# Exception; vs Despot's Game

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Exception; at 82% against Despot's Game's 36%. Exception; also leads on rating (4.8 vs 3.4) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). Despot's Game's advantage is price (Free vs $2.99). On update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Despot's Game is free to download; Exception; costs $2.99 up front. Despot's Game sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Exception; asks for nothing beyond the download.

Exception; holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Exception; has 2.7K ratings behind it against 119, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 82% of Exception;'s written reviews are positive against 36% of Despot's Game's.

Exception; ships an update fortnightly, Despot's Game monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 12, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Exception; | Despot's Game |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $2.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exception/id1439153819/reviews)** | [3.4 (119 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/despots-game/id1558859156/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **2.7K** | 119 |
| Positive reviews | **82.1% of reviews** | 36.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Monthly |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 79 MB | 456 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Kunpo](https://appshunter.io/developer/767379940) | [TINYBUILD LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/945888376) |

## What reviewers say

### Exception;

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/exception/id1439153819)

Engage in a unique single-player game where you program AI units to overcome challenges and defeat enemies in a virtual world. Strategize and code different unit types to progress through levels and uncover the secrets of a seemingly perfect system.

**Highlights:** AI programming gameplay, Strategic unit control, Challenging single-player levels, Virtual world exploration, Uncover system secrets

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Interesting and challenging gameplay
- 🚀 Smooth and fluid animations
- 💡 Unique programming-based mechanics
- 🤖 Good introduction to programming concepts
- 🎨 Visually appealing design

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔒 Most levels locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Inconsistent bot behavior
- 💰 Game feels like a demo with limited content

**Reported bugs**

- Bots not responding to commands as expected
- Scripting errors when retreating

**Requested features**

- Sandbox mode to create custom levels
- Hint system for difficult levels
- Ability to sync progress across devices
- Multiplayer or co-op modes


### Despot's Game

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/despots-game/id1558859156)

Build a dystopian army and guide them through a challenging labyrinth. This roguelike strategy game focuses on item and mutation choices, with automatic combat. Permadeath means starting over, but a secret multiplayer mode awaits those who conquer the game.

**Highlights:** Army building, Item and mutation customization, Automatic combat, Roguelike/roguelite gameplay, Permadeath with world regeneration, Secret multiplayer mode

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Despot's Game: Full Version | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Epic game, epic difficulty
- 🚀 Fun without end!
- 👍 Great game, different
- 👍 Nice game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes around level 7-8
- 🐛 Crashes frequently, losing progress
- 🐛 Crashes on start
- 🐛 Crashes, can't save progress
- 🐛 Crashes, unplayable

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on start
- Crashes during gameplay
- Crashes, losing progress

**Requested features**

- Add save/continue option
- Fix crashes
- Lower the price


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Exception; free?

Exception; costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Despot's Game free?

Despot's Game is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Exception; or Despot's Game?

Exception; is rated higher. Exception; averages 4.8 out of 5 from 2.7K ratings, while Despot's Game averages 3.4 from 119 ratings.

### Do Exception; or Despot's Game have ads?

Neither Exception; nor Despot's Game shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Exception; or Despot's Game?

Exception; ships an update fortnightly, and Despot's Game monthly. Most recently, Exception; was updated on October 17, 2026 and Despot's Game on October 12, 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.*