Comparison

Magic vs Metal vs Catalyst Black

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

Head to head
About

Magic vs Metal

Engage in a post-apocalyptic war between biological and mechanical factions. Command armies in real-time strategy or join the fray in third-person shooter mode. Unleash powerful hero abilities and craft unique items to dominate the battlefield.

Highlights
  • Real-time strategy (RTS)
  • Third-person shooter (TPS)
  • Massive single-player campaign
  • Unique heroes with powerful spells
  • Item crafting system
  • Fantasy and sci-fi genre blend
  • Stunning 3D graphics
Features
Read full description

Centuries after a meteor impact nearly wipes out mankind, two factions evolve - one biological, the other mechanical. Now, both are locked in a desperate war for survival. Choose your hero, summon an unstoppable army, unleash devastating powers, and wipe out the enemy in this action-packed real-time strategy game. -------------------------------------------- REAL TIME STRATEGY (RTS) OR THIRD-PERSON-SHOOTER (TPS) Choose your faction, choose your hero, and go to war. Play with one hand while commanding above the battlefield, or join the battle in an action-packed third-person shooter - the choice is yours! MASSIVE CAMPAIGN Wage war across a post-apocalyptic world as you attack and defend in a massive single-player campaign. POWERFUL SPELLS & HEROES Choose from six unique heroes, each with dozens of powerful spells to bring into battle. Crush your enemies with the Berserker, disintegrate them with the Nova, overwhelm them with the armies of the Necromancer, and more! CRAFT POWERFUL ITEMS Collect items and use them to craft rare and powerful artifacts that supercharge your heroes, spells, and troops! GRAPHICS Experience incredible 3D graphics, dynamic lighting, and detailed particle effects. You'll be immersed in this dark and war-torn fantasy world! FANTASY MEETS SCI-FI Summon fantasy creatures, or build sci-fi war machines. Cast spells, or unleash firepower. Use magic or technology to win the war - the choice is yours in this unique merging of genres! SOCIAL MEDIA Find us (@FoursakenMedia) on Discord, Twitter, or Facebook for the latest news and updates!

About

Catalyst Black

Engage in team-based combat with customizable weapons and abilities. Transform into powerful mystical beings to dominate the battlefield. Team up with friends to strategize and conquer various game modes.

Highlights
  • Primal transformations
  • Customizable guns and gear
  • Multiple game modes
  • Team-based multiplayer
  • Real-time strategy
  • Level up abilities
Features
Read full description

Embark on an epic adventure filled with powerful guns, customizable abilities, and mystical primals from another realm. Choose your loadout and drop-in to any game mode. Battle teams of other players and design strategy in real-time multiplayer action. Unite, fight, and ascend to the top! == TRANSFORM INTO A PRIMAL == Be the hero of the game—fast. Harness the power of a primal, capable of decimating the entire enemy team. Make every second count before transforming back! == LEVEL UP YOUR GUNS & GEAR == Collect, upgrade, and customize your loadout to create the best combination for your battles. Hunt kills as a long-range sniper, duel other players as a sneaky assassin, or counter the enemy as a primal hunter. == MASTER ANY MODE == Battle players and bosses alike in Hydra, defeat enemies for points toward victory in Slayer, vie for control of an ancient fortress in an Eventide adventure—and so much more. The choice is yours! == BATTLE WITH FRIENDS == Party up! Drop-in to games instantly with your friends. Discover new allies, prepare your strategy, and claim total battle victory together. == JOIN THE FIGHT FOR CATALYTE == Ascend to the skies as you adventure on an expedition to acquire rich caches of power discoverable across the exotic Welkin Islands. Floating high above Kyria, the Welkins offers near limitless access to this mystical resource, but also hold within them the great mysteries of Catalyst Black itself! ————————————————————— • Discord: https://discord.gg/catalystblack • Twitter: https://twitter.com/catalystblk • TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@catalystblack • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CatalystBlack/ • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/catalystblackgame/ • Website: https://catalystblack.com

Screenshots

Magic vs Metal4 screens
Catalyst Black4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Catalyst Black at none against Magic vs Metal's shown. Catalyst Black also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly) and iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). Magic vs Metal's advantage is review sentiment (79% vs 50%) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, ratings volume, in-app purchases and monetization model 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. Magic vs Metal sells 14 one-off in-app purchases and Catalyst Black sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Magic vs Metal holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.4K and 1.8K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of Magic vs Metal's written reviews are positive against 50% of Catalyst Black's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Magic vs Metal ships an update monthly, Catalyst Black every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 16, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Magic vs Metal versus Catalyst Black: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMagic vs MetalCatalyst Black
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (1.4K ratings) — better4.5 (1.8K ratings)
Positive reviews79.0% of reviews — better49.8% of reviews
Number of ratings1.4K1.8K — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 5 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size981 MB1.0 GB
Age rating12+9+
DeveloperFoursaken MediaSuper Evil Megacorp

Customer experience

Magic vs Metal

All ratings1,376 ratings
Positive96.9%
Neutral1.7%
Negative1.3%
Written reviews195 reviews
Positive79.0%
Neutral8.2%
Negative12.8%

Catalyst Black

All ratings1,806 ratings
Positive87.8%
Neutral3.8%
Negative8.5%
Written reviews227 reviews
Positive49.8%
Neutral14.1%
Negative36.1%

User reviews

Magic vs Metal

From 1.4K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Smooth gameplay
  • 👍 Generous free-to-play model
  • 🎨 Great graphics
  • 🕹️ Engaging combat
  • 🔥 Addictive gameplay

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and bugs
  • 🔁 Repetitive and grindy
  • 🎮 Needs controller support
  • 💰 Expensive in-app purchases

Catalyst Black

From 1.8K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Smooth gameplay
  • 🎨 Great graphics
  • 👍 Addictive and fun
  • 💡 Unique gameplay mechanics
  • 🎮 Responsive controls

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
  • 🕰️ Slow progression and grind
  • 💰 Pay-to-win mechanics
  • 🕹️ Imbalanced matchmaking
  • 🤖 Presence of bots in matches

Bugs and requests

Magic vs Metal

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes when using too many powers
  • Text replaced by jumbled symbols
  • Berserker loses self-heal when equipping Crusher weapon
  • Unable to progress past certain levels

Requested features

5 requests
  • Multiplayer and co-op modes
  • More campaign content
  • Ability to disable auto-fire
  • Seamless view switching
  • Improved inventory management

Catalyst Black

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Authentication server issues
  • Inability to start matches
  • Audio cutting out during gameplay
  • Graphical glitches and performance issues
  • Incorrect or missing in-game information

Requested features

5 requests
  • Bring back Vainglory
  • Add more game modes and maps
  • Improve social features like clans and chat
  • Implement a competitive ranked mode
  • Expand weapon and character customization

In-app purchases

14 purchases

Magic vs Metal

One-time14
  • Rare Coins$0.99
  • Bonus Vault$2.99
  • Battle Pass$4.99
Show 11 more
  • Rare Coins$4.99
  • Special Offer$4.99
  • Unlock Magi$6.99
  • Unlock Mecha$6.99
  • Unlock All$9.99
  • Rare Coins$9.99
  • Remove Ads$9.99
  • Special Offer$9.99
  • Rare Coins$19.99
  • Special Offer$19.99
  • Rare Coins$49.99
11 purchases

Catalyst Black

One-time11
  • Tiny Satchel of Marks$1.99
  • Tiny Bundle Offer$1.99
  • Small Bundle Offer$4.99
Show 8 more
  • Small Bundle Offer 3$4.99
  • Small Bundle Offer 2$4.99
  • Small Bundle Offer 4$4.99
  • Medium Pack of Marks$9.99
  • Medium Bundle Offer$9.99
  • Medium Bundle Offer 3$9.99
  • Large Bundle Offer$19.99
  • Huge Case of Marks$24.99

Questions

Is Magic vs Metal free?
Magic vs Metal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Catalyst Black free?
Catalyst Black is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Magic vs Metal or Catalyst Black?
Magic vs Metal is rated higher. Magic vs Metal averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.4K ratings, while Catalyst Black averages 4.5 from 1.8K ratings.
Do Magic vs Metal or Catalyst Black have ads?
Magic vs Metal shows ads; Catalyst Black does not.
Which is updated more often, Magic vs Metal or Catalyst Black?
Magic vs Metal ships an update monthly, and Catalyst Black every 5 days. Most recently, Magic vs Metal was updated on October 19, 2026 and Catalyst Black on October 16, 2026.

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