# Dark Meadow vs DODONPACHI MAXIMUM The clearest difference is price: Dark Meadow at Free against DODONPACHI MAXIMUM's $3.99. Dark Meadow also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months) and ratings volume (6.6K vs 53). DODONPACHI MAXIMUM's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10) and rating (4.8 vs 4.4). On ads and device support there is nothing between them. Dark Meadow is free to download; DODONPACHI MAXIMUM costs $3.99 up front. Dark Meadow sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. DODONPACHI MAXIMUM asks for nothing beyond the download. DODONPACHI MAXIMUM holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Dark Meadow has 6.6K ratings behind it against 53, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 81% of Dark Meadow's written reviews are positive against 72% of DODONPACHI MAXIMUM's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about. Dark Meadow ships an update every 9 days, DODONPACHI MAXIMUM every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively. ## The numbers | Metric | Dark Meadow | DODONPACHI MAXIMUM | | --- | --- | --- | | Price | **Free** | $3.99 | | Rating | [4.4 (6.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-meadow-the-pact/id511192872/reviews) | **[4.8 (53 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dodonpachi-maximum/id559748568/reviews)** | | Number of ratings | **6.6K** | 53 | | Positive reviews | **81.3% of reviews** | 72.5% of reviews | | In-app purchases | Yes | **No** | | Ads | No | No | | Update frequency | **Every 9 days** | Every 2 months | | Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid | | Size | 547 MB | 393 MB | | Requires iOS | **4.0** | 11.0 | | Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod | | Age rating | 12+ | 9+ | | Developer | [Phosphor Games Studio, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/452823335) | [CAVE CO.,LTD.](https://appshunter.io/developer/363969664) | ## What reviewers say ### Dark Meadow [App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-meadow-the-pact/id511192872) Explore a decaying hospital in a dark fairytale mystery. Engage in thrilling combat with gesture-based controls, uncover secrets, and upgrade your gear. This visually stunning adventure offers a gripping story and atmospheric gameplay. **Highlights:** Visually stunning Unreal 3 engine graphics, Mature dark fairytale plot, Gesture-based combat (crossbow and sword), Deep exploration and item discovery, In-world storytelling and acting, RPG elements for character progression **Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support **In-app purchases (10)** | Purchase | Price | Billing | | --- | --- | --- | | 35,000 Gold Pieces | $0.99 | one-time | | 100 Sun Coins | $0.99 | one-time | | 100,000 Gold Pieces | $1.99 | one-time | | 210 Sun Coins | $1.99 | one-time | | Premium Upgrade | $1.99 | one-time | | 300,000 Gold Pieces | $4.99 | one-time | | 550 Sun Coins | $4.99 | one-time | | 800,000 Gold Pieces | $9.99 | one-time | | 1250 Sun Coins | $9.99 | one-time | | 2,000,000 Gold Pieces | $19.99 | one-time | **What reviewers like** - 🚀 Great graphics - 👍 Engaging story and characters - 🎮 Unique and immersive gameplay - 💎 Creepy and atmospheric **What reviewers complain about** - 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches - 🤑 Aggressive monetization through in-app purchases - 🕹ī¸ Repetitive combat and gameplay loop - 🔋 High battery consumption **Reported bugs** - Crashes on startup or during gameplay - Inability to pick up items in certain areas - Inconsistent controls and camera movement - Compatibility issues on newer devices **Requested features** - Update for newer iOS versions - More varied enemy types and combat mechanics - Ability to save progress and resume later - Optimization for larger screens like iPhone 5 ### DODONPACHI MAXIMUM [App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dodonpachi-maximum/id559748568) Experience intense bullet-hell action with this mobile shooter. Navigate through overwhelming enemy fire with intuitive one-finger controls. Features include multiple difficulty modes and a remixed soundtrack. **Highlights:** One-finger controls, Bullet-hell gameplay, Easy and Normal modes, Remixed soundtrack, Combo system **Features:** macOS Compatibility **In-app purchases:** none **What reviewers like** - ✨ Classic bullet hell gameplay - 👍 Smooth controls on touchscreens - đŸŽļ Engaging music and sound design - 🕹ī¸ Challenging difficulty for experts - đŸ‘ļ Beginner-friendly options available **What reviewers complain about** - 🐛 Screen glitches/bugs on newer iOS - 📉 Graphics can be repetitive/plain - ⚠ī¸ Some users find it too difficult - 💸 High price point for some - 🕹ī¸ Control issues on certain devices **Reported bugs** - Screen glitches after iOS updates (especially iOS 18) - Graphics breaking/rendering issues - Game Center achievements not unlocking - Screen shifted upwards, making parts inaccessible - Game not displaying correctly on iPad Mini 2024 **Requested features** - Adjustable screen size - Option to disable letterboxing - More varied backgrounds - Improved Game Center integration/achievements - Support for older devices/iOS versions ## Frequently asked questions ### Is Dark Meadow free? Dark Meadow is free to download, with in-app purchases available. ### Is DODONPACHI MAXIMUM free? DODONPACHI MAXIMUM costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases. ### Which has better reviews, Dark Meadow or DODONPACHI MAXIMUM? DODONPACHI MAXIMUM is rated higher. Dark Meadow averages 4.4 out of 5 from 6.6K ratings, while DODONPACHI MAXIMUM averages 4.8 from 53 ratings. ### Do Dark Meadow or DODONPACHI MAXIMUM have ads? Neither Dark Meadow nor DODONPACHI MAXIMUM shows ads. ### Which is updated more often, Dark Meadow or DODONPACHI MAXIMUM? Dark Meadow ships an update every 9 days, and DODONPACHI MAXIMUM every 2 months. Most recently, Dark Meadow was updated on October 19, 2026 and DODONPACHI MAXIMUM on October 21, 2026. --- *Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*