Comparison

Area 52 Escape vs Puzzling Peaks EXE

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

Head to head
About

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.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

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

About

Puzzling Peaks EXE

Experience a unique blend of pinball, platforming, and golf in this physics-based puzzle adventure. Guide a spherical hero through over 100 handcrafted challenges by manipulating the environment. Enjoy a charming postmodern story with intentional and unintentional comedy.

Highlights
  • Pinball, platforming, and golf hybrid gameplay
  • Physics-based puzzle mechanics
  • Rotate platforms to launch hero
  • Over 100 handcrafted challenges
  • Unique postmodern storytelling
  • Stunning pixel art and music
Features
Read full description

Pinball, platforming, and golf combine in Puzzling Peaks EXE, a hilariously mind-bending physics puzzle game about a spherical hero named Knightly, a highly confident administrator named Jasmin, and a quirky, artificially intelligent guide named A.I.D.E. INNOVATIVE STORYTELLING The unique recipe for storytelling that handed us several industry accolades is refined and expanded upon to craft a memorable tale for Puzzling Peaks EXE. We use a combination of stunning pixel art, music, and unique narrative techniques to paint a charming postmodern story that will keep players intrigued and entertained until the end. 100+ HANDCRAFTED CHALLENGES This game features a distinct gameplay mechanic: our hero cannot move on his own, so you’ll have to rotate platforms and manipulate environments to launch him around a beautiful 16-bit world. You'll need logic, brainpower, quick reflexes, and unconditional trust in A.I.D.E. to pass more than a hundred highly polished levels. You’ll be surprised that it doesn’t get old. INTENTIONAL AND UNINTENTIONAL COMEDY Our testers have been enjoying some of the game’s philosophical jokes, and moments that weren’t meant to be jokes. NO ADS AND NO IN-APP PURCHASES Buy once and play it forever. You can spend the rest of your life just playing this game if you really want to. POSSIBLY SPOOKY This game may contain horror elements and digital beings that could scare you. Given the history of our games, it wouldn’t surprise us anymore.

Screenshots

Area 52 Escape4 screens
Puzzling Peaks EXE4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Area 52 Escape at Free against Puzzling Peaks EXE's $1.99. Puzzling Peaks EXE's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 3.9) and in-app purchases (none vs 1). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Area 52 Escape is free to download; Puzzling Peaks EXE costs $1.99 up front. Area 52 Escape sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Puzzling Peaks EXE asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Puzzling Peaks EXE holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 30 and 59 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 67% of Area 52 Escape's written reviews are positive against 94% of Puzzling Peaks EXE's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Area 52 Escape ships an update monthly, Puzzling Peaks EXE every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on September 9, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard7 real differences · 3 level
Area 52 Escape versus Puzzling Peaks EXE: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArea 52 EscapePuzzling Peaks EXE
PriceFree — better$1.99
Rating3.9 (30 ratings)4.9 (59 ratings) — better
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews94.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings3059 — better
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 2 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.012.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB57 MB
Age rating9+12+
DeveloperGameMonger LLCDarius Immanuel Guerrero

Customer experience

Area 52 Escape

All ratings30 ratings
Positive66.7%
Neutral16.7%
Negative16.7%
Written reviews24 reviews
Positive66.7%
Neutral12.5%
Negative20.8%

Puzzling Peaks EXE

All ratings59 ratings
Positive98.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative1.7%
Written reviews34 reviews
Positive94.1%
Neutral0.0%
Negative5.9%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Area 52 Escape

One-time1
  • RemoveAds$1.99
None

Puzzling Peaks EXE

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Area 52 Escape free?
Area 52 Escape is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Puzzling Peaks EXE free?
Puzzling Peaks EXE costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Area 52 Escape or Puzzling Peaks EXE?
Puzzling Peaks EXE is rated higher. Area 52 Escape averages 3.9 out of 5 from 30 ratings, while Puzzling Peaks EXE averages 4.9 from 59 ratings.
Do Area 52 Escape or Puzzling Peaks EXE have ads?
Neither Area 52 Escape nor Puzzling Peaks EXE shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Area 52 Escape or Puzzling Peaks EXE?
Area 52 Escape ships an update monthly, and Puzzling Peaks EXE every 2 days. Most recently, Area 52 Escape was updated on September 9, 2026 and Puzzling Peaks EXE on September 22, 2026.

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