Smiling vs Salvage Protocol
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Smiling
Trapped in a haunted office, you must solve puzzles, craft weapons, and evade sinister co-workers and a watchful boss to escape. Uncover dark secrets and survive terrifying encounters in this suspenseful horror adventure.
- Solve puzzles and unravel mystery
- Craft weapons and outsmart boss
- Encounter scary characters
- Two thrilling game modes
- Offline horror experience
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Can you survive the horrors of a cursed office? You’re working late when suddenly, you wake up trapped in a haunted office. Your co-workers have been hypnotized by sinister software, and the evil boss is watching your every move. To escape, you must solve puzzles, craft weapons, and uncover the dark secrets of this terrifying place. * Solve puzzles and unravel the mystery Explore the eerie office, discover hidden clues, and complete challenging puzzles to escape the nightmare. * Craft weapons and outsmart the boss Find materials to create tools, special weapons, or even a bomb to destroy the cursed office and defeat the terrifying boss. * Encounter unique and scary characters Beware of haunted co-workers, creepy enemies, and mysterious entities lurking in the shadows. Every step you take could reveal a chilling surprise. * Choose your adventure Play two thrilling game modes that test your skills and immerse you in a suspenseful horror experience. * A terrifying horror escape experience Prepare for heart-pounding moments, eerie suspense, and an unforgettable story that will keep you on the edge of your seat. Can you survive, save your colleagues, and escape the madness? * For fans of scary puzzle games If you enjoy creepy escape games, scary adventures, and horror puzzles, Smiling-X is a must-play. Dive into this offline horror game and challenge yourself to escape! * Download now and face the horror! * We value your feedback! If you have comments or suggestions, please reach out to us at media@indiefist.com.
Salvage Protocol
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Salvage Protocol is a deterministic turn-based tactics game. There is no dice, no hit chance, and no critical rolls — damage is fixed and every outcome is knowable before you commit. Winning is pure planning, positioning, and reading the enemy. Lose a unit and it's gone for the run. Command a squad of salvaged combat mechs across a 6×8 grid. Pick your chassis, spend each unit's move and action, line up attacks, and use once-per-battle special abilities — dash strikes, shockwave slams, and armor-piercing shots — to break the enemy formation. FEATURES • Deterministic combat — no RNG. Damage previews are exact; if you can read the board, you can win. • Four modes — a 10-level campaign with a mid-boss and a final boss, plus Endless, Daily Challenge, and Puzzle Challenge. • Five distinct mech chassis, each with its own stats and special ability. Build the squad that fits your plan. • Star ratings, achievements, and stat tracking to master every mission. • One-handed portrait play, tuned for quick tactical sessions. • Fully offline. No account, no internet, no servers — your progress stays on your device. • Accessibility options — reduced motion, combat speed, colorblind support, and volume controls. Free to play. An optional rewarded ad lets you revive a fallen squad — it is never required to progress. No dice. No excuses. Just tactics.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Salvage Protocol at none against Smiling's 5. Salvage Protocol also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement 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
Both are free to download. Smiling sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Salvage Protocol asks for nothing beyond the download.
Smiling ships an update every 2 months, Salvage Protocol monthly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Smiling | Salvage Protocol |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.5 (1.5K ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 78.8% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 1.5K — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Monthly — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 368 MB | 26 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | IndieFist SRL | Seonggon Sim |
Bugs and requests
Smiling
Reported bugs
4 issues- Joker skin cannot be turned off
- Super weapon disappears from office
- Dark freezes player during jumpscare
- Cleaner bot minigame screen cuts to black
Requested features
4 requests- Bring back removed missions
- Improve boss encounter mechanics
- Add more hiding spots and escape routes
- Fix issues with the Hari's parents mission
Salvage Protocol
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Smiling
- Figure of Erich Sann$0.99
- Hunter figure collectible$0.99
- Joker Skin$1.99
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- Robot Cleaner$1.99
- Remove Ads$2.99
Salvage Protocol
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Smiling free?
Is Salvage Protocol free?
Do Smiling or Salvage Protocol have ads?
Which is updated more often, Smiling or Salvage Protocol?
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