Artifact vs POOLS™
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Artifact
Assemble fragmented ancient artworks in this unique 3D puzzle game. Explore and reconstruct relics from various cultures with intuitive controls and stunning visuals. Adjust difficulty and enjoy a relaxing, mentally stimulating experience.
- Assemble broken 3D artifacts
- Puzzles inspired by real masterpieces
- Explore relics from different cultures
- Intuitive touch controls
- Adjustable difficulty levels
- Stunning 3D graphics and audio
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Artifact is a unique 3D puzzle game where you assemble broken artworks from fragments. Dive into solving puzzles inspired by real masterpieces, meticulously modeled artifacts from various countries and cultures. Explore and assemble relics of the past, including Greek amphorae, Chinese vases, and Egyptian statues. You can even shatter them apart and start anew. Adjust the difficulty level to your preference. Artifact features stunning 3D graphics and audio that immerse you in the atmosphere of each culture. The game’s intuitive mechanics make it accessible for players of all ages. So relax, have fun, and sharpen your mind while uncovering historical treasures! How to play: - Move pieces by touching them - Rotate the puzzle by interacting with the base or background - Zoom in or out using a two-finger pinch - Shatter objects with a double-tap - Adjust the viewing angle by tilting your device Features: - 64 unique puzzles across 8 different themes - Original game idea with unique mechanics - Simple, intuitive controls - Gorgeous graphics and animations - Hard and easy modes - No annoying ads — just pure puzzle-solving fun!
POOLS™
This app offers a slow, reflective, and immersive experience focused on exploration and atmosphere. It evokes feelings of unease and curiosity through its unique environments, inspired by liminal spaces and internet phenomena. Discover changing worlds and subtle narratives without traditional gameplay mechanics.
- Slow, reflective exploration
- Atmospheric and immersive environments
- Inspired by liminal spaces
- Unfolding narrative through exploration
- Six distinct chapters
- Unique sound design
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Explore, admire and listen. That’s it. Uncanny. Relaxing. Unnerving. Eerie. Immersive. POOLS isn’t a traditional game. it’s slow, reflective, and intentionally uneventful, perhaps a bit like virtual museum. So take your time. Breathe. POOLS unfolds slowly, rewarding patience and quiet attention. No monsters chasing you or jumping at your screen. Yet it can feel oppressive at times by invoking quiet fears of getting lost, the dark, tight spaces and the strange beauty of liminal space architecture. There's no typical story. But as you explore and advance further, you start to notice that the game's world changes around you, deeper you go… Rooms look and feel… different. Base game features six chapters, each lasting 10-30 minutes. Inspired by the internet phenomena Liminal spaces, Found footage and The Backrooms, especially the Poolrooms concept. One of the original artists behind the Poolrooms concept is Jared Pike.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Artifact at 4.9 against POOLS™'s 4.5. Artifact also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 79%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.6). POOLS™'s advantage is ratings volume (1.6K vs 13). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Artifact sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and POOLS™ sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Artifact holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: POOLS™ has 1.6K ratings behind it against 13, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of Artifact's written reviews are positive against 79% of POOLS™'s.
Artifact ships an update every 5 months, POOLS™ every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Artifact | POOLS™ |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (13 ratings) — better | 4.5 (1.6K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 79.4% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 13 | 1.6K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 — better | 15.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 596 MB | 1.9 GB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | Mikhail Bakunovich | Tensori |
Customer experience
Artifact
POOLS™
Bugs and requests
Artifact
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
POOLS™
Reported bugs
2 issues- Unable to move on iPad Pro
- Glitches reported
Requested features
3 requests- Expand to different Backrooms-inspired themes
- Add a multiplayer mode
- Introduce more interactive elements (e.g., monsters, items to discover)
In-app purchases
Artifact
- Unlock$4.99
POOLS™
- POOLS: Full Game$9.99









