Comparison

Aeon's End vs The Arbiter Game

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

Head to head
About

Aeon's End

Engage in a cooperative deck-building game where mages defend the last city against a relentless onslaught. Utilize unique mechanics like randomized turn order and no deck shuffling to strategize your way to victory. Protect Gravehold from the Nameless and ensure humanity's survival.

Highlights
  • Cooperative deck-building
  • Randomized turn order
  • No deck shuffling
  • Multiple win/loss conditions
  • Unique breach mages
  • Varied Nemesis opponents
Features
Read full description

Randomized turn order, no shuffling, and multiple win and loss conditions make this a deck-building experience like no other! “This is not the end of the world. That already happened. This is what is left: us, Gravehold, and the Nameless. For generations we have taken refuge in an ancient and haunted place. It has taken our mages an aeon to hone their craft, but they are ready... and they are lethal. The breaches, the very conduits through which the Nameless travel, have become our weapon.” - Yaleesa Rhykk, Gravehold survivor The situation is bleak. The final city - Gravehold - needs the power of the breach mages to hold back the Nameless. Join the fight, and maybe… just maybe, Gravehold will live to see another dawn. Aeon’s End is a deck-building game where 1-4 mages fight cooperatively to defeat a Nameless nemesis. You begin with a starting deck of 10 cards. Each turn you play gems to gain aether, buy new gems and relics, learn new spells, and increase your casting potential by opening breaches. You can also play relics to give yourself or your allies a boost. Then prep spells to your breaches to be ready to cast them on your next turn. What makes Aeon’s End unique is how it uses randomness. Unlike other deck-building games, you do not shuffle your deck when it runs out. The order in which you discard is preserved, so plan your discards carefully to set yourself up for later. At the start of each round, the turn order deck is shuffled to determine the order of play. Will the nemesis go twice in a row, pushing back the mages’ defense? Will the mages get 4 turns in a row to set up for the coming onslaught? It can be hard to know what’s coming next when you are deep in the melee! The breach mages of Aeon’s End are not just fighting for their own survival, but the survival of all of humanity. If the city of Gravehold is ever reduced to 0 life, the mages have lost and humanity is but a memory. Protect the city at all costs! * What is included * 8 Breach Mages: • Adelheim • Brama • Jian • Kadir • Lash • Mist • Phaedraxa • Xaxos Each Mage has a unique starting card and an ability that can be charged to use in the fight. For example, Kadir has a gem that heals any mage, and an ability to let any mage prep a lot of spells. Xaxos has a spell that reveals the top card of the turn order deck and an ability that helps allies charge their abilities. You build your deck with player cards from the market. 3 gems, 2 relics, and 4 spells allow you to grow your powers to hold back the nemesis. The market is constructed from 27 unique gems, relics, and spells. Either take a randomly generated market, or build the perfect one yourself during setup. 4 Nameless Nemeses: • Carapace Queen • Crooked Mask • Prince of Gluttons • Rageborne Each Nemesis plays differently with unique mechanics to keep even the most powerful breach mages on their toes. Rageborne lays on the damage in a frontal assault using its Strike Deck, whereas the Prince of Gluttons fights more of a war of attrition, devouring player cards from the market. Aside from their unique mechanics, the Nemesis deck is created before each game from a combination of basic and nemesis-specific cards. You may encounter the same Nemesis many times, but it will never attack you in exactly the same way twice. Expand your gameplay options with In App Purchase: • Promo Pack 1 includes mage Xae from One Deck Dungeon, along with 3 digital exclusive player cards and 3 basic nemesis cards. • The Nameless includes 2 nemeses, 1 mage, and 7 player cards. • The Depths includes 1 nemesis, 3 mages, and 8 player cards. • The New Age more than doubles the content in the core game, and introduces the Expedition system! The last of humanity need your protection! Pick up the mantle, focus your breaches, and beat back the Nameless - We’re all counting on you! Aeon's End is an officially licensed product of “Aeon's End” from Indie Boards and Cards and Action Phase Games.

