Comparison

Grim Tides vs Eldrum

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Grim Tides

Embark on a text-based, turn-based RPG adventure across a tropical archipelago. Build your character, engage in strategic combat, and captain your ship through a world of magic and mystery. Experience deep customization and a story shaped by your choices.

Highlights
  • Text-based storytelling
  • Turn-based tactical combat
  • Deep character customization
  • Ship captaining and resource management
  • Roguelike elements
  • Offline play
Features
Read full description

* CLASSIC SINGLE PLAYER RPG * Grim Tides delivers the soul of tabletop gaming on your phone. Build your character and explore a strange and dangerous archipelago in this story-rich turn-based RPG / dungeon crawler with roguelike elements. * IMMERSIVE FANTASY & TABLETOP EXPERIENCE * Explore a tropical world of magic, mysteries, and ancient secrets through immersive text-based storytelling. Every choice shapes your journey in an experience inspired by TTRPG classics like Dungeons and Dragons (DnD) and Pathfinder. * STRATEGIC TURN-BASED COMBAT * Master tactical battles against deadly enemies, challenging bosses, and conquer your own fear of the unknown. Every encounter could be your last, every choice carries weight. * DEEP CHARACTER CUSTOMIZATION * Choose from 7 distinct backgrounds and 50+ gameplay-changing perks. Craft your playstyle with weapons, armor, accessories, and consumables you loot and craft. * CAPTAIN YOUR OWN SHIP * Recruit crew, manage resources, and navigate treacherous tropical waters. Hunt bounties, complete quests, and uncover secrets scattered across the islands. * PLAY YOUR WAY * Four difficulty levels plus deep customization options. Optional permadeath for extra challenge. Play in quick sessions or lose yourself for hours. No internet connection required (offline). * FAIR & RESPECTFUL * No lootboxes. No energy timers. No predatory monetization. Just a complete RPG with some optional and unobtrusive ads, removable forever with one purchase, and purely optional goodies for those who wish to support the game further. * GRIM SAGA * A standalone prequel to Grim Quest and Grim Omens. Experience the mind-bending dark fantasy universe that spans 3 standalone games - pick your flair, no prior experience needed. Set sail, but beware: when the Dark closes in, your own mind is your worst enemy.

About

Eldrum

Embark on a dark fantasy text-based RPG where your decisions forge your path. Explore a war-torn world, uncover secrets, and shape your character's destiny through branching narratives and multiple endings. This immersive experience offers deep gameplay reminiscent of tabletop RPGs.

Highlights
  • Text-based choices adventure RPG
  • Nostalgic table-top RPG style
  • Character building and equipment
  • Multiple endings based on choices
  • Secrets to discover
  • High replayability
Features
Read full description

Dive into a dark, immersive world where your choices shape your destiny. Eldrum: Red Tide is a gripping text-based RPG that combines the depth of D&D, the strategic gameplay of CRPGs, and the narrative freedom of CYOA gamebooks. Eldrum: Red Tide is a dark fantasy story about a former soldier who is searching for his family in a world ravaged by war. Your brother is gone without a trace. What happened to him? The answer to this question lies at the end of a long and dangerous journey. The world has changed. The place where you were born was burned to ash. People out there are struggling to survive. You are a shadow of your former self, having suffered grave injuries during the war. But the past is the past. What matters is the here and now. You have the freedom to shape your own destiny. There is always a choice. FEATURES - Nostalgic table-top RPG style - Many secrets to discover - Equip and build your character - Multiple endings that vary depending on your choices throughout the story - Replayability with different play styles opening up different locations, NPCs and gear - Text based choices adventure RPG - Supports both phones and tablets - Accessible to blind and low-vision players Eldrum: Red Tide is the second game in the Eldrum series. The games' stories are linked and there are references between the games, but they can be played in any order.

Screenshots

Grim Tides4 screens
Eldrum4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Eldrum at none against Grim Tides's shown. Grim Tides's advantage is ratings volume (1.6K vs 433). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Grim Tides sells 7 one-off in-app purchases and Eldrum sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for Grim Tides against 4.9 for Eldrum. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.6K and 433 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 89% of Grim Tides's written reviews are positive against 95% of Eldrum's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Grim Tides ships an update every 2 weeks, Eldrum every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Grim Tides versus Eldrum: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGrim TidesEldrum
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (1.6K ratings)4.9 (433 ratings) — better
Positive reviews88.7% of reviews94.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1.6K — better433
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better16.4
Further details — not scored
Size260 MB198 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperMonomyth d.o.o.Act None

Customer experience

Grim Tides

All ratings1,548 ratings
Positive95.5%
Neutral1.3%
Negative3.2%
Written reviews274 reviews
Positive88.7%
Neutral2.6%
Negative8.8%

Eldrum

All ratings433 ratings
Positive97.7%
Neutral1.2%
Negative1.2%
Written reviews95 reviews
Positive94.7%
Neutral1.1%
Negative4.2%

User reviews

Grim Tides

From 1.6K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great game
  • 👍 Old school entertainment
  • 👍 Fantastic game with depth
  • 👍 Compelling story and world
  • 👍 Engaging gameplay and combat

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
  • 🔒 Paywall after initial free content
  • 🔒 Slow progression and grindy at higher levels

Eldrum

From 433 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great story
  • 👍 Immersive and engaging
  • 🎨 Excellent visuals and atmosphere
  • 📚 Detailed and well-written lore
  • 🎮 Compelling gameplay with meaningful choices

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional combat balance issues
  • 🕹️ Challenging combat system for some players
  • 📱 Not optimized for larger screens (iPad)

Bugs and requests

Grim Tides

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Difficulty escaping combat
  • Inconsistent access to healing resources
  • Progression-blocking bugs with quests and exits

Requested features

5 requests
  • More gear and item variety
  • Ability to customize passive abilities
  • Improved inventory and merchant UI
  • More diverse dungeon layouts and enemy types
  • Accessibility improvements for visually impaired players

Eldrum

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Inconsistent enemy shield/evasion chances
  • Difficulty spikes in certain encounters

Requested features

2 requests
  • Sound effects for combat
  • More content and story expansions

In-app purchases

7 purchases

Grim Tides

One-time7
  • Remove Ads$5.99
  • Thanks! (Cleric Item Pack)$14.99
  • Thanks! (Knight Item Pack)$14.99
Show 4 more
  • Thanks! (Mage Item Pack)$14.99
  • Thanks! (Rogue Item Pack)$14.99
  • Thanks! (Barbarian Item Pack)$14.99
  • THANKS! (Manifestation Device)$29.99
3 purchases

Eldrum

One-time3
  • Upgrade from Basic to Premium$2.49
  • Basic$6.99
  • Premium$7.99

Questions

Is Grim Tides free?
Grim Tides is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Eldrum free?
Eldrum is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Grim Tides or Eldrum?
Eldrum is rated higher. Grim Tides averages 4.8 out of 5 from 1.6K ratings, while Eldrum averages 4.9 from 433 ratings.
Do Grim Tides or Eldrum have ads?
Grim Tides shows ads; Eldrum does not.
Which is updated more often, Grim Tides or Eldrum?
Grim Tides ships an update every 2 weeks, and Eldrum every 9 days. Most recently, Grim Tides was updated on October 24, 2026 and Eldrum on October 27, 2026.

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