# Eldrum vs Magic Research 2

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.

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.

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.

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.

## The numbers

| Metric | Eldrum | Magic Research 2 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **Free** | $4.69 |
| Rating | [4.7 (1.4K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eldrum-untold-text-rpg/id1486667077/reviews) | **[4.8 (115 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-research-2/id6478566840/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **1.4K** | 115 |
| Positive reviews | **86.4% of reviews** | 82.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | — | **#15** |
| Size | 138 MB | 36 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.5.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Act None](https://appshunter.io/developer/1652633881) | [Matias Ezequiel Colotto](https://appshunter.io/developer/1669682477) |

## What reviewers say

### Eldrum

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eldrum-untold-text-rpg/id1486667077)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Upgrade from Basic to Premium | $1.99 | one-time |
| Basic | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium | $5.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 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)

**What reviewers complain about**

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

**Reported bugs**

- Occasional softlocks/progression blockers
- Typos and minor text issues

**Requested features**

- 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

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/magic-research-2/id6478566840)

**Currently charting:** #15 Top Paid · Role Playing, #47 Top Paid · Simulation, #124 Top Paid · Games, #187 Top Paid (US App Store)

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:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

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

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 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

**Reported bugs**

- 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

**Requested features**

- DLC or sequel news
- macOS version
- Better automation and convenience features
- Tweak familiar search time down
- Release the next one


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