Comparison

Hell and Back vs Iron Descent

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

Head to head
About

Hell and Back

Embark on a sci-fi roguelike RPG adventure to close a portal to hell on Mars. Fight, loot, and upgrade your gear in turn-based combat, recruiting mercenaries and making critical decisions to survive.

Highlights
  • Procedural and handcrafted levels
  • Weapon and armor upgrades
  • Mercenary recruitment
  • Challenging quests and bosses
  • Deep RPG progression
  • Turn-based combat
Features
Read full description

A sci‑fi roguelike RPG where you descend into hell to close the portal. A portal to hell has opened on Mars Base - and you’re the only one left to stop it. Fight, loot, upgrade, and survive in a turn‑based roguelike RPG where every run is different! - Procedural + handcrafted levels for endless replayability - Upgrade weapons and armor using power cells - Recruit mercenaries to build you squad - Challenging quests and bosses that evolve as you progress in this dungeon crawler - Deep RPG progression with stat points and gear builds - Classic roguelike tension - every decision matters - Turn based RPG action Do you have what it takes to descend into hell and come back alive?

About

Iron Descent

Embark on a roguelike dungeon crawl where each playthrough offers a unique, procedurally generated labyrinth. Choose from distinct hero classes, battle diverse enemies, and gather loot to survive increasingly dangerous depths. Return to town between runs to upgrade and prepare for the ultimate challenge.

Highlights
  • Procedurally generated dungeons
  • Three distinct hero classes
  • Loot and gear system
  • Hub town with shops and quests
  • Offline play
  • Retro visuals and soundtrack
Features
Read full description

Iron Descent is a classic roguelike dungeon crawler for your pocket. Every run drops you into a freshly generated labyrinth where one wrong step can end everything. Choose your hero. Descend into the dark. See how deep you can go. **CHOOSE YOUR CLASS** Three heroes, three ways to play: • Warrior - heavy armor, heavy hits. Wade into the fray and outlast anything. • Rogue - fast, deadly, and dripping with poison. Dual-wield your way through the horde. • Mage - bend the dungeon to your will with a spell book of destruction, restoring mana with every kill. **DESCEND 10 DEADLY FLOORS** The dungeon is never the same twice. Rooms, corridors, traps, and treasure are procedurally generated every run, so no two descents play alike. Explore by torchlight, reveal the map one tile at a time, and never trust an empty room. **FIGHT - OR DIE** Orcs, trolls, goblins, rats, and worse prowl the depths, each with its own behavior. Some hunt you the moment they catch your scent; others lie in wait. That chest in the corner? It might have teeth. Face down the Orc Warlord at the dungeon's midpoint and the Demon Lord waiting at the very bottom. **LOOT, GEAR, AND GLORY** Crack open chests, gather gold, and equip weapons, armor, and rings suited to your class. Sip potions, read scrolls, and pray at shrines for a blessing - or a curse. Every upgrade is another step toward surviving the descent. **RETURN TO TOWN** Between runs, regroup in town. Shop for fresh gear, pay the healer to patch your wounds, and take on quests from the board for extra gold and glory. Then it's back down into the dark. **CLAIM THE DARK CRYSTAL** Deep beneath the earth lies the Dark Crystal. Reach it, seize it, and carry it back to town alive to claim victory. Few will make it. Will you? **FEATURES** • Three distinct classes with unique playstyles • 10 procedurally generated floors - endless replayability • Two epic boss battles • Traps, mimics, shrines, and hidden loot • A hub town with a shop, healer, and quest board • Striking retro dungeon visuals and an atmospheric original soundtrack • Save and continue your run anytime • Fully playable offline Grab a torch. Draw your blade. The descent begins.

Screenshots

Hell and Back3 screens
Iron Descent4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Iron Descent at 100% against Hell and Back's 25%. Iron Descent also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.0) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). On price, ratings volume, ads and monetization model 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

Both are free to download. Hell and Back sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Iron Descent asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Iron Descent holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 5 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of Hell and Back's written reviews are positive against 100% of Iron Descent's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hell and Back ships an update every 7 months, Iron Descent every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Hell and Back versus Iron Descent: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHell and BackIron Descent
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (7 ratings)5.0 (5 ratings) — better
Positive reviews25.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings7 — better5
Update frequencyEvery 7 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsYesYes
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.616.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB53 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperBrandon SteckleinPastime Foundry, LLC

Customer experience

Hell and Back

All ratings7 ratings
Positive57.1%
Neutral28.6%
Negative14.3%
Written reviews4 reviews
Positive25.0%
Neutral50.0%
Negative25.0%

Iron Descent

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

2 purchases

Hell and Back

One-time2
  • 100 Ape Coins$0.99
  • Hell and Back Full Upgrade$1.99
None

Iron Descent

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Hell and Back free?
Hell and Back is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Iron Descent free?
Iron Descent is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Hell and Back or Iron Descent?
Iron Descent is rated higher. Hell and Back averages 4.0 out of 5 from 7 ratings, while Iron Descent averages 5.0 from 5 ratings.
Do Hell and Back or Iron Descent have ads?
Both Hell and Back and Iron Descent show ads.
Which is updated more often, Hell and Back or Iron Descent?
Hell and Back ships an update every 7 months, and Iron Descent every 3 weeks. Most recently, Hell and Back was updated on November 3, 2026 and Iron Descent on October 31, 2026.

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