Comparison

Runes vs Big City

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

Head to head
About

Runes

Uncover the secrets of a mysterious town by searching intricately illustrated scenes for hidden objects and solving puzzles. Follow a detective through a captivating storyline with unique challenges and unlock magical artifacts as you progress. Play at your own pace with optional hints.

Highlights
  • Search hand-painted scenes for hidden objects
  • Spot subtle differences
  • Solve puzzles and brain teasers
  • Follow a twisting storyline
  • Collect magical artifacts
  • Play at your own pace with hints
Features
Read full description

Something strange is happening in Enchanted Crossroads. Doors that weren't there yesterday. Whispers in empty rooms. A rune etched into a mirror that no one remembers hanging. When Detective Greystone calls for your help, it becomes clear — this charming little town is hiding more than it shows. Search hand-painted scenes for hidden objects, spot subtle differences, and solve puzzles that guard the town's oldest secrets. Each clue you find pulls you deeper into a mystery woven through 15+ beautifully illustrated chapters. But the closer you look, the more questions arise. Who — or what — is watching from the crossroads? WHAT AWAITS YOU A Mystery Worth Solving Follow Detective Greystone through a twisting storyline filled with enchanted characters, buried secrets, and revelations you won't see coming. A World Rich in Detail Wander through 15+ stunning hand-crafted scenes — from moonlit gardens to forgotten libraries — each hiding objects, differences, and surprises. Puzzles That Reward Curiosity Hidden object searches, spot-the-difference challenges, and clever brain teasers — 4+ unique puzzle types keep every chapter fresh. Your Collection Grows Complete quests to unlock rare magical artifacts and build a personal trove of enchanted items. Play at Your Own Pace No timers. No pressure. Helpful hints are always within reach whenever you need a gentle nudge. Optional in-app purchases are available, but you can complete the full story without spending anything. The crossroads are calling. Will you answer?

About

Big City

Embark on a captivating journey across the USA, exploring over 50 cities to find hidden objects and discover astonishing landmarks. Challenge your observation skills and win in this engaging puzzle game.

Highlights
  • Explore over 50 cities
  • Find hidden objects
  • Discover landmarks
  • Challenging puzzles
  • USA journey
Features
Read full description

Do you enjoy playing hidden object games? Embark on a captivating journey across the USA! Explore more than 50 cities, uncover hidden objects, and marvel at astonishing landmarks. Challenge your skills and win! Download the 'Big City - Hidden Object' puzzle game today! Enjoy more cities in future updates!

Screenshots

Runes4 screens
Big City4 screens

Verdict

The call

Runes and Big City both sit at 4.5 stars, but that hides the real split: 83% of Runes's written reviews are positive against 46% of Big City's. Runes also leads on update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 9 months). Big City's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.4). On price, rating, ratings volume and in-app purchases 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. Runes sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Big City sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for Runes against 4.5 for Big City. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 576 and 1.6K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 83% of Runes's written reviews are positive against 46% of Big City's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Runes ships an update every 6 weeks, Big City every 9 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Runes versus Big City: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRunesBig City
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (576 ratings)4.5 (1.6K ratings) — better
Positive reviews83.3% of reviews — better45.8% of reviews
Number of ratings5761.6K — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks — betterEvery 9 months
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.411.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size186 MB145 MB
Age rating12+4+
DeveloperCrisp App StudioIlia Stepanov

Customer experience

Runes

All ratings577 ratings
Positive88.2%
Neutral7.6%
Negative4.2%
Written reviews42 reviews
Positive83.3%
Neutral7.1%
Negative9.5%

Big City

All ratings1,631 ratings
Positive86.3%
Neutral9.2%
Negative4.5%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive45.8%
Neutral12.5%
Negative41.7%

User reviews

Runes

From 576 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great graphics
  • 🧠 Exercises the brain
  • 🤩 Fun to play
  • 🧘‍♀️ Relaxing gameplay
  • 🔍 Interesting hidden object puzzles

Room to improve

  • 💰 Energy/ads require purchases
  • 🕰️ Too many interruptions
  • 🌃 Dark and blurry scenes
  • 🤔 Unclear progression/navigation

Big City

From 1.6K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Challenging gameplay
  • 👍 Variety of hidden objects
  • 👍 Colorful visuals

Room to improve

  • 🕰️ Time limit causes stress
  • 🔍 Unclear instructions
  • 🖼️ Image quality issues
  • 💰 Limited free content, requires purchases

Bugs and requests

Runes

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Energy recharge issues
  • Purchase rejections

Requested features

2 requests
  • Restart option
  • Clearer level progression

Big City

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Incorrect item names
  • Mismatched photos and selections

Requested features

3 requests
  • More cities and levels
  • Hint system improvements
  • Option for no time limit mode

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Runes

One-time7
  • Instant Hint$0.99
  • Handful of Gems$0.99
  • Bag with Gems$1.99
Show 4 more
  • Infinity Energy + No Ads$2.99
  • Сhest with Gems$2.99
  • Master Pack Special$3.99
  • Master Pack: All-included$7.99
3 purchases

Big City

One-time3
  • 10 hints$1.99
  • Unlock Game, No ads, 10 hints$6.99
  • 50 hints$7.99

Questions

Is Runes free?
Runes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Big City free?
Big City is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Runes or Big City?
Big City is rated higher. Runes averages 4.5 out of 5 from 576 ratings, while Big City averages 4.5 from 1.6K ratings.
Do Runes or Big City have ads?
Runes shows ads; Big City does not.
Which is updated more often, Runes or Big City?
Runes ships an update every 6 weeks, and Big City every 9 months. Most recently, Runes was updated on October 26, 2026 and Big City on October 30, 2026.

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