# Meridian 157 vs Recursion

The clearest difference is rating: Meridian 157 at 4.8 against Recursion's 4.2. Meridian 157 also leads on review sentiment (94% vs 65%) and ratings volume (4.2K vs 67). Recursion's advantage is update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 5 weeks) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Meridian 157 costs $2.99 and Recursion $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Meridian 157 holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Meridian 157 has 4.2K ratings behind it against 67, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 94% of Meridian 157's written reviews are positive against 65% of Recursion's.

Meridian 157 ships an update every 5 weeks, Recursion every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 25, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Meridian 157 | Recursion |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$2.99** | $3.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (4.2K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meridian-157-chapter-2/id1512282997/reviews)** | [4.2 (67 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/recursion-puzzle-escape/id1658817293/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **4.2K** | 67 |
| Positive reviews | **93.8% of reviews** | 64.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Paid |
| Size | 326 MB | 550 MB |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [NovaSoft Interactive Ltd](https://appshunter.io/developer/1470338631) | [Glitch Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/499866302) |

## What reviewers say

### Meridian 157

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/meridian-157-chapter-2/id1512282997)

Embark on a thrilling point-and-click adventure as a forensic meteorologist trapped on a mysterious island. Solve intricate puzzles and uncover secrets to escape a dangerous underground environment. This installment features immersive visuals, custom music, and a logical hint system.

**Highlights:** Interactive point-and-click puzzles, Intriguing storyline across chapters, Immersive environments and high-quality visuals, Item combine feature, Logical hint system, Multi-language support, Color blind mode

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Engaging story
- 👍 Challenging but fair puzzles
- 🎨 Beautiful graphics and atmosphere
- 🔍 Intriguing mystery
- 📷 Useful camera feature

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional glitches or bugs
- 🔍 Some puzzles lack clear logic
- ⏱️ Chapters can be short
- 🔍 Hints sometimes too revealing

**Reported bugs**

- Red drawer not opening with key
- Sound turning off when device locked
- Pipe puzzle clues not clear

**Requested features**

- More chapters/episodes
- Ability to revisit past diary entries
- More varied puzzle types
- Panning/zooming camera controls


### Recursion

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/recursion-puzzle-escape/id1658817293)

Embark on a mind-bending puzzle adventure where you're trapped in a repeating time loop. Use your wits and a special device to solve mysteries, find clues, and shut down a machine before the loop resets. This compact mystery game offers challenging puzzles and a unique narrative.

**Highlights:** Time-loop mechanic, First-person point and click adventure, Mystery and puzzle solving, Clue finding, Hint system, Immersive soundtrack and sound effects

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 💡 Unique and innovative gameplay mechanics
- 😂 Lots of fun and laughter
- 👍 Great twist on game types
- 🧠 Mind-bending puzzles
- 🌟 High-quality games from developer

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🔁 Repetitive tasks and puzzles
- ⏳ Too much dying and restarting
- 😩 Tedious and frustrating experience
- ⏱️ Time loop/timer causes anxiety
- ⏳ Game feels too short

**Reported bugs**

- Lift doors in chapter 3 wouldn't open
- Wireless controller doesn't appear
- Game crashes on start-up
- Stuck in the elevator (potential bug)

**Requested features**

- Add a setting to remove the time loop
- Option to disable the timer
- Longer game duration
- Richer story content
- More variety in game environments (less industrial)


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Meridian 157 free?

Meridian 157 costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Recursion free?

Recursion costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Meridian 157 or Recursion?

Meridian 157 is rated higher. Meridian 157 averages 4.8 out of 5 from 4.2K ratings, while Recursion averages 4.2 from 67 ratings.

### Do Meridian 157 or Recursion have ads?

Neither Meridian 157 nor Recursion shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Meridian 157 or Recursion?

Meridian 157 ships an update every 5 weeks, and Recursion every 2 weeks. Most recently, Meridian 157 was updated on September 25, 2026 and Recursion on September 20, 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.*