# Silversword vs Bleak Sword

The clearest difference is price: Bleak Sword at Free against Silversword's $3.99. Bleak Sword also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 11) and ratings volume (899 vs 263). Silversword's advantage is rating (4.8 vs 4.5) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 8 months). On review sentiment, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Bleak Sword is free to download; Silversword costs $3.99 up front. Silversword sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. Bleak Sword asks for nothing beyond the download.

Silversword holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 263 and 899 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 87% of Silversword's written reviews are positive against 80% of Bleak Sword's.

Silversword ships an update every 2 months, Bleak Sword every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Silversword | Bleak Sword |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | **[4.8 (263 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/silversword/id470888383/reviews)** | [4.5 (899 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bleak-sword/id1403554793/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 263 | **899** |
| Positive reviews | **86.9% of reviews** | 79.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 8 months |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Size | 186 MB | 467 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple TV** |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Mario J. Gaida](https://appshunter.io/developer/355725696) | [Devolver Digital, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/457410262) |

## What reviewers say

### Silversword

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/silversword/id470888383)

Embark on a classic fantasy role-playing adventure in a world filled with evil. Assemble a party of heroes, master spells and skills, and explore vast lands with countless hours of gameplay. An expansion adds new challenges and content.

**Highlights:** 7 races with unique abilities, 12 classes with distinct skills, Over 400 unique items, 120+ spells, songs, and prayers, 220+ unique monsters, Nearly 70 different maps, Integrated automap and quest log

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

**In-app purchases (11)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Bag of 10,000 Gold | $0.99 | one-time |
| Potion of Divine Restoration | $0.99 | one-time |
| Crystal of Safety | $0.99 | one-time |
| Small Vault Expansion | $0.99 | one-time |
| Bag of 50,000 Gold | $1.99 | one-time |
| Parcel Service | $1.99 | one-time |
| Large Vault Expansion | $1.99 | one-time |
| Silversword Compendium | $2.99 | one-time |
| Bag of 100,000 Gold | $2.99 | one-time |
| Rise Of The Dragons | $4.99 | one-time |
| Bag of 500,000 Gold | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Classic RPG experience
- 👍 Engaging gameplay
- 💎 Excellent value for money
- 🎮 Nostalgic throwback to Bard's Tale
- 🕹️ Challenging dungeon crawling

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional crashes or bugs
- 🔍 Unclear game mechanics
- 🗺️ Confusing navigation at times
- 🕹️ Steep learning curve

**Reported bugs**

- Shop crashes on some devices
- Inventory management issues

**Requested features**

- Expanded character classes and races
- More detailed tutorials or guidance
- Improved map and navigation features
- Multiplayer or co-op functionality


### Bleak Sword

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bleak-sword/id1403554793)

Embark on a dark fantasy adventure across cursed diorama battlefields. Battle creatures through nine chapters, lifting a legendary curse by upgrading your hero with magic and items. Challenge yourself further in Arena Mode with unlockable achievements.

**Highlights:** Diorama battlefields, Nine tense chapters, Powerful magic invocation, Item discovery, Character leveling and stat upgrades, Arena Mode, Unlockable achievements

**Features:** With Apple Arcade, Game Controller support, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and responsive controls
- 👍 Satisfying combat mechanics
- 🎨 Unique and atmospheric pixel art style
- 🕹️ Challenging but fair gameplay
- 🕰️ Suitable for short play sessions

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional save data loss issues
- 🔍 Difficulty in tracking character on screen
- 🤕 Overly punishing difficulty curve
- 🧠 Lack of progression and upgrade systems
- 🔍 Blurry visuals on some devices

**Reported bugs**

- Controls becoming unresponsive after app switch
- Inconsistent blocking mechanics

**Requested features**

- Landscape mode support for tablets
- Ability to skip credits after first completion
- More enemy and boss variety
- Customizable controls
- Expanded story and lore


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Silversword free?

Silversword costs $3.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is Bleak Sword free?

Bleak Sword is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Silversword or Bleak Sword?

Silversword is rated higher. Silversword averages 4.8 out of 5 from 263 ratings, while Bleak Sword averages 4.5 from 899 ratings.

### Do Silversword or Bleak Sword have ads?

Neither Silversword nor Bleak Sword shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Silversword or Bleak Sword?

Silversword ships an update every 2 months, and Bleak Sword every 8 months. Most recently, Silversword was updated on September 21, 2026 and Bleak Sword on September 20, 2026.

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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.*