Comparison

Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes vs Unboxing the Cryptic Killer

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes

Work with friends to defuse a bomb by verbally communicating instructions from a manual. Solve challenging, procedurally generated puzzles under a time limit. This is a local multiplayer party game that tests communication and puzzle-solving skills.

Highlights
  • Challenging puzzles
  • Procedurally generated bombs
  • Local multiplayer party game
  • Mobile portability
  • One copy needed
  • Mission and Free Play modes
Features
Read full description

You’re alone in a room with a bomb. Your friends, the “Experts”, have the manual needed to defuse it. But there’s a catch: the Experts can’t see the bomb, so everyone will need to talk it out – fast! Rounds are fast-paced, tense, occasionally silly, and almost always loud. Whether it’s defusing a bomb or deciphering information from the manual, everyone has a crucial role to play. Put your puzzle-solving and communication skills to the test as you and your friends race to defuse bombs while attempting to communicate quickly before time runs out! Features • Challenging puzzles – Test the limits of your communication skills… and friendships? • A different bomb every time – Procedurally generated puzzles keep the action fresh. • A pocket party game for two or more local players – Bring it to your next game night, party, or event to play with friends. • Mobile portability – Shield your screen from the prying eyes of your Experts. • Only one copy of the game needed – Have friends join in as “Experts” with their own device. Share the Defusal Manual using AirDrop or visit bombmanual.com • In-person, multiplayer only – A team game intended for players in the same physical space. Online play is not supported. • Mission and Free Play Modes – Missions increase in difficulty as players face new modules and constraints are introduced. Unlock Freeplay Mode to set your own pace by creating custom bombs. Bomb Defusal Manual can be printed or viewed for free at www.bombmanual.com

About

Unboxing the Cryptic Killer

This is a cooperative point-and-click puzzle game where two players act as detective partners to solve intricate puzzles designed by a mysterious killer. You'll need to communicate effectively as you each see different parts of the same challenges to unravel a thrilling murder mystery.

Highlights
  • Two Player Co-Op
  • Collaborative Puzzles
  • Thrilling Storyline
  • Illustrated Worlds
  • In-Game Notebook
Features
Read full description

SOLVE A CRYPTIC BOX Unboxing the Cryptic Killer is the first standalone chapter to the cooperative point-and-click puzzle game series 'Cryptic Killer'. Join forces with a friend and play as detective partners Ally and Old Dog in our debut two-player escape room adventure. IMPORTANT: "Unboxing the Cryptic Killer" is a 2-player cooperative puzzle game, that requires each player to have their own copy on either mobile, tablet, PC or Mac. Internet connection and voice communication are essential. Need a Player Two? Join our Discord community! Two seasoned detectives, Ally and Old Dog, are entangled in a chilling unsolved case. Lured on a perilous trail, they fall into the clutches of the enigmatic Cryptic Killer they've been relentlessly pursuing. The stakes are sky-high as two innocent lives hang in the balance. In order to save them, Ally and Old Dog must unravel a box of intricate puzzles masterfully designed by the nefarious killer. Test your mettle and join this high-stakes race against time, where every puzzle solved is a step closer to unmasking the Cryptic Killer. THE ONLY WAY TO ESCAPE IS TO WORK TOGETHER Unboxing the Cryptic Killer is a puzzle for exactly two players. The name of the game is collaboration. Each player takes on one of the two roles and works their way through a series of challenging puzzles. You'll each see one half of the same puzzle and must work together to crack the codes and escape the Cryptic Killer's clutches. FEATURES LIST ▶Two Player Co-Op In Unboxing the Cryptic Killer, the detectives are separated. You’ll see different items and clues than your partner, and will be tested on your communication! ▶Challenging Collaborative Puzzles Two brains are better than one when it comes to cracking the Cryptic Killer's codes. ▶Unravel a Thrilling Story Track the Cryptic Killer's movements as Detectives Old Dog and Ally in this ongoing murder mystery saga. ▶Explore Illustrated Worlds Unboxing the Cryptic Killer features hand-illustrated environments that are inspired by noir novels. ▶Draw on… Everything! You cannot solve a case without taking notes. At any time in the game, you can whip out a notebook and pen to make notes and scribble on your environment.

