# Runes vs Big City

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Runes | Big City |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (576 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runes-hidden-objects-games/id1484061991/reviews) | **[4.5 (1.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/big-city-hidden-object/id6470893377/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 576 | **1.6K** |
| Positive reviews | **83.3% of reviews** | 45.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 6 weeks** | Every 9 months |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 186 MB | 145 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.4 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Crisp App Studio](https://appshunter.io/developer/1143551614) | [Ilia Stepanov](https://appshunter.io/developer/907542403) |

## What reviewers say

### Runes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/runes-hidden-objects-games/id1484061991)

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:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Instant Hint | $0.99 | one-time |
| Handful of Gems | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bag with Gems | $1.99 | one-time |
| Infinity Energy + No Ads | $2.99 | one-time |
| Сhest with Gems | $2.99 | one-time |
| Master Pack Special | $3.99 | one-time |
| Master Pack: All-included | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Energy recharge issues
- Purchase rejections

**Requested features**

- Restart option
- Clearer level progression


### Big City

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/big-city-hidden-object/id6470893377)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 10 hints | $1.99 | one-time |
| Unlock Game, No ads, 10 hints | $6.99 | one-time |
| 50 hints | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Incorrect item names
- Mismatched photos and selections

**Requested features**

- More cities and levels
- Hint system improvements
- Option for no time limit mode


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