# Scriptic vs SIMULACRA 3

The clearest difference is price: Scriptic at Free against SIMULACRA 3's $7.99. Scriptic also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 5 weeks) and ratings volume (790 vs 226). SIMULACRA 3's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 16) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.2). On rating, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scriptic is free to download; SIMULACRA 3 costs $7.99 up front. Scriptic sells 16 one-off in-app purchases. SIMULACRA 3 asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Scriptic against 4.5 for SIMULACRA 3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 790 and 226 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 57% of Scriptic's written reviews are positive against 53% of SIMULACRA 3's.

Scriptic ships an update fortnightly, SIMULACRA 3 every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 17, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Scriptic | SIMULACRA 3 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $7.99 |
| Rating | [4.5 (790 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scriptic-crime-stories/id1389763112/reviews) | [4.5 (226 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simulacra-3/id1607060727/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **790** | 226 |
| Positive reviews | **56.6% of reviews** | 53.2% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 5 weeks |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 135 MB | 2.2 GB |
| Requires iOS | 15.2 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Scriptic LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1389763111) | [KAIGAN GAMES OUe](https://appshunter.io/developer/1252035453) |

## What reviewers say

### Scriptic

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/scriptic-crime-stories/id1389763112)

Engage in interactive story adventures where your choices shape the narrative. Solve crimes, manage emergencies, or navigate romance in immersive text-based experiences. Live the story and become the lead character in a variety of dramatic scenarios.

**Highlights:** Interactive text conversations, Branching story paths, Multiple story genres, Become a detective, Emergency dispatcher role, Romantic tale choices

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (16)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Gem Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Gem Pack 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack 2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Season 1 Ep 2: BBQ Sauce | $2.99 | one-time |
| Season 1 Ep 3: #WKJJ | $2.99 | one-time |
| Season 2 Ep 2: All My Fans | $2.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack 3 | $2.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack 4 | $3.99 | one-time |
| Coin pack 5 | $5.99 | one-time |
| Gem Pack 3 | $8.99 | one-time |
| Season 1 One Time Offer | $9.99 | one-time |
| Coin Pack 7 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Season 1 Multi-Pack 5 episodes | $12.99 | one-time |
| Season 2 Multi-Pack 5 episodes | $12.99 | one-time |
| Gem and Coin Bundle 1 | $17.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🤩 Immersive and engaging gameplay
- 🎨 Excellent graphics and production quality
- 🕵️‍♀️ Realistic detective experience
- 💬 Compelling and thought-provoking storyline
- 🆓 Completely free with no ads or in-app purchases

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy and glitchy at times
- ⏱️ Long wait times between episodes
- 🤖 Overuse of AI-generated content
- 💰 Episodes/seasons require payment to unlock

**Reported bugs**

- Game freezes or crashes during key moments
- Certain episodes/chapters become unplayable
- Inconsistent save/load functionality
- Bugs with interactive elements like video playback

**Requested features**

- More cases and storylines to explore
- Ability to skip or fast-forward through dialogue
- Improved accessibility features for disabled users
- Syncing of progress across multiple devices


### SIMULACRA 3

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simulacra-3/id1607060727)

Investigate a town's disappearances by exploring a missing investigator's phone. Uncover dark secrets through digital clues, creepy videos, and interactive FMV sequences to find multiple endings.

**Highlights:** Explore town via simulated phone, Discover new found-phone horrors, Unravel secrets on phone apps, Interactive FMV sequences, Multiple endings

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Engaging puzzle mechanics and innovative gameplay
- 🎬 Immersive phone interface and found-phone experience
- 🎭 Strong character development and voice acting (Ruby character praised)
- 🎨 Beautiful art design and visual presentation
- 🎯 Player choices impact story outcomes meaningfully

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent game crashes and freezing issues
- 💾 Poor save system with infrequent checkpoints
- 😑 Bland character personalities compared to previous games
- ⚠️ Lacks humor and lighter moments from earlier installments
- 🎬 Weak climax and anticlimactic ending

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes during video calls with Ruby
- Game crashes when clicking on videos
- Screen freezes during extended gameplay sessions
- Text conversations freeze and require app restart
- Atlas map zoom function causes screen spasms

**Requested features**

- Fast mode for replaying to unlock different endings
- More frequent auto-save checkpoints
- Manual save option at any time
- In-game hints and answer options for stuck players
- More music tracks and unlockable songs


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Scriptic free?

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

### Is SIMULACRA 3 free?

SIMULACRA 3 costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Scriptic or SIMULACRA 3?

Scriptic and SIMULACRA 3 are both rated 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, from 790 and 226 ratings respectively.

### Do Scriptic or SIMULACRA 3 have ads?

Neither Scriptic nor SIMULACRA 3 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Scriptic or SIMULACRA 3?

Scriptic ships an update fortnightly, and SIMULACRA 3 every 5 weeks. Most recently, Scriptic was updated on October 15, 2026 and SIMULACRA 3 on October 17, 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.*