# Eternal Ember vs Underdark

The clearest difference is update cadence: Underdark at every 4 days against Eternal Ember's every 2 months. Underdark also leads on review sentiment (72% vs 56%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Eternal Ember sells 18 one-off in-app purchases and Underdark sells 34 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Eternal Ember against 4.8 for Underdark. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1.9K and 4.1K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 56% of Eternal Ember's written reviews are positive against 72% of Underdark's.

Eternal Ember ships an update every 2 months, Underdark every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 27, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Eternal Ember | Underdark |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (1.9K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eternal-ember/id1628072389/reviews)** | [4.8 (4.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/underdarkdefense/id6482025287/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.9K | **4.1K** |
| Positive reviews | 55.8% of reviews | **72.0% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 601 MB | 508 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **13.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Zencat Gaming](https://appshunter.io/developer/1366137990) | [SeungHo Chung](https://appshunter.io/developer/1626940418) |

## What reviewers say

### Eternal Ember

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eternal-ember/id1628072389)

Embark on an epic idle RPG adventure in a dark fantasy world. Assemble a team of heroes, strategize their placement, and watch them battle automatically. Collect loot, craft gear, and explore a vast continent to save the world from impending doom.

**Highlights:** Dark Fantasy Idle RPG, Hero Collection and Classes, Strategic Squad Positioning, Automatic Battles, Loot Grinding and Gear Crafting, Vast Continent Exploration, Challenging Bosses and Monsters

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

**In-app purchases (18)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Limited Time Pack1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| Limited Time Pack2 | $1.99 | one-time |
| Battle Pass | $4.99 | one-time |
| Limited Time Pack3 | $4.99 | one-time |
| 30-Day Nonstop Privilege | $4.99 | one-time |
| 450 Sunstones | $4.99 | one-time |
| Hero Pack1 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Custom Pack1 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Hero Pack2 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Limited Time Pack4 | $9.99 | one-time |
| Hero Pack3 | $9.99 | one-time |
| 1,000 Sunstones | $9.99 | one-time |
| Limited Time Pack5 | $19.99 | one-time |
| 2,100 Sunstones | $19.99 | one-time |
| Limited Time Pack6 | $49.99 | one-time |
| 11,000 Diamonds | $99.99 | one-time |
| 11,000 Sunstones | $99.99 | one-time |
| Limited Time Pack7 | $99.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Good premise
- 🎨 Nice artwork
- 🕹️ Enjoyable gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🕰️ Slow progression
- 💰 Monetization issues
- 🔍 Confusing UI/menus
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Server connection issues
- Claim rewards button not working
- Talent tree not functioning properly

**Requested features**

- New heroes and features
- Improved offline progression
- Better notification system
- Optimization for F2P players


### Underdark

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/underdarkdefense/id6482025287)

Defend the Eternal Flame from relentless dark forces in this tactical tower defense game. Strategically place towers, choose buffs, and level up your heroes to forge an impenetrable defense. Enjoy one-handed gameplay for strategic fun anytime, anywhere.

**Highlights:** Defend the Eternal Flame, One-handed gameplay, Customize defense strategy, Level up and choose buffs, Hero abilities and enhancements, Earn trophies

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

**In-app purchases (34)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Event Package 1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| daily_package_01 | $0.99 | one-time |
| season_growth_1 | $0.99 | one-time |
| dailyshop_1 | $1.99 | one-time |
| blade_pakcage | $2.99 | one-time |
| daily_package_02 | $2.99 | one-time |
| exp_2x | $3.49 | one-time |
| skin_30501 | $3.49 | one-time |
| Event Package 2 | $3.99 | one-time |
| pet_package | $4.99 | one-time |
| weekly_package_01 | $6.99 | one-time |
| add_speed | $7.49 | one-time |
| pass_hero_115 | $7.49 | one-time |
| pass_hero_102 | $7.49 | one-time |
| pass_hero_110 | $7.49 | one-time |
| season_superpass_1 | $7.99 | one-time |
| pack_remove_ads | $7.99 | one-time |
| daily_package_03 | $7.99 | one-time |
| hero_legend_santa | $8.99 | one-time |
| hero_legend_tower | $8.99 | one-time |
| hero_legend_armor | $8.99 | one-time |
| Event Package 3 | $8.99 | one-time |
| hero_legend_joker | $8.99 | one-time |
| hero_legend_necromancer | $8.99 | one-time |
| hero_legend_chicken | $8.99 | one-time |
| tower_legend_614 | $8.99 | one-time |
| ud_pack_20106 | $8.99 | one-time |
| tower_legend_628 | $8.99 | one-time |
| pack_remove_ads2 | $10.99 | one-time |
| Event Package 4 | $12.99 | one-time |
| season_level_1 | $16.99 | one-time |
| season_stage_1 | $16.99 | one-time |
| Event Package 5 | $17.99 | one-time |
| season_hyperpass_1 | $18.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive gameplay
- 👍 Generous with rewards
- 🚀 Smooth performance
- 👍 No forced ads
- 👍 Unique tower defense mechanics

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Multiplayer issues
- 🔋 Battery drain
- 🔒 Paywall for progression
- 🔒 Excessive microtransactions
- 🔒 Confusing UI with too many menus

**Reported bugs**

- Goblin tower factory causing game slowdown
- Consecutive login rewards reset after updates
- Invisible towers in multiplayer

**Requested features**

- Ability to rotate towers
- Move towers after placement
- More enemy variety and animations
- Improved co-op mode
- Simplified progression system


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Eternal Ember free?

Eternal Ember is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Underdark free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Eternal Ember or Underdark?

Eternal Ember is rated higher. Eternal Ember averages 4.9 out of 5 from 1.9K ratings, while Underdark averages 4.8 from 4.1K ratings.

### Do Eternal Ember or Underdark have ads?

Both Eternal Ember and Underdark show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Eternal Ember or Underdark?

Eternal Ember ships an update every 2 months, and Underdark every 4 days. Most recently, Eternal Ember was updated on October 27, 2026 and Underdark on October 28, 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.*