# Despotism 3k vs Magic Research 2

The clearest difference is update cadence: Magic Research 2 at every 3 days against Despotism 3k's every 2 months. Magic Research 2 also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.4) and chart position (#11 vs unranked). Despotism 3k's advantage is price ($2.99 vs $4.69) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 13.0). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Despotism 3k costs $2.99 and Magic Research 2 $4.69 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Magic Research 2 holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 32 and 118 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 71% of Despotism 3k's written reviews are positive against 82% of Magic Research 2's.

Despotism 3k ships an update every 2 months, Magic Research 2 every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Despotism 3k | Magic Research 2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $4.69 |
| Rating | [4.4 (32 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/despotism-3k/id1462908562/reviews) | **[4.8 (118 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-research-2/id6478566840/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 32 | **118** |
| Positive reviews | 71.2% of reviews | **82.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#11** |
| Size | 202 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Nikolai Kuznetsov](https://appshunter.io/developer/1462908561) | [Matias Ezequiel Colotto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1669682477) |

## What reviewers say

### Despotism 3k

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/despotism-3k/id1462908562)

Manage enslaved humans to extract power and build your empire in this dark humor resource management sim. Features rogue-lite elements with unique playthroughs and a dramatic plot filled with pop culture references.

**Highlights:** Dark humor and satirical plot, Intense resource management, Rogue-lite gameplay with random events, Procedurally generated maps, Unique playthroughs with permadeath, Expedition and raid mechanics

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

**In-app purchases:** none


### Magic Research 2

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-research-2/id6478566840)

**Currently charting:** #11 Top Paid · Role Playing, #39 Top Paid · Simulation, #94 Top Paid · Games, #159 Top Paid (US App Store)

Embark on a magical quest as a rookie wizard to find or create the Philosopher's Stone. Utilize over 120 spells, transmute hundreds of items, and lead a team of wizards in a semi-automated combat system. Explore dozens of areas, uncover secrets, and experience over 60 hours of gameplay.

**Highlights:** Over 120 distinct spells, Transmute over 250 items, Control a team of wizards, Semi-automated combat system, Explore dozens of areas, Discover secrets and storylines, Retirement bonuses for faster progress

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fantastic sequel, better than the first
- 👍 Incredible sense of progression
- 💡 Fun build types, best in genre
- 👍 Incremental masterclass, gold standard
- 👍 True semi-idle masterpiece

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Extremely complicated, tedious timers
- 🐛 UI is absolutely atrocious
- 🐛 Time pieces cap out at 100k
- 🐛 UI issues, not easy to navigate
- 🐛 Sorting doesn't sort exactly as wanted

**Reported bugs**

- App instantly crashes on open
- Game crashes on startup
- App started rapidly pushing buttons on its own
- Overheating phone
- Lags and gets choppy in the late game

**Requested features**

- DLC or sequel news
- macOS version
- Better automation and convenience features
- Tweak familiar search time down
- Release the next one


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Despotism 3k free?

Despotism 3k costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Magic Research 2 free?

Magic Research 2 costs $4.69, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Despotism 3k or Magic Research 2?

Magic Research 2 is rated higher. Despotism 3k averages 4.4 out of 5 from 32 ratings, while Magic Research 2 averages 4.8 from 118 ratings.

### Do Despotism 3k or Magic Research 2 have ads?

Neither Despotism 3k nor Magic Research 2 shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Despotism 3k or Magic Research 2?

Despotism 3k ships an update every 2 months, and Magic Research 2 every 3 days. Most recently, Despotism 3k was updated on October 26, 2026 and Magic Research 2 on October 27, 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.*