Screenshots

Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes4 screens
Unboxing the Cryptic Killer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Unboxing the Cryptic Killer at $1.99 against Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes's $9.99. Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes's advantage is review sentiment (81% vs 65%). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes costs $9.99 and Unboxing the Cryptic Killer $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes against 4.6 for Unboxing the Cryptic Killer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 86 and 190 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 81% of Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes's written reviews are positive against 65% of Unboxing the Cryptic Killer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes ships an update every 8 months, Unboxing the Cryptic Killer every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 9 level
Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes versus Unboxing the Cryptic Killer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKeep Talking & Nobody ExplodesUnboxing the Cryptic Killer
Price$9.99$1.99 — better
Rating4.6 (86 ratings)4.6 (190 ratings) — better
Positive reviews80.6% of reviews — better65.3% of reviews
Number of ratings86190 — better
Update frequencyEvery 8 monthsEvery 4 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank#39 — better#48
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better12.0
Further details — not scored
Size210 MB264 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperSteel Crate GamesEleven Products Sp. z o.o.

Customer experience

Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes

All ratings85 ratings
Positive87.1%
Neutral7.1%
Negative5.9%
Written reviews62 reviews
Positive80.6%
Neutral8.1%
Negative11.3%

Unboxing the Cryptic Killer

All ratings186 ratings
Positive90.3%
Neutral3.2%
Negative6.5%
Written reviews75 reviews
Positive65.3%
Neutral10.7%
Negative24.0%

User reviews

Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes

From 86 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Highly fun and engaging
  • 🤝 Great for parties and groups
  • 💰 Worth the price
  • 🤯 Intense and adrenaline-inducing
  • 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Strengthens friendships

Room to improve

  • 🗣️ Can be awkward in public
  • ⚫ Screen sometimes goes black
  • 🔊 No sound on iPad without headphones
  • ❓ Morse code difficult to understand
  • 🐛 Buggy in certain modules

Unboxing the Cryptic Killer

From 190 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🤩 Fun co-op experience
  • 💡 Engaging puzzles
  • 🤝 Promotes communication
  • ✨ High production quality
  • 😍 Immersive storytelling

Room to improve

  • ⏳ Too short
  • 💸 Expensive for duration
  • 🤷‍♀️ Anticlimactic ending
  • 🤔 Confusing at times
  • 💰 Not worth the price

Bugs and requests

Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes

Reported bugs

8 issues
  • Screen sometimes goes black
  • No sound on iPad without headphones
  • Complicated wires module issues
  • Morse code difficult to understand
  • Cut wire instruction bug
Show 3 more
  • Turkish language verification code issue
  • Fixed back button on mobile
  • Cut buttons next to wires on mobile

Requested features

8 requests
  • More levels
  • Add sound to Morse code
  • Visual suspense for bomb explosion
  • More languages
  • Add mods for iPad/Apple phones
Show 3 more
  • Update for complicated wires module
  • Add voice update to mobile version
  • More bomb types and modules

Unboxing the Cryptic Killer

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • Connection issues/disconnects
  • Cannot save progress
  • Game crashes or quits
  • First puzzle not working
  • Dimension issues on iPad
Show 4 more
  • Server connection problems
  • Friend cannot connect
  • Hints not visible at last stage
  • Game not working after purchase

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add more levels/content
  • Improve the ending
  • Make clues more reactive
  • Add a save feature between levels
  • Fix dimension issues on iPad

In-app purchases

None

Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes

No in-app purchases

None

Unboxing the Cryptic Killer

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes free?
Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes costs $9.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Unboxing the Cryptic Killer free?
Unboxing the Cryptic Killer costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes or Unboxing the Cryptic Killer?
Unboxing the Cryptic Killer is rated higher. Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes averages 4.6 out of 5 from 86 ratings, while Unboxing the Cryptic Killer averages 4.6 from 190 ratings.
Do Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes or Unboxing the Cryptic Killer have ads?
Neither Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes nor Unboxing the Cryptic Killer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes or Unboxing the Cryptic Killer?
Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes ships an update every 8 months, and Unboxing the Cryptic Killer every 4 months. Most recently, Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes was updated on October 26, 2026 and Unboxing the Cryptic Killer on October 27, 2026.
Which is more popular, Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes or Unboxing the Cryptic Killer?
Keep Talking & Nobody Explodes currently peaks at #39 in the App Store charts, and Unboxing the Cryptic Killer at #48. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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