Comparison

Baldur's Gate vs DRAGON QUEST VIII

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

Head to head
About

Baldur's Gate

Embark on an epic roleplaying adventure set in a world on the brink of war. Customize your hero, assemble a party of companions, and explore a vast continent filled with mystery and danger. This enhanced edition includes the original campaign and new stories, with additional content available for purchase.

Highlights
  • Original 60-hour adventure
  • Tales of the Sword Coast expansion
  • The Black Pits arena battles
  • Brothers Lost questline
  • Improved interface and dynamic zooming
  • New character portraits and voice sets
Features
Read full description

This game is optimized for tablets and not recommended for phones with screen sizes under 7 inches. Your journey begins as all great cRPG tales once did: quietly, within the walls of home, before fate tears everything open. Forced from the safety of Candlekeep under mysterious circumstances, you’re thrust into a conflict that threatens to ignite the Sword Coast. Your world has always been limited to the fortress library’s ancient halls, where your foster father, Gorion, worked tirelessly to shield you from dangers you never understood. All of that is about to change, setting you on the path that made Baldur’s Gate a legend. Baldur’s Gate: Enhanced Edition brings you back to the golden age of 90s cRPGs, steeped in the world of Dungeons & Dragons. Customize your hero, gather a band of memorable companions, and roam the Sword Coast in search of adventure, fortune, and long‑buried truths. Enjoy over 75 hours of classic Baldur’s Gate gameplay, including the full original campaign, the beloved Tales of the Sword Coast expansion, and a new arena mode for those who crave a challenge. Classic Campaign: The original Baldur’s Gate adventure, faithfully preserved Expansion: Tales of the Sword Coast, the iconic 90s add‑on Classic‑Style Challenges: The Black Pits, a new arena of tactical battles Refined Difficulty Options: Story Mode for relaxed exploration; Legacy of Bhaal for veterans seeking a brutal, old‑school test Brothers Lost: Help Rasaad yn Bashir, the Sun Soul Monk, as he scours the Cloud Peaks in search of his lost brother. The 1998 classic returns with thoughtful refinements that make it smoother to play today while keeping its soul untouched. The following content is available for in-app purchase: Neera and the Red Wizards: Save the wild mage Neera from the machinations of Thay’s dreaded Red Wizards. Path of the Bloodied: Join the blackguard Dorn Il-Khan in taking revenge against those who betrayed him in Luskan. Gallery of Heroes: Reimagine your character with eleven new character portraits from Icewind Dale artist Jason Manley. New voice sets to further customize your character.

About

DRAGON QUEST VIII

Embark on an epic 3D adventure in a cursed kingdom. Recruit a party of unique companions, master a deep combat system with tension and skill points, and explore a vast world filled with monsters to tame and items to craft. Enjoy all content in a single purchase.

Highlights
  • Full 3D world exploration
  • Streamlined touch controls
  • Tension System for powerful attacks
  • Skill Point customization
  • Monster team recruitment and battles
  • Alchemy Pot for item crafting
  • In-game casino with mini-games
Currently charting
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The phenomenally popular DRAGON QUEST VIII has sold 4.9 million units worldwide, and now it's coming to the iPhone and iPad for the first time! This was the first title in the series to be presented in full 3D, and its exquisitely detailed world has to be seen to be believed! Set off on an unforgettable adventure with Yangus, the bandit with a heart of gold, Jessica, the high-born magical minx, and Angelo, knight and lothario, by your side! Everything you need is here in a single package! Once the app is downloaded, there's no more to pay, as every last shred of content is yours to enjoy. So get ready to play the epic that is DRAGON QUEST VIII from beginning to end—and far beyond! Prologue Legends tell of an ancient sceptre, within which is sealed a fearsome power... When the relic's long-dormant magics are awoken by the treachery of a malign magician, an entire kingdom falls into a cursed slumber, prompting a young soldier to embark on an unforgettable journey... Game Features – Simple, Accessible Controls The control system has been streamlined to work perfectly with modern touch interfaces. The position of the directional pad can be adjusted freely, enabling players to switch between one-handed and two-handed play with a tap of the screen. The combat system has also been reworked, allowing for one-tap battles as well as more complex play. – The Tension System During battle, you can select 'Psyche Up' to give your next attack some extra oomph! The more you psyche a character up, the higher their tension will rise, until they finally reach an insane state known as super-high tension! – Skill Points Skill points are earned when your characters level up, and can be assigned to various skills in order to learn new spells and abilities. This system allows you to perfectly tailor your team to your liking. – Monster Teams Certain monsters found in the field can be scouted for your monster team – if you're tough enough to beat them, that is! Once assembled, your crack squad can take part in the fiercely contested tournaments held at the monster arena, and can even come to your aid in battle! – The Alchemy Pot Combine existing items to create entirely new ones! Even the most unassuming objects could be ingredients for the greatest items of all! Seek out the recipes hidden all over the world, and see if you can cook up something truly special! – The Casino Fans of the series will be pleased to learn that the casino is back, and fully-equipped for fun! This time around, there are three exciting activities to enjoy: bingo, slot machines and roulette! Just don't get so caught up in the action that you forget your adventure entirely! [Supported Operating Systems] iOS15.0 and Above [Supported Devices] iPhone 6s or Higher/iPad (5th Generation or Better)

Screenshots

Baldur's Gate4 screens
DRAGON QUEST VIII4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Baldur's Gate at $9.99 against DRAGON QUEST VIII's $19.99. Baldur's Gate also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.0). DRAGON QUEST VIII's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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

Baldur's Gate costs $9.99 and DRAGON QUEST VIII $19.99 up front. Baldur's Gate sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. DRAGON QUEST VