Barnard's Star vs Blacken Slash
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Barnard's Star
Engage in strategic, turn-based multiplayer battles across space. Outwit opponents with unique character abilities and tactical map control. Victory depends solely on your strategic prowess, with no reliance on luck or in-app purchases.
- Multiplayer turn-based tactics
- No micro-transactions or random chance
- 3 warring factions (Humans, Robots, Critters)
- 30 characters with unique attacks
- 18 maps on space stations and ships
- Offline vs. AI and local multiplayer
- Online multiplayer challenges
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Snipe your friends, electrocute your enemies and rain down acidic slime in the Barnard’s Star system, 6 light years from Earth. A multiplayer, turn-based tactics battler with no micro-transactions and no random chance — ingenuity is the only way to victory! Features: - Choose between 3 warring factions: Humans, Robots, and Critters - Do battle with 30 characters using dozens of unique attacks and abilities - Conquer 18 different maps set on space stations and intergalactic ships - Play offline vs. AI or locally against a friend - Challenge friends and strangers with online multiplayer
Blacken Slash
Engage in turn-based tactical combat with roguelike elements. Craft unique character builds with a vast array of items and skills. Enjoy a story-driven experience with a retro soundtrack and compete on an online ladder.
- Turn-based tactical combat
- Roguelike elements
- Item-based build crafting
- Carry favorite items between runs
- Online ladder competition
- Challenging achievements
- Story-driven experience
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A tactical RPG fusing the best of roguelikes, turn-based tactics and hack and slash games – made by a solo developer with a penchant for minimalist designs. - Fight through bite-sized tactical puzzles - Create powerful builds from a plethora of items which grant you skills and can change gameplay mechanics - Carry on your favorite items between runs in normal mode - Start from scratch each week and compete with other players in the online ladder mode - Try various playstyles and hunt for challenging achievements - Enjoy a lovingly crafted story of ridiculous computer nostalgia and a blast of a retro soundtrack
Screenshots
Verdict
Barnard's Star and Blacken Slash both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 96% of Blacken Slash's written reviews are positive against 77% of Barnard's Star's. Blacken Slash also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). Barnard's Star's advantage is price ($3.99 vs $4.99). On rating, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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
Barnard's Star costs $3.99 and Blacken Slash $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Barnard's Star against 4.8 for Blacken Slash. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 46 and 60 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 77% of Barnard's Star's written reviews are positive against 96% of Blacken Slash's.
Barnard's Star ships an update every 4 weeks, Blacken Slash fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 11, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Barnard's Star | Blacken Slash |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3.99 — better | $4.99 |
| Rating | 4.7 (46 ratings) | 4.8 (60 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 77.3% of reviews | 95.6% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 46 | 60 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 weeks | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 11.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 122 MB | 161 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Pollywog Games | Sonderland Games UG haftungsbeschrankt |
Customer experience
Barnard's Star
Blacken Slash
In-app purchases
Barnard's Star
No in-app purchases
Blacken Slash
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Barnard's Star free?
Is Blacken Slash free?
Which has better reviews, Barnard's Star or Blacken Slash?
Do Barnard's Star or Blacken Slash have ads?
Which is updated more often, Barnard's Star or Blacken Slash?
Other comparisons
