Comparison

The Shadow Sun vs Arcane Quest Legends 2

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

Head to head
About

The Shadow Sun

Embark on a dark fantasy adventure in this Western action RPG. Explore a detailed world, engage in real-time combat, and uncover an epic story filled with intrigue and danger. Customize your character and make choices that impact the narrative.

Highlights
  • Epic dark fantasy story
  • Visceral real-time combat
  • Deep character customization
  • Multiple quest solutions
  • Companion system
  • Extensive exploration
Features
Read full description

The ultimate Western action RPG has arrived on iOS! Embark on an epic dark fantasy in the grand tradition of great, story-driven RPGs from PC and console, created by veterans of the Neverwinter Nights, Baldur’s Gate, and The Witcher franchises. SLIDE TO PLAY - 4/4 “The Shadow Sun is one of the most captivating experiences I’ve had with a role-playing game in quite some time.” DIGITALLY DOWNLOADED - 4.5/5 “The Shadow Sun floored me from start to finish.” ARCADE SUSHI - 8.5/10 “If you’re a fan of RPGs at all, then The Shadow Sun belongs in your Games folder.” POCKET GAMER - 8/10 (Silver Award) “The Shadow Sun replicates a tabletop RPG experience almost perfectly - right down to the carefully crafted fantasy world in which it's set.” TOUCHARCADE - 4/5 “With a compelling story, plenty of content, and a character customization system that works, Shadow Sun succeeds in its goal as a Western RPG.” APP-S.RU - 4/5 “The Shadow Sun is one of the few truly great RPGs for the iPhone, iPad and in the absence of competitors could easily sit next to Baldur's Gate.” PORTABLE GAMING REGION “The Shadow Sun is pretty much what I imagine a “real” Dragon Age mobile game should be.” ** Featured in Apple’s Best New Games category! ** With The Shadow Sun, Ossian Studios brings together all its expertise from working with Dungeons & Dragons and The Witcher in order to create a deep, story-driven RPG experience for iOS. Prepare yourself for visceral real-time combat, a gorgeously detailed world to adventure in, complex characters to interact with, and an epic tale of an ancient city held within the grip of a mysterious plague. Enter a world that has felt an alien touch upon its sun. An ever-increasing shadow that creeps across the sun's brilliant face, with consequences that are only now becoming horrifically apparent... HOURS OF ADVENTURE • A 10-hour adventure where you explore the decadent imperial city of Shar and the exotic desert lands around it, delving into a story filled with intrigue, danger, and shocking surprises. • Explore over 70 unique areas and uncover 200+ unique items, hidden secrets, and ancient treasures. • A handy journal tracks your quests and a detailed codex notes new characters, places, and creatures you encounter. • An original orchestral soundtrack and amazing soundscape will immerse you into this dark fantasy world. TRUE ROLE-PLAYING • Create your own male or female character and customize their attributes and appearance. • Choose from among 30 attacks, spells, and skills to suit your favourite play style, and develop those abilities exactly how you want as the game progresses. • Solve quests in multiple ways and have new NPC dialogue options open up depending on your skills. • Ally with one of four companions to adventure alongside you, each with their own personality and abilities, and win their friendship or suffer their disapproval depending on your choices. • Adopt a faithful dog companion to fight by your side. UNIVERSAL APP Play on any of these supported devices, with graphics that scale with the device. • iPad 1, iPad 2, iPad 3, iPad 4, iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad mini with Retina display • iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5c, iPhone 5s • iPod touch 3, iPod touch 4, iPod touch 5 * In-app purchases are purely optional! * The 3 starter packs are optional DLC that have extra content and quests, none of which are required to enjoy the game. The in-depth hint guide also provides a full walkthrough and gameplay tips, along with details on companions, secrets, monsters, and other helpful information. Visit our official site for more news and info about The Shadow Sun: http://www.ossianstudios.com/ Drop by our forums and talk directly with the development team: http://www.ossianstudios.com/forum/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OssianStudios Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/OssianStudios YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/OssianStudios

About

Arcane Quest Legends 2

Embark on an epic action RPG journey across diverse timelines as a Soul Collector. Experience enhanced hack & slash combat, deep character customization without classes, and a vast universe that can be explored offline. Purchase additional areas to continue your adventure.

Highlights
  • Offline gameplay
  • Hack & Slash combat
  • Timeline traversal
  • Classless character customization
  • 3D visuals
  • In-app purchases for additional areas
Features
Read full description

