# Shadow Hunter vs Elderand

The clearest difference is rating: Shadow Hunter at 4.8 against Elderand's 4.2. Shadow Hunter also leads on chart position (#80 vs unranked) and ratings volume (316 vs 36). Elderand's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs monthly). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Shadow Hunter costs $4.99 and Elderand $6.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Shadow Hunter holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Shadow Hunter has 316 ratings behind it against 36, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 68% of Shadow Hunter's written reviews are positive against 74% of Elderand's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Shadow Hunter ships an update monthly, Elderand weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Shadow Hunter | Elderand |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $6.99 |
| Rating | **[4.8 (316 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-hunter-special-edition/id1595739885/reviews)** | [4.2 (36 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elderand/id6446288146/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **316** | 36 |
| Positive reviews | 68.3% of reviews | **73.7% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#80** | — |
| Size | 1.3 GB | 818 MB |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | **11.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [ENIGMA SOFTWARE JOINT STOCK COMPANY](https://appshunter.io/developer/1550562333) | [Plug In Digital](https://appshunter.io/developer/608306412) |

## What reviewers say

### Shadow Hunter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shadow-hunter-special-edition/id1595739885)

**Currently charting:** #80 Top Paid · Role Playing, #171 Top Paid · Action (US App Store)

Engage in a hardcore hack 'n' slash action-RPG set in a dark fantasy world. Battle hordes of demons and shadow monsters as a blessed Shadow Hunter, upgrading weapons and mastering combat to restore light to the mortal realm. Face epic bosses and endless challenges in PVE and PVP modes.

**Highlights:** Hardcore hack 'n' slash combat, Dark fantasy setting, Epic boss battles, RPG elements, Character control mechanism, PVE and PVP modes, Equipment and weapon upgrades

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Engaging hack-and-slash gameplay mechanics
- 😊 Fun and addictive combat with skill combos
- 🆓 No pay-to-win mechanics in special edition
- 🎨 High-quality graphics and visuals
- ⚡ Smooth and responsive controls

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes (every 15-30 minutes)
- 🎮 No controller/gamepad support
- 😤 Extremely grindy progression system
- 💰 Progression locked behind gear requirements
- ⚖️ Unbalanced PvP matchmaking (level mismatches)

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes every 15-30 minutes
- Device overheating causing crashes
- Apple account linking not working (Game Center only)
- Backbone controller support broken after update
- Mystic store functionality issues

**Requested features**

- Controller/gamepad support (most requested)
- Gauntlet/punching character class
- Additional boss varieties
- Weapon skin customization options
- Russian language support


### Elderand

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elderand/id6446288146)

Embark on a brutal, skill-based action platformer in a Lovecraftian world. Wield diverse weapons and customize your character with RPG elements to battle terrifying creatures and explore a dark, hand-drawn pixel environment. Collect loot to upgrade your arsenal and uncover the land's secrets.

**Highlights:** Skill-based combat, Metroidvania exploration, Lovecraftian horror themes, RPG character customization, Diverse weapon arsenal, Hand-drawn pixel art, Loot collection and crafting

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Shadow Hunter free?

Shadow Hunter costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Elderand free?

Elderand costs $6.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Shadow Hunter or Elderand?

Shadow Hunter is rated higher. Shadow Hunter averages 4.8 out of 5 from 316 ratings, while Elderand averages 4.2 from 36 ratings.

### Do Shadow Hunter or Elderand have ads?

Neither Shadow Hunter nor Elderand shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Shadow Hunter or Elderand?

Shadow Hunter ships an update monthly, and Elderand weekly. Most recently, Shadow Hunter was updated on September 28, 2026 and Elderand on September 26, 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.*