# Bleak Sword vs Downwell+

The clearest difference is update cadence: Downwell+ at every 3 weeks against Bleak Sword's every 8 months. Bleak Sword's advantage is ratings volume (899 vs 293). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Bleak Sword against 4.5 for Downwell+. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 899 and 293 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 80% of Bleak Sword's written reviews are positive against 75% of Downwell+'s.

Bleak Sword ships an update every 8 months, Downwell+ every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Bleak Sword | Downwell+ |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (899 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bleak-sword/id1403554793/reviews) | [4.5 (293 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/downwell-plus/id6467505035/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **899** | 293 |
| Positive reviews | **79.9% of reviews** | 75.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Size | 467 MB | 55 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Devolver Digital, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/457410262) | [Devolver](https://appshunter.io/developer/457410262) |

## What reviewers say

### Bleak Sword

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bleak-sword/id1403554793)

Embark on a dark fantasy adventure across cursed diorama battlefields. Battle creatures through nine chapters, lifting a legendary curse by upgrading your hero with magic and items. Challenge yourself further in Arena Mode with unlockable achievements.

**Highlights:** Diorama battlefields, Nine tense chapters, Powerful magic invocation, Item discovery, Character leveling and stat upgrades, Arena Mode, Unlockable achievements

**Features:** With Apple Arcade, Game Controller support, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and responsive controls
- 👍 Satisfying combat mechanics
- 🎨 Unique and atmospheric pixel art style
- 🕹️ Challenging but fair gameplay
- 🕰️ Suitable for short play sessions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional save data loss issues
- 🔍 Difficulty in tracking character on screen
- 🤕 Overly punishing difficulty curve
- 🧠 Lack of progression and upgrade systems
- 🔍 Blurry visuals on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- Controls becoming unresponsive after app switch
- Inconsistent blocking mechanics

**Requested features**

- Landscape mode support for tablets
- Ability to skip credits after first completion
- More enemy and boss variety
- Customizable controls
- Expanded story and lore


### Downwell+

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/downwell-plus/id6467505035)

Venture into a procedurally generated well, battling creatures with special gun boots. Collect gems, purchase upgrades, and discover hidden treasures. Each descent offers a unique and challenging adventure.

**Highlights:** Gun boots for combat and descent control, Procedurally generated levels, Collect gems and buy items, Level up and obtain upgrades, Discover hidden caves and relics

**Features:** With Apple Arcade, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Surprisingly good game
- 👍 Fun and addictive gameplay
- 💎 Satisfying audio design
- 🎨 Customizable palettes

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and performance issues
- 🎮 Suboptimal controls and button layout
- 🔇 Lack of sound/volume control
- 💢 Overly difficult and punishing

**Reported bugs**

- Buttons not working on launch
- Game freezing at the end of levels
- Abilities not functioning as expected

**Requested features**

- Controller support
- Landscape mode
- More upgrades and progression
- Gradual difficulty increase


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Bleak Sword free?

Bleak Sword is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Downwell+ free?

Downwell+ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Bleak Sword or Downwell+?

Bleak Sword and Downwell+ are both rated 4.5 out of 5 on the App Store, from 899 and 293 ratings respectively.

### Do Bleak Sword or Downwell+ have ads?

Neither Bleak Sword nor Downwell+ shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Bleak Sword or Downwell+?

Bleak Sword ships an update every 8 months, and Downwell+ every 3 weeks. Most recently, Bleak Sword was updated on September 20, 2026 and Downwell+ on September 21, 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.*