# Watcher Chronicles vs Bugborne

The clearest difference is rating: Bugborne at 5.0 against Watcher Chronicles's 4.3. Bugborne also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 64%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). Watcher Chronicles's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (255 vs 2). On price, update cadence, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Watcher Chronicles sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Bugborne sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Bugborne holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Watcher Chronicles has 255 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of Watcher Chronicles's written reviews are positive against 100% of Bugborne's.

Watcher Chronicles ships an update every 3 days, Bugborne every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 8, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Watcher Chronicles | Bugborne |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.3 (255 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watcher-chronicles/id1592020891/reviews) | **[5.0 (2 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bugborne/id6752551048/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **255** | 2 |
| Positive reviews | 64.3% of reviews | **100.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | **No** | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 3 days** | Every 4 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 964 MB | 311 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Third Sphere Game Studios LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1592020893) | [Lemmy](https://appshunter.io/developer/1797446231) |

## What reviewers say

### Watcher Chronicles

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/watcher-chronicles/id1592020891)

Embark on a challenging 2D souls-like ARPG adventure through a purgatorial realm. Battle over 20 bosses, explore interconnected areas, and master fast-paced, skill-based combat. Upgrade your hero with diverse weapons and magic, and enjoy local co-op multiplayer.

**Highlights:** Challenging souls-like combat, Large interconnected world exploration, Local co-op multiplayer, Powerful magic spells, Diverse weapon types, Robust RPG system, Over 20 relentless bosses

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Watcher Chronicles Full Game | $7.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Excellent 2D souls-like gameplay mechanics
- 🎨 Beautiful art style and graphics
- ⚔️ Challenging but fair combat system
- 💰 Good value for $8 price point
- 🏆 Well-designed bosses and enemy variety

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🎮 Clunky and non-customizable touch controls
- ⏱️ Noticeable input delay between actions
- 🗺️ Poor map system and navigation
- 💸 Misleading free-to-play marketing (actually paid demo)
- 📦 Large file size (1.5-2GB) for mobile

**Reported bugs**

- Game doesn't load or crashes on startup
- Arrow marker gets stuck and blocks pause menu
- Touch input registers unintended actions
- Game requires 2GB free storage to function properly
- Healing mechanic unclear or non-functional

**Requested features**

- Customizable touch control placement and size
- Comprehensive in-game tutorial and help menu
- Improved map system with biome divisions
- More weapon attack patterns and combo system
- Parry mechanics that deflect projectiles and reduce posture


### Bugborne

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bugborne/id6752551048)

Experience intense, challenging combat with precise timing and discipline. This soulslike mobile game offers visceral knife fights and strategic dashes for skilled players.

**Highlights:** Intense soulslike combat, Precise timing and discipline, Visceral knife fights, Strategic dashes, Challenging gameplay

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Watcher Chronicles free?

Watcher Chronicles is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Bugborne free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Watcher Chronicles or Bugborne?

Bugborne is rated higher. Watcher Chronicles averages 4.3 out of 5 from 255 ratings, while Bugborne averages 5.0 from 2 ratings.

### Do Watcher Chronicles or Bugborne have ads?

Bugborne shows ads; Watcher Chronicles does not.

### Which is updated more often, Watcher Chronicles or Bugborne?

Watcher Chronicles ships an update every 3 days, and Bugborne every 4 days. Most recently, Watcher Chronicles was updated on September 21, 2026 and Bugborne on September 8, 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.*