# Neuroshima Hex vs HardBack

The clearest difference is rating: HardBack at 3.8 against Neuroshima Hex's 2.9. HardBack also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and price ($4.99 vs $6.99). Neuroshima Hex's advantage is review sentiment (75% vs 54%). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and chart position there is nothing between them.

Neuroshima Hex costs $6.99 and HardBack $4.99 up front. Neuroshima Hex sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. HardBack asks for nothing beyond the download.

HardBack holds the better App Store score, 3.8 against 2.9. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 72 and 39 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 75% of Neuroshima Hex's written reviews are positive against 54% of HardBack's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Neuroshima Hex ships an update every 3 weeks, HardBack every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Neuroshima Hex | HardBack |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $6.99 | **$4.99** |
| Rating | [2.9 (72 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/neuroshima-hex/id391297152/reviews) | **[3.8 (39 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardback/id1377791842/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **72** | 39 |
| Positive reviews | **75.0% of reviews** | 53.7% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | #63 | **#62** |
| Size | 207 MB | 281 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Portal Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/1251884458) | [Fowers Games Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1131388980) |

## What reviewers say

### Neuroshima Hex

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/neuroshima-hex/id391297152)

**Currently charting:** #63 Top Paid · Board, #179 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

Engage in tactical warfare in a post-apocalyptic world. Choose from four unique factions and battle opponents in a fast-paced, strategic game. Play solo against AI or challenge others in asynchronous multiplayer.

**Highlights:** 4 unique factions with distinct strategies, Single-player vs AI, Asynchronous cross-platform multiplayer, 3 AI difficulty levels, In-game tutorial and manual, Based on the tabletop board game

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| New York | $4.99 | one-time |
| Smart | $4.99 | one-time |
| Vegas | $4.99 | one-time |
| Steel Police | $4.99 | one-time |
| Mississippi | $4.99 | one-time |
| Neojungle | $4.99 | one-time |
| Dancer | $4.99 | one-time |
| Sharrash | $4.99 | one-time |
| Doomsday Machine | $4.99 | one-time |
| The Bundle of Five Armies | $29.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent strategy game
- 👍 Great implementation of board game
- 🚀 Smooth gameplay
- 👍 Intuitive controls
- 👍 Challenging AI

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and bugs
- 🐛 Slow AI turns
- 🔒 Missing online multiplayer
- 👎 Expensive in-app purchases for new armies
- 👎 Cluttered UI

**Reported bugs**

- Crashes and freezes
- Inability to discard tiles
- Incorrect scoring for certain damage
- Broken 3 and 4 player modes
- Incompatibility with newer iOS versions

**Requested features**

- Online multiplayer
- Campaign or story mode
- Ability to view unit details during gameplay
- Restore previously purchased content
- More balanced factions


### HardBack

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardback/id1377791842)

**Currently charting:** #62 Top Paid · Card, #75 Top Paid · Board (US App Store)

Build a deck of letters to craft words and earn prestige in this unique word game. Specialize in genres, push your luck for extra cards, and race to become a celebrated 19th-century novelist. Challenge AI opponents or play with friends.

**Highlights:** Deck-building with letter cards, Genre specialization for bonuses, Push-your-luck card drawing, Hotseat and online multiplayer, AI opponents, Hardcore mode with no word repeats

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Neuroshima Hex free?

Neuroshima Hex costs $6.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is HardBack free?

HardBack costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Neuroshima Hex or HardBack?

HardBack is rated higher. Neuroshima Hex averages 2.9 out of 5 from 72 ratings, while HardBack averages 3.8 from 39 ratings.

### Do Neuroshima Hex or HardBack have ads?

Neither Neuroshima Hex nor HardBack shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Neuroshima Hex or HardBack?

Neuroshima Hex ships an update every 3 weeks, and HardBack every 2 weeks. Most recently, Neuroshima Hex was updated on September 28, 2026 and HardBack on September 29, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Neuroshima Hex or HardBack?

Neuroshima Hex currently peaks at #63 in the App Store charts, and HardBack at #62. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*