# Blacken Slash vs Astral Hunter

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Blacken Slash at 96% against Astral Hunter's 50%. Blacken Slash also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 8) and rating (4.8 vs 4.4). Astral Hunter's advantage is price (Free vs $4.99). On update cadence, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Astral Hunter is free to download; Blacken Slash costs $4.99 up front. Astral Hunter sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. Blacken Slash asks for nothing beyond the download.

Blacken Slash holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 60 and 18 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 96% of Blacken Slash's written reviews are positive against 50% of Astral Hunter's.

Blacken Slash ships an update fortnightly, Astral Hunter every 10 days. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Blacken Slash | Astral Hunter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $4.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (60 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blacken-slash/id1604646442/reviews)** | [4.4 (18 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astral-hunter/id6503205657/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **60** | 18 |
| Positive reviews | **95.6% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 10 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Size | 161 MB | 106 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Sonderland Games UG haftungsbeschrankt](https://appshunter.io/developer/1546364147) | [开心 李](https://appshunter.io/developer/1701003810) |

## What reviewers say

### Blacken Slash

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/blacken-slash/id1604646442)

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.

**Highlights:** Turn-based tactical combat, Roguelike elements, Item-based build crafting, Carry favorite items between runs, Online ladder competition, Challenging achievements, Story-driven experience

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Addictive gameplay loop
- 💡 Innovative mechanics
- 🎨 Aesthetically pleasing visuals
- 🧠 Strategic depth
- 💰 Worth the price, no ads/IAPs

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤔 Lacks strategic depth (for some)
- 😴 Combat can be boring
- 📉 Can become trivially easy
- 🔋 Drains battery significantly
- 🔄 Early levels can be repetitive

**Reported bugs**

- Insane battery drainage
- iPad getting super hot

**Requested features**

- Consider adding two or more units for more interesting gameplay
- More content for future updates


### Astral Hunter

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/astral-hunter/id6503205657)

Engage in thrilling flight shooting battles with a roguelike twist. Customize your combat experience with unique aircraft and over 120 combinable chips. Face diverse bosses for a constantly fresh challenge.

**Highlights:** 6 unique aircraft, 120+ combinable chips, Diverse boss battles, Roguelike gameplay, Customizable playstyle

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (8)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Full Access | $0.99 | one-time |
| Beginner Pack | $0.99 | one-time |
| Have Fun | $1.99 | one-time |
| Hard Pack | $1.99 | one-time |
| Buy Few Cores | $1.99 | one-time |
| Insane Pack | $2.99 | one-time |
| Super Pack | $9.99 | one-time |
| Buy Lots Cores | $9.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Blacken Slash free?

Blacken Slash costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Astral Hunter free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Blacken Slash or Astral Hunter?

Blacken Slash is rated higher. Blacken Slash averages 4.8 out of 5 from 60 ratings, while Astral Hunter averages 4.4 from 18 ratings.

### Do Blacken Slash or Astral Hunter have ads?

Neither Blacken Slash nor Astral Hunter shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Blacken Slash or Astral Hunter?

Blacken Slash ships an update fortnightly, and Astral Hunter every 10 days. Most recently, Blacken Slash was updated on October 30, 2026 and Astral Hunter on October 24, 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.*