Dad's Monster House vs The First Tree™
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Dad's Monster House
Embark on a narrative-driven adventure to uncover a father's secret. Solve intricate puzzles, encounter unique monsters, and navigate a story exploring themes of love, ambition, and redemption. The black-and-white art style and immersive sound design enhance the emotional journey.
- Narrative-driven story
- Puzzle solving
- Item collection
- Black-and-white art style
- Immersive sound design
- Emotional themes
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Dad's Monster House tells the story of Carlos' journey after he receives a distress call from his father, pleading for him to return to his old home and rescue his dad. As he continues exploring the house, Carlos encounters many terrifying yet 'cute' monsters. As he solves the puzzles before him, he draws ever closer to the truth... Freud once said: "Love and work, work and love...that's all there is." But what of the pain, the struggles that arise when we're forced to choose between our ambitions and love? In dealing with such conundrums, we’ve all likely hurt those we hold dearest to us. For it's often in the darkness that we feel most safe. With Dad's Monster House, I wish to provide those kinds of heartrending memories a chance at redemption. I dedicate it to scientists, to my childhood dreams; to those I love, and to faded memories. I hope that within you'll find the greatest of answers, be they for your love, for science, or dreams. [Gameplay] A sudden call in the deep of night has you return to a house you haven't visited for many a year. You must unravel one puzzle after another: to from within scenes intertwined with memories find clues and get to the bottom of your father's secret. The choice of whether to redeem or ultimately end this sad story lies in your hands. [Features] Instead of going for bright and vivid colors, I have opted for a black-and-white art style. The fragmented narration, plentiful puzzles, and delicate sound designs create an immersive experience where you as the player get to truly feel the ups and downs of the protagonist's emotions. Continue to unravel the story as you collect more items...
The First Tree™
Embark on a poignant third-person adventure as a fox searching for her lost cubs, interwoven with a son's journey to reconnect with his father in Alaska. Uncover artifacts and stories that reveal the son's life as you explore a beautiful world.
- Third-person exploration
- Parallel storytelling
- Emotional narrative
- Orchestral soundtrack
- Light puzzle solving
- Platforming elements
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The First Tree is a third-person exploration game centered around two parallel stories: a fox trying to find her missing family, and a son reconnecting with his estranged father in Alaska. Players take control of the fox on a poignant and beautiful journey that crescendos at the source of life, and perhaps result in an understanding of death. Along the way, players can uncover artifacts and stories from the son's life as he becomes intertwined in the fox’s journey towards The First Tree. Features: • Not a "fox simulator," but an emotional, intimate story by a one-man team with an ending you won't soon forget. • Featuring a gorgeous, orchestral soundtrack by acclaimed artists like Message to Bears, Lowercase Noises, and Josh Kramer. • A short story-driven game (about 2 hours long) with some light puzzle solving, platforming, and no enemies.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Dad's Monster House at Free against The First Tree™'s $4.99. Dad's Monster House also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.5) and review sentiment (84% vs 72%). The First Tree™'s advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months). On ratings volume, ads and device support 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
Dad's Monster House is free to download; The First Tree™ costs $4.99 up front. Dad's Monster House sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. The First Tree™ asks for nothing beyond the download.
Dad's Monster House holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 156 and 155 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of Dad's Monster House's written reviews are positive against 72% of The First Tree™'s.
Dad's Monster House ships an update every 2 months, The First Tree™ every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 7, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Dad's Monster House | The First Tree™ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $4.99 |
| Rating | 4.7 (156 ratings) — better | 4.5 (155 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 83.8% of reviews — better | 72.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 156 — better | 155 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 3 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 16 | 10.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 2.3 GB | 1.0 GB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | COTTONGAME Network Technology Co., Ltd. | David Wehle |
Customer experience
Dad's Monster House
The First Tree™
User reviews
Dad's Monster House
From 156 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎨 Beautiful art/graphics
- 🤔 Challenging puzzles
- 📖 Engaging story
- 💡 Creative/clever puzzles
- ✨ Atmospheric/immersive
Room to improve
- 🚶 Tedious backtracking/walking
- ❓ Puzzles can be obscure/frustrating
- 🤔 Lack of hints
- 🐌 Slow screen transitions
- 🖱️ Difficult to use stylus/finger for notes
The First Tree™
From 155 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and animations
- 🎶 Captivating soundtrack
- 🦊 Enjoyable gameplay as a mother fox
- 🧠 Thought-provoking and emotional story
- 🧘♀️ Calming and meditative experience
Room to improve
- 🤔 Unclear objectives and lack of direction
- 🐛 Occasional glitches and crashes
- 🕰️ Short length of the game
- 💬 Divisive opinions on the narration and commentary
Bugs and requests
Dad's Monster House
Reported bugs
7 issues- Buttons on signs not working
- Game won't reopen after closing
- Game crashes on iPad
- Game crashes when entering elevator
- Game crashes after clicking 'new game'
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- Unable to cook fish or dig treasure
- Screen cuts off on iPhone 12
Requested features
9 requests- Progress sharing between Apple devices
- Add Thai language support
- Teleportation feature on the map
- Interactive map with clickable locations
- In-game hints
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- Ability to skip between scenes
- Optional music and sounds
- Camera function for clues
- More character interaction/side quests
The First Tree™
Reported bugs
2 issues- Game crashing at a specific point in the story
- Inconsistent controls and camera movement
Requested features
3 requests- Add more save points throughout the levels
- Provide an option to turn off the narration
- Expand the game with additional chapters or content
In-app purchases
Dad's Monster House
- Purchase game$1.99
The First Tree™
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Dad's Monster House free?
Is The First Tree™ free?
Which has better reviews, Dad's Monster House or The First Tree™?
Do Dad's Monster House or The First Tree™ have ads?
Which is updated more often, Dad's Monster House or The First Tree™?
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