Comparison

Runes vs Dark 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

Dark City

Step into the shoes of a detective in Kyiv to uncover a dark mystery involving supernatural beings and a city on the brink. Solve puzzles, find hidden objects, and decide who to trust in this paranormal adventure.

Highlights
  • Uncover mystery of disappearing magical creatures
  • Strategy guide for navigation
  • Replay favorite HOPs and mini-games
  • Collect special characters and morphing objects
  • Enjoy concept art, screensavers, and music
Read full description

When an investigation of a suspected spiritualist fraud comes up empty, events unfold to reveal a much darker and more complex underbelly of the magic city of Kyiv. You'll play as a renowned detective in a city of secrets, paranormal circumstances, and mistrust as you struggle to learn who to trust among your friends and locals. TRY THE FREE TRIAL VERSION, AND THEN UNLOCK THE COMPLETE ADVENTURE IN THE GAME! Things take an unexpected turn when your investigation points to the existence of supernatural inhabitants of Kyiv and someone or something that wants them out of the way. With more questions than answers, it's up to you to untangle this dark mystery and save a city on the brink in this mind-bending hidden-object experience! Dark City: Kyiv includes: • Uncover the mystery of the disappearing magical creatures in the bonus game! • Never get lost with the strategy guide! • Replay your favorite HOPs and mini-games. • Collect special characters and morphing objects throughout the game! • Enjoy concept art, screensavers, and music from the game! Discover more from Friendly Fox Studio: Terms of Use: https://friendlyfox.studio/terms-and-conditions/ Privacy Policy: https://friendlyfox.studio/privacy-policy/ Official website: https://friendlyfox.studio/hubs/hub-ios/ Follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/FriendlyFoxStudio/

Screenshots

Runes4 screens
Dark City4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Dark City at none against Runes's shown. Dark City also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.5) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.4). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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 Dark City sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Dark City holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 579 and 1.1K respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 83% of Runes's written reviews are positive against 77% of Dark City's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Runes ships an update every 6 weeks, Dark City every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 11, 2026 and November 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Runes versus Dark City: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRunesDark City
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (579 ratings)4.7 (1.1K ratings) — better
Positive reviews83.3% of reviews — better77.1% of reviews
Number of ratings5791.1K — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 5 weeks — better
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 MB1.2 GB
Age rating12+9+
DeveloperCrisp App StudioFriendly Fox Games Limited

Customer experience

Runes

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

Dark City

All ratings920 ratings
Positive92.6%
Neutral5.4%
Negative2.0%
Written reviews35 reviews
Positive77.1%
Neutral14.3%
Negative8.6%

User reviews

Runes

From 579 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

Dark City

From 1.1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🌟 Excellent graphics and design
  • 🎨 Beautiful Ukrainian folklore themes
  • 🤩 Engaging and immersive storylines
  • 👍 Variety of challenging puzzles
  • 💎 High-quality original games

Room to improve

  • 🤔 Some mini-games can be too difficult
  • ⌚ Desire for longer gameplay experiences
  • 💰 Concerns about in-app purchases

Bugs and requests

Runes

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Energy recharge issues
  • Purchase rejections

Requested features

2 requests
  • Restart option
  • Clearer level progression

Dark City

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Issues with puzzle controls and responsiveness
  • Occasional crashes or glitches

Requested features

2 requests
  • More frequent game releases
  • Ability to skip or adjust difficulty of mini-games

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
1 purchases

Dark City

One-time1
  • Full Game & Bonus Unlock$6.99

Questions

Is Runes free?
Runes is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Dark City free?
Dark City is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Runes or Dark City?
Dark City is rated higher. Runes averages 4.5 out of 5 from 579 ratings, while Dark City averages 4.7 from 1.1K ratings.
Do Runes or Dark City have ads?
Runes shows ads; Dark City does not.
Which is updated more often, Runes or Dark City?
Runes ships an update every 6 weeks, and Dark City every 5 weeks. Most recently, Runes was updated on November 11, 2026 and Dark City on November 9, 2026.

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