# Hell and Back vs Iron Descent

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.

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

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hell and Back | Iron Descent |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hell-and-back/id1474841566/reviews) | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iron-descent/id6793126357/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **7** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 45 MB | 53 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Brandon Stecklein](https://appshunter.io/developer/498894252) | [Pastime Foundry, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1896702413) |

## What reviewers say

### Hell and Back

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hell-and-back/id1474841566)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 Ape Coins | $0.99 | one-time |
| Hell and Back Full Upgrade | $1.99 | one-time |


### Iron Descent

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iron-descent/id6793126357)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked 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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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*