Embark on an epic journey across the realms of time in the highly anticipated sequel to the critically acclaimed Arcane Quest Legends. Get ready for an immersive action RPG, Hack & Slash experience as you delve into the depths of the Underworld, where the consequences of a fateful bargain come to light. UNLEASH YOUR SOUL, TRAVERSE TIMELINES: ▪ Witness the aftermath of a hero's pact with Death. In Arcane Quest Legends 2, you are now a Soul Collector, bound by the chains of destiny. ▪ Traverse diverse timelines, each with its own unique challenges, from the mystical realms of fantasy to the lawless lands of the Wild West. Immerse yourself in samurai duels, swashbuckling pirate adventures, futuristic sci-fi showdowns, and more. ENHANCED GAMEPLAY, CLASSIC RPG ACTION: ▪ The core hack & slash mechanics return with enhanced features. Engage in thrilling combat against a myriad of foes, using your skills and upgraded equipment to conquer the challenges that each era presents. ▪ Immerse yourself in stunning 3D visuals that bring each timeline to life, showcasing the evolution of the Arcane Quest universe. EXPANDED CHARACTER CUSTOMIZATION: ▪ Define your hero without constraints! No predetermined classes—become a magical warrior, a healing ranger, or any fusion you desire. ▪ Tailor abilities and equipment to your playstyle across diverse timelines. Shape your legend freely—your hero, your rules. A VAST UNIVERSE AWAITS, NO INTERNET REQUIRED: ▪ Immerse yourself in the Arcane Quest Legends 2 experience anytime, anywhere. No internet connection is required to explore the vast universe and face the challenges that await in each era. IN-APP PURCHASES, YOUR CHOICE: ▪ Embark on the first part of your soul-collecting journey for free. If you enjoy the game, purchase subsequent areas as you progress, and dive deeper into the rich narrative. ▪ No tricky money grabbing schemes, consumable IAPs are absolutely optional and only if you need a boost to complete your adventure Visit our official site at https://arcane-quest.com Check out the developer’s blog at https://nexgamestudios.com Don't forget to follow us on social media: ▪ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/arcanequestlegends2 ▪ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nexgamestudios ▪ X: https://x.com/NexGameStudios

Screenshots

The Shadow Sun4 screens
Arcane Quest Legends 24 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Arcane Quest Legends 2 at Free against The Shadow Sun's $0.99. Arcane Quest Legends 2 also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 3 months). The Shadow Sun's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (8.1 vs 15.0). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and in-app purchases 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

Arcane Quest Legends 2 is free to download; The Shadow Sun costs $0.99 up front. The Shadow Sun sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Arcane Quest Legends 2 sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.5 for The Shadow Sun against 4.4 for Arcane Quest Legends 2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 62 and 32 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of The Shadow Sun's written reviews are positive against 77% of Arcane Quest Legends 2's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The Shadow Sun ships an update every 3 months, Arcane Quest Legends 2 daily. Both last shipped on October 17, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
The Shadow Sun versus Arcane Quest Legends 2: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe Shadow SunArcane Quest Legends 2
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating4.5 (62 ratings) — better4.4 (32 ratings)
Positive reviews75.1% of reviews77.1% of reviews — better
Number of ratings62 — better32
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsDaily — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.1 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size797 MB1.5 GB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperOssian Studios Inc.Nex Game Studios OU

Customer experience

The Shadow Sun

All ratings62 ratings
Positive82.3%
Neutral12.9%
Negative4.8%
Written reviews257 reviews
Positive75.1%
Neutral8.9%
Negative16.0%

Arcane Quest Legends 2

All ratings30 ratings
Positive83.3%
Neutral6.7%
Negative10.0%
Written reviews35 reviews
Positive77.1%
Neutral5.7%
Negative17.1%

User reviews

The Shadow Sun

From 62 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Engaging story and gameplay
  • 🎨 Impressive graphics and atmosphere
  • 💰 Good value for the price
  • 🕹️ Smooth and responsive controls
  • 🔍 Enjoyable exploration and side quests

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 🕹️ Clunky camera and navigation
  • ⏱️ Game felt too short for some
  • 🔍 Lack of mini-map or waypoints

Arcane Quest Legends 2

From 32 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great gameplay
  • 🚀 Smooth performance
  • 💎 Excellent value for money
  • 🌟 Engaging story and dialogue

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bugs and glitches
  • 🔍 Poor camera angles and auto-targeting
  • ⏱️ Lack of save system and progress loss
  • 📱 Suboptimal touch controls

Bugs and requests

The Shadow Sun

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes when saving or entering certain areas
  • Inventory and equipment issues
  • Compatibility problems on older devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Multiplayer or co-op mode
  • More character customization options
  • Larger open world and expanded content
  • Improved UI and quality-of-life features

Arcane Quest Legends 2

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Forced restart after mission failure
  • Progression points not clearly indicated

Requested features

3 requests
  • Add controller support
  • Implement multiple save points
  • Add language options (e.g., traditional Chinese)

In-app purchases

4 purchases

The Shadow Sun

One-time4
  • Hint Guide$0.99
  • Warrior Starter Pack$0.99
  • Rogue Starter Pack$0.99
Show 1 more
  • Mage Starter Pack$0.99
11 purchases

Arcane Quest Legends 2

One-time11
  • Consumables Pack 1$0.99
  • REMOVE ADS$1.99
  • AREA PACK 1$1.99
Show 8 more
  • AREA PACK 3$1.99
  • AREA PACK 2$1.99
  • Consumables Pack 2$1.99
  • Consumables Pack 3$2.99
  • ULTIMATE AREA BUNDLE$3.99
  • Consumables Pack 4$4.99
  • Consumables Pack 5$8.99
  • Consumables Pack 6$12.99

Questions

Is The Shadow Sun free?
The Shadow Sun costs $0.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is Arcane Quest Legends 2 free?
Arcane Quest Legends 2 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, The Shadow Sun or Arcane Quest Legends 2?
The Shadow Sun is rated higher. The Shadow Sun averages 4.5 out of 5 from 62 ratings, while Arcane Quest Legends 2 averages 4.4 from 32 ratings.
Do The Shadow Sun or Arcane Quest Legends 2 have ads?
Arcane Quest Legends 2 shows ads; The Shadow Sun does not.
Which is updated more often, The Shadow Sun or Arcane Quest Legends 2?
The Shadow Sun ships an update every 3 months, and Arcane Quest Legends 2 daily. Most recently, The Shadow Sun was updated on October 17, 2026 and Arcane Quest Legends 2 on October 17, 2026.

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