HOOK 2 vs Square Valley
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
HOOK 2
Engage in a minimalist puzzle experience focused on unhooking. This sequel introduces an extra dimension to the gameplay, challenging you to discover and utilize various mechanics to clear the board of all hooks. Enjoy a relaxing, ad-free puzzle journey.
- Minimalist puzzle design
- Unhooking mechanics
- Added dimension gameplay
- Discover new game mechanics
- Relaxing experience
- No ads, scoring, or text
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Hook 2 is a minimalist puzzle game about unhooking the hooks. This time I have added an extra dimension to the game. Your task is to remove all the hooks from the board using various game mechanics that you discover as you play. You will find here only relaxing, minimalistic puzzles without unnecessary ads, scoring or even text. Check out all my puzzle games at https://www.rainbowtrain.eu/
Square Valley
Shape unique lands by strategically placing tiles like houses, farms, and natural elements. Connect them with roads and rivers while overcoming placement challenges. Progress through levels to unlock new tiles and face increasingly complex world-building puzzles.
- Tile placement for world creation
- Connect tiles with roads and rivers
- Strategic planning and puzzle solving
- Three chapters with 45 levels
- Unlock new tiles and overcome obstacles
- Replay levels for higher scores
- Sandbox mode for custom experiences
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A charming tile-laying puzzle game. Make the best valley you can out of the tiles and placements you're given. Puzzles with no randomness can become a bit boring over time. And when it is too random, it can feel unfair. Square Valley sits nicely in the middle where you are challenged for each level, but it still feels fair in the end. Satisfying. Every level is comprised of a fixed set of tiles that come together to form a challenge each step of the way. You're continually cycling through your deck of tiles – always a fresh look. You're also limited to only certain spots on the board where you can place the tiles all in order to reach the highest score you can. A windmill wants the surrounding wheat fields, forests have winding rivers through them, and churches stand firm within the city walls packed with houses. Not to worry, you won't get stuck. There's generous room to succeed at every level. Leaderboards are there too, for those who want to keep challenging themselves. Feel free to push forward, or go back to previous levels and beat your old self. When you complete that last turn, you'll find yourself with a unique little village to be proud of. Features: + Pay once – no ads, no in-app purchases, no account required + 150+ tiles · 45 levels · 3 chapters + A new challenge every day, for everyone + Set your own rules to play with tiles drawn at random + Competitive leaderboards + Works offline
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Square Valley at every 2 weeks against HOOK 2's every 4 months. HOOK 2's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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
HOOK 2 costs $2.99 and Square Valley $2.99 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 — 4.8 for HOOK 2 against 4.8 for Square Valley. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 96 and 93 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 92% of HOOK 2's written reviews are positive against 86% of Square Valley's.
HOOK 2 ships an update every 4 months, Square Valley every 2 weeks. Both last shipped on September 23, 2026.
| Parameter | HOOK 2 | Square Valley |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | $2.99 |
| Rating | 4.8 (96 ratings) | 4.8 (93 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 92.5% of reviews — better | 85.5% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 96 — better | 93 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 281 MB | 125 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Maciej Targoni | Ryan Becijos |
Customer experience
HOOK 2
Square Valley
User reviews
HOOK 2
From 96 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- ✨ Brilliant and simple concept
- 🧠 Makes you think
- 😌 Calming and relaxing
- 👍 Elegant and rewarding game design
- 💯 Absolutely worth the price
Room to improve
- ⏳ Too short for the price
- 😕 Levels can be too easy
- 📉 Not as difficult as the first
- 🤏 Not enough levels
- 🤔 Can't reset progress
Square Valley
From 93 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎮 Engaging tile placement puzzle mechanics
- 🎵 Relaxing and pleasant background music
- 🎨 Beautiful minimalist art style and visuals
- 😌 Calming and stress-relieving gameplay
- 💰 No ads or in-app purchases
Room to improve
- ❓ Unclear tile descriptions and requirements
- 🎲 High randomness can lead to unwinnable scenarios
- 📊 No real-time score feedback during gameplay
- 🐛 Occasional scoring calculation bugs
- 📱 Portrait-only mode (no landscape on iPad)
Bugs and requests
HOOK 2
Reported bugs
2 issues- Cannot reset progress
- Accidental purchase and refund request
Requested features
5 requests- Add more levels
- Include more complex levels
- Add more levels to justify the spend
- More levels please!
- Looking forward to new levels
Square Valley
Reported bugs
8 issues- Leaderboard freezes when displaying top 10 scores
- Tile scoring miscalculations (e.g., Cherry Orchard, Fir Grove)
- Tutorial bug where selected tiles change unexpectedly
- Some tiles don't work as described in requirements
- Scoring feedback unclear until level completion
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- Inconsistent tile placement rules not documented
- Protected Copper Beech scoring issues
- Random tile placement can create impossible scenarios
Requested features
14 requests- More levels and chapters
- Landscape/iPad support with larger maps
- iCloud synchronization across devices
- Real-time score feedback per tile placement
- Glossary with detailed tile explanations
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- Personal stats and score history per level
- Customizable sandbox mode with more options
- Music volume slider (separate from sound effects)
- Global leaderboards with player names
- Board game physical version
- Expansion packs with new tile sets
- Undo and skip buttons (mentioned as implemented in recent update)
- Additional language translations
- Split-screen multiplayer mode
In-app purchases
HOOK 2
No in-app purchases
Square Valley
No in-app purchases
