Comparison

Eldrum vs Magic Research 2

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

Head to head
About

Eldrum

Embark on a text-based RPG adventure where your choices shape the narrative. Explore a world of warring factions, gather equipment, and develop your character. Discover secrets and multiple endings in this immersive interactive fiction.

Highlights
  • Text-based choices adventure RPG
  • Character building and equipment
  • Multiple endings
  • Over 8 hours of playtime
  • Secrets to discover
  • Supports phones and tablets
  • Accessible for blind/low-vision players
Features
Read full description

Try before you buy! Eldrum: Untold is free to try up to a certain point in the story where you’ll be offered to purchase the full game in order to continue. Eldrum: Untold is an immersive text-based RPG adventure, combining old school CYOA (Choose Your Own Adventure) features with modern twists. PLOT You wake up on a beach - shipwrecked, confused and traumatized. Follow the footprints and you will find a fellow survivor in the wilderness. She is a nomad, who seems to have endured the same traumatic experiences. Together, you embark on a quest for answers and retribution. As you venture through the world to discover the truth in this interactive fiction, you’ll gather equipment and forge your character. The lands of Tem Khiris are drenched in blood. You must figure out a way to survive in this world of warring states and rival tribes. Proceed with caution, for death lurks around every corner. Poor decisions will soon send you on a one-way trip to the Underworld. FEATURES - Nostalgic table-top RPG style - Many secrets to discover - Equip and build your character - Over 8 hours of playtime (Estimated, single play-through) - Multiple endings - Replay-ability with different play styles opening up different locations, NPCs and gear - Text based choices adventure RPG - Supports phones as well as tablets - Accessible to blind and low-vision players Choose wisely, your decisions matter! IN THE NEWS “A full-on RPG, complete with character progression, inventory management, and NPC interactions ... The character development and combat systems find that sweet spot between being too simplistic to matter and becoming a bloated distraction.” – Gamespace.com “Untold is a really solid and convenient package. It delivers feelings of grand adventure while allowing you to experiment and explore, and it does this pretty much all through text. It may not satisfy folks looking for a flashier, more action-packed experience, but Untold's restraint is exactly what makes it so impressive and refreshing.” – 148apps.com JOIN THE COMMUNITY https://discord.eldrum.com

About

Magic Research 2

Embark on a magical quest as a rookie wizard to find or create the Philosopher's Stone. Utilize over 120 spells, transmute hundreds of items, and lead a team of wizards in a semi-automated combat system. Explore dozens of areas, uncover secrets, and experience over 60 hours of gameplay.

Highlights
  • Over 120 distinct spells
  • Transmute over 250 items
  • Control a team of wizards
  • Semi-automated combat system
  • Explore dozens of areas
  • Discover secrets and storylines
  • Retirement bonuses for faster progress
Features
Read full description

Experience the long-awaited sequel to Magic Research! In Magic Research 2, you are a rookie wizard with a single ambition: to find or create the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary magical item that is said to be able to cure any illness. As you do so, you will learn more than you ever imagined about Magic and about the world around you. What kinds of adventures await you? * Use your arsenal of more than 120 distinct spells to make progress * Study the Elements! Learn new ways to use Magic in your path to mastery * Transmute (magically craft) over 250 different items to help you on your journey * Control a team of Wizards that will cast Spells for you * Enjoy a deep, semi-automated combat system as you make your way through dozens of areas to explore * Discover tons of secrets - many of which will change the way you play the game! * Encounter over a hundred distinct Storylines with powerful bonuses along your journey * Restart the game and make progress faster each time with retirement bonuses * Over 60 hours of addictive gameplay - with a clear ending! (Or perhaps more than one...?) * Optimized both for phones and tablet devices You do not need to have played Magic Research in order to enjoy Magic Research 2!

