# Despot's Game vs Iron Directive

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Iron Directive at 100% against Despot's Game's 36%. Iron Directive also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.4) and update cadence (every 2 days vs monthly). Despot's Game's advantage is ratings volume (119 vs 7) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Despot's Game sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Iron Directive sells 6 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Iron Directive holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Despot's Game has 119 ratings behind it against 7, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 36% of Despot's Game's written reviews are positive against 100% of Iron Directive's.

Despot's Game ships an update monthly, Iron Directive every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Despot's Game | Iron Directive |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.4 (119 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/despots-game/id1558859156/reviews) | **[4.7 (7 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iron-directive/id6759175486/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **119** | 7 |
| Positive reviews | 36.4% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 456 MB | 183 MB |
| Requires iOS | **13.0** | 17.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [tinyBuild LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/945888376) | [Frau LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1877163161) |

## What reviewers say

### Despot's Game

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/despots-game/id1558859156)

Build a dystopian army and guide them through a challenging labyrinth. This roguelike strategy game focuses on item and mutation choices, with automatic combat. Permadeath means starting over, but a secret multiplayer mode awaits those who conquer the game.

**Highlights:** Army building, Item and mutation customization, Automatic combat, Roguelike/roguelite gameplay, Permadeath with world regeneration, Secret multiplayer mode

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Despot's Game: Full Version | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Epic game, epic difficulty
- 🚀 Fun without end!
- 👍 Great game, different
- 👍 Nice game

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes around level 7-8
- 🐛 Crashes frequently, losing progress
- 🐛 Crashes on start
- 🐛 Crashes, can't save progress
- 🐛 Crashes, unplayable

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes on start
- Crashes during gameplay
- Crashes, losing progress

**Requested features**

- Add save/continue option
- Fix crashes
- Lower the price


### Iron Directive

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/iron-directive/id6759175486)

Engage in strategic match-3 warfare where every tile match fuels your attacks. Clear objectives with explosive chain reactions and powerful boosters. Build and upgrade your base, manage resources, and complete daily operations to advance your campaign.

**Highlights:** Tactical match-3 combat, Explosive chain reactions, Base Camp building and upgrades, Powerful combat boosters, Daily and Weekly Operations, War-themed missions

**In-app purchases (6)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Intel Cache 400 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Intel Cache 2500 | $4.99 | one-time |
| Premium Pass | $4.99 | one-time |
| Intel Cache 5500 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Premium Bundle | $9.99 | one-time |
| Intel Cache 12000 | $19.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Despot's Game free?

Despot's Game is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Iron Directive free?

Iron Directive is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Despot's Game or Iron Directive?

Iron Directive is rated higher. Despot's Game averages 3.4 out of 5 from 119 ratings, while Iron Directive averages 4.7 from 7 ratings.

### Do Despot's Game or Iron Directive have ads?

Neither Despot's Game nor Iron Directive shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Despot's Game or Iron Directive?

Despot's Game ships an update monthly, and Iron Directive every 2 days. Most recently, Despot's Game was updated on November 3, 2026 and Iron Directive on October 31, 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.*