NetHack vs Area 52 Escape
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
NetHack
Embark on a legendary dungeon-crawling adventure with this classic roguelike game. Explore vast levels, battle monsters, and uncover hidden secrets. Enjoy a faithful port with modern touch controls and graphical options.
- ASCII or graphics mode
- Touch-based movement and commands
- Gesture-based command system
- Pinch-to-zoom graphics
- Faithful NetHack experience
- Multiple tile sets
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One of the deepest, richest gameplay found in any game on any platform, NetHack is a cult classic since its release in 1987, and has since spawned many descendants (including Diablo). gandreas software now presents this classic for the iPhone/iPod Touch: - Playable in either "ASCII" mode, or graphics mode (just rotate the device to switch) - Obscure keyboard commands replaced with a simple taps for movement, or a handy command picker. - Commands can also be activated by a unique gesture based command - want to search for a secret door? Swipe across the top of the play area (all the gestures are shown on the command picker for easy reference) - Graphics can be zoomed in/out via pinch - Completely faithful NetHack experience (all the levels, monsters, potions, scrolls, etc...) - iPhone UI - standard scrolling lists, pickers, etc... - Multiple tiles sets, from the classic to the sublime - Never see a keyboard unless you are doing something like typing in a name! Can you retrieve the Amulet of Yendor and return to the surface?
Area 52 Escape
Experience a retro first-person shooter inspired by classic FPS games. Battle aliens with a variety of weapons and power-ups in a humorous, fast-paced adventure. Explore new levels and content through free updates.
- Retro first-person shooter gameplay
- Fast-paced action
- Multiple alien enemies
- Arsenal of weapons
- Unique power-ups
- Chapter-based levels with secret areas
- Free updates with new content
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Retro first person shooter! This app is based on the original Wolf3D code by the godfather of FPS John Carmack (id). If you long for a game that brings that retro feel, this is it. Originally published in 2009 which was derived from the game that started the FPS genre Wolfentein 3D. This was based on a pet project to bring it to the iphone. Our team had lovingly created all new art, animations, levels, weapons, sounds while painstakingly keeping with the original style and capabilities. If you're looking for a game that brings the classic retro feel, this is it! Backstory: Area 52 is a humorous first person shooter (FPS) in a classic retro graphic style and feel that runs FAST and SMOOTH. You are a janitor at a super secret government research facility and something has gone very wrong! Aliens are running rampant throughout the facility - can you stop them before it's too late? Make BJ proud and kick some alien butt! Start off with just your Mop and save the world! Area 52 Game features: -Fast paced first person action! -Intuitive and fluid controls so you can focus on the FUN! -Multiple alien enemies each with their own personalities! -An arsenal of weapons to find including your trusty janitor mop! -Unique experimental and alien artifact power-ups! Chapter 1 - A ten (10) level adventure into Area 52! - 8 Challenging primary levels to kick alien butt! - 1 Super Secret Level to seek out for the ultimate rewards! - 1 Big Boss Level to put you to the test with an Alien Boss! - More bosses, weapons, and aliens released in free updates - Future chapters will include new levels and other additional content Join the GameMonger community at www.GameMonger.com - Discuss and contribute ideas to future updates - Enter contests to win a place in our games and gaming history! Check out more games at www.GameMonger.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Area 52 Escape at 4.0 against NetHack's 2.8. Area 52 Escape also leads on review sentiment (67% vs 25%). NetHack's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and ratings volume (1K vs 32). On price, 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
Both are free to download. Area 52 Escape sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. NetHack asks for nothing beyond the download.
Area 52 Escape holds the better App Store score, 4.0 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: NetHack has 1K ratings behind it against 32, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 25% of NetHack's written reviews are positive against 67% of Area 52 Escape's.
| Parameter | NetHack | Area 52 Escape |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 2.8 (1K ratings) | 4.0 (32 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 25.0% of reviews | 66.7% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1K — better | 32 |
| Update frequency | — | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 2.2 — better | 14.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 32 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | gandreas software | GameMonger LLC |
Customer experience
NetHack
Area 52 Escape
Bugs and requests
NetHack
Reported bugs
4 issues- Crashes on call/exit
- Unable to recover from crashes
- Freezes on character creation
- Compatibility problems with iPhone 6 and iOS 8+
Requested features
4 requests- Update to support latest iOS versions
- Add option to edit configuration files
- Implement multiple character support
- Improve stability and save functionality
Area 52 Escape
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
NetHack
No in-app purchases
Area 52 Escape
- RemoveAds$1.99
Questions
Is NetHack free?
Is Area 52 Escape free?
Which has better reviews, NetHack or Area 52 Escape?
Do NetHack or Area 52 Escape have ads?
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