About

The Arbiter Game

This game offers a fun and chaotic alternative to simple decision-making methods like coin flips. It features local multiplayer for quick duels or strategic showdowns with friends, all playable offline.

Highlights
  • Group decision-making
  • Local pass-and-play multiplayer
  • Offline play
  • 2-player duels
  • 3-4 player strategy mode
  • Dynamic turn tracking
Features
Read full description

Who pays the tab? Who gets the front seat? Who is doing the dishes tonight? For generations, we’ve settled our daily disputes with a boring, predictable game of Rock-Paper-Scissors or a simple coin flip. It’s time for an upgrade. Enter The Arbiter. Designed to be the ultimate group decision-maker and party starter, The Arbiter is a local, pass-and-play card game that transforms choosing a winner into a chaotic, thrilling battle. It is a highly engaging alternative to drawing straws—one where alliances shift, sudden twists turn the tide, and the winner truly earns their victory. Whether you need to quickly settle a bet or want to dive into a strategic showdown with your friends, The Arbiter is your new go-to. TWO WAYS TO LET THE CARDS DECIDE: The 2-Player Duel (Free to Play) Need to make a decision right now? Dive into a fast-paced, luck-driven head-to-head match. It’s ruthless, it’s quick, and every card flip brings a new twist. Perfect for those quick "who buys the next round" moments. Strategy Mode: 3 & 4 Players (Premium Unlock) When the stakes are higher and the group is larger, luck won't save you. Upgrade to Strategy Mode to unlock 3 and 4-player games. This is where The Arbiter truly shines. Consult the dynamic Turn History table to track your friends' moves, bluff your way out of corners, and calculate your path to victory. It’s chaotic, unpredictable, and infinitely more satisfying than throwing "Paper." KEY FEATURES: The Ultimate Tie-Breaker: A brilliantly fun, high-stakes alternative to Rock-Paper-Scissors for friends, couples, and groups. True Local Multiplayer: No accounts to create, no Wi-Fi needed, and no syncing multiple devices. Just pass the phone around the table. Dynamic Turn Tracking: (Strategy Mode) Keep a close eye on the history table to out-think your opponents and predict their next move. Play Anywhere: 100% offline. Settle disputes at the bar, on a road trip, or right in your living room. Stop leaving your fate up to a coin toss. Download The Arbiter today, gather around the screen, and let the cards decide!

Screenshots

Aeon's End4 screens
The Arbiter Game4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: The Arbiter Game at Free against Aeon's End's $12.99. The Arbiter Game also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.2) and in-app purchases (none vs 4). Aeon's End's advantage is ratings volume (44 vs 1) and iOS requirement (13.7 vs 15.1). On ads, monetization model and device support 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

The Arbiter Game is free to download; Aeon's End costs $12.99 up front. Aeon's End sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. The Arbiter Game asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

The Arbiter Game holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Aeon's End has 44 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Aeon's End ships an update every 2 months, The Arbiter Game every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Aeon's End versus The Arbiter Game: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAeon's EndThe Arbiter Game
Price$12.99Free — better
Rating4.2 (44 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews70.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings44 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS13.7 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size413 MB45 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperHandelabra Studio LLCJIREN PAN

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Aeon's End

One-time4
  • Promo Pack 1$0.99
  • The Nameless$4.99
  • The Depths$4.99
Show 1 more
  • The New Age$14.99
None

The Arbiter Game

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Aeon's End free?
Aeon's End costs $12.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is The Arbiter Game free?
The Arbiter Game is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Aeon's End or The Arbiter Game?
The Arbiter Game is rated higher. Aeon's End averages 4.2 out of 5 from 44 ratings, while The Arbiter Game averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Aeon's End or The Arbiter Game have ads?
Neither Aeon's End nor The Arbiter Game shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Aeon's End or The Arbiter Game?
Aeon's End ships an update every 2 months, and The Arbiter Game every 3 weeks. Most recently, Aeon's End was updated on October 29, 2026 and The Arbiter Game on October 16, 2026.

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