update every 33 months, and The Complex every 3 months. Most recently, Life is Strange was updated on September 29, 2026 and The Complex on October 1, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*