Recursion vs Mystery Box 5
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Recursion
Embark on a mind-bending puzzle adventure where you're trapped in a repeating time loop. Use your wits and a special device to solve mysteries, find clues, and shut down a machine before the loop resets. This compact mystery game offers challenging puzzles and a unique narrative.
- Time-loop mechanic
- First-person point and click adventure
- Mystery and puzzle solving
- Clue finding
- Hint system
- Immersive soundtrack and sound effects
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Enter a mind-bending first-person puzzle adventure. Explore mysterious rooms, solve glitches, and navigate a time loop to uncover the truth. Something is wrong. All of this has happened before, and it will all happen again. Explore a strange, glitch-filled facility and uncover the secrets hidden within Recursion. Features: • Immersive first-person escape room gameplay • Mind-bending riddles, hidden clues, and layered mysteries • The Glitch Camera — capture details and reveal secrets others miss • Intuitive controls for a smooth, engaging experience • No ads, no interruptions — just pure puzzle adventure Can you escape the glitch? Download Recursion now and dive into a sci-fi puzzle adventure unlike any other! From Glitch Games, a small indie team crafting unique memory puzzles, point-and-click mysteries, and immersive story experiences. Follow us for updates, news, and behind-the-scenes content: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlitchGames/ Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/glitch.games Newsletter: https://glitch.games/newsletter Twitter: https://x.com/GlitchGames Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theglitchgames/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GlitchGames
Mystery Box 5
Embark on an unforgettable puzzle adventure exploring intricate boxes filled with enigmas and brain-teasing challenges. Enjoy a captivating soundtrack and get hints when you're stuck. Share your achievements with friends and the community.
- Intricate puzzle boxes
- Brain-teasing challenges
- Captivating soundtrack
- Hint system
- Share achievements
- Elements Stone extra challenge
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"Another masterpiece by XSGames!" "Fun is guaranteed" "It gives you the sensation of being genuinely confined in a room" ——————————•—————————— A UNFORGETTABLE PUZZLE ADVENTURE Explore a new series of intricate boxes filled with alluring enigmas and brain-teasing challenges that will leave you a lasting impression THE ELEMENTS STONE Unlock all 10 boxes of the game and play this extra challenge in the room of the Elements Stone EXCEPTIONAL GAME DESIGN With a straightforward user interface and captivating puzzles, this game promises an engaging experience that expertly balances challenge and entertainment, keeping you engaged for hours. THE FIRST 3 LEVELS ARE FREE Try the game by playing the first three boxes, unlock the full game with a cheap In-App Purchase A CAPTIVATING SOUNDTRACK Each Box has its music theme, for you to play this adventure in a transcendental way GOT STUCK? Click the bulb button in the scene to get a hint that will help you solve the puzzles. In case you got really stuck on a puzzle, feel free to get in touch with the developer at xsgames.co to get some more hints SHARE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS Let your community and friends know what you're playing and how far you've gone in this escape room adventure! ——————————•—————————— XSGames is an independent solo startup from Italy. Find out more at xsgames.co Follow @xsgames_ on X and Instagram
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Mystery Box 5 at Free against Recursion's $3.99. Recursion's advantage is rating (4.2 vs 3.6) and in-app purchases (none vs 3). On ratings volume, ads and device support 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
Mystery Box 5 is free to download; Recursion costs $3.99 up front. Mystery Box 5 sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Recursion asks for nothing beyond the download.
Recursion holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 3.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 67 and 34 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 65% of Recursion's written reviews are positive against 33% of Mystery Box 5's.
Recursion ships an update every 2 weeks, Mystery Box 5 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 24, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Recursion | Mystery Box 5 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $3.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.2 (67 ratings) — better | 3.6 (34 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 64.7% of reviews — better | 33.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 67 — better | 34 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 550 MB | 439 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | Glitch Games | XSGames |
Customer experience
Recursion
Mystery Box 5
Bugs and requests
Recursion
Reported bugs
4 issues- Lift doors in chapter 3 wouldn't open
- Wireless controller doesn't appear
- Game crashes on start-up
- Stuck in the elevator (potential bug)
Requested features
6 requests- Add a setting to remove the time loop
- Option to disable the timer
- Longer game duration
- Richer story content
- More variety in game environments (less industrial)
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- Sequels to previous games (Veritas, All That Remains)
Mystery Box 5
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Recursion
No in-app purchases
Mystery Box 5
- Unlock All levels$3.99
- Unlock All levels + Coffee$4.99
- Unlock All levels + Love$7.99