Screenshots

Eldrum4 screens
Magic Research 24 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Eldrum at Free against Magic Research 2's $4.69. Eldrum also leads on ratings volume (1.4K vs 115). Magic Research 2's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 10 days). On rating, review sentiment, ads 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

Eldrum is free to download; Magic Research 2 costs $4.69 up front. Eldrum sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Magic Research 2 asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Eldrum against 4.8 for Magic Research 2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Eldrum has 1.4K ratings behind it against 115, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of Eldrum's written reviews are positive against 82% of Magic Research 2's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Eldrum ships an update every 10 days, Magic Research 2 every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on September 26, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 4 level
Eldrum versus Magic Research 2: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterEldrumMagic Research 2
PriceFree — better$4.69
Rating4.7 (1.4K ratings)4.8 (115 ratings) — better
Positive reviews86.4% of reviews — better82.1% of reviews
Number of ratings1.4K — better115
Update frequencyEvery 10 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank—#15 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.5.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size138 MB36 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperAct NoneMatias Ezequiel Colotto

Customer experience

Eldrum

All ratings1,437 ratings
Positive91.5%
Neutral3.5%
Negative4.9%
Written reviews302 reviews
Positive86.4%
Neutral6.6%
Negative7.0%

Magic Research 2

All ratings115 ratings
Positive92.2%
Neutral4.3%
Negative3.5%
Written reviews56 reviews
Positive82.1%
Neutral8.9%
Negative8.9%

User reviews

Eldrum

From 1.4K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Immersive story and world-building
  • 🎨 Beautiful artwork and music
  • 🕹️ Engaging gameplay with meaningful choices
  • 🔍 Lots of secrets and replayability
  • 💰 Fair pricing model (one-time purchase)

Room to improve

  • 🔍 Lack of guidance/hints can be frustrating
  • 🕰️ Relatively short main story
  • 🤖 Combat system could use more depth
  • 🔄 Limited ability to revisit previous areas

Magic Research 2

From 115 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Fantastic sequel, better than the first
  • 👍 Incredible sense of progression
  • 💡 Fun build types, best in genre
  • 👍 Incremental masterclass, gold standard
  • 👍 True semi-idle masterpiece

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Extremely complicated, tedious timers
  • 🐛 UI is absolutely atrocious
  • 🐛 Time pieces cap out at 100k
  • 🐛 UI issues, not easy to navigate
  • 🐛 Sorting doesn't sort exactly as wanted

Bugs and requests

Eldrum

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Occasional softlocks/progression blockers
  • Typos and minor text issues

Requested features

4 requests
  • More content/story expansions
  • Ability to carry over progress/decisions to sequels
  • Additional languages (e.g., Russian, Spanish)
  • Improved inventory/save management

Magic Research 2

Reported bugs

6 issues
  • App instantly crashes on open
  • Game crashes on startup
  • App started rapidly pushing buttons on its own
  • Overheating phone
  • Lags and gets choppy in the late game
Show 1 more
  • Compendium doesn't unlock for bosses unless already beat

Requested features

9 requests
  • DLC or sequel news
  • macOS version
  • Better automation and convenience features
  • Tweak familiar search time down
  • Release the next one
Show 4 more
  • More Please
  • Auto fight boss button
  • Compendium unlocks bosses before beating them
  • Less dialogue and descriptions, more functional text

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Eldrum

One-time3
  • Upgrade from Basic to Premium$1.99
  • Basic$4.99
  • Premium$5.99
None

Magic Research 2

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Eldrum free?
Eldrum is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Magic Research 2 free?
Magic Research 2 costs $4.69, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Eldrum or Magic Research 2?
Magic Research 2 is rated higher. Eldrum averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.4K ratings, while Magic Research 2 averages 4.8 from 115 ratings.
Do Eldrum or Magic Research 2 have ads?
Neither Eldrum nor Magic Research 2 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Eldrum or Magic Research 2?
Eldrum ships an update every 10 days, and Magic Research 2 every 3 days. Most recently, Eldrum was updated on September 26, 2026 and Magic Research 2 on September 24, 2026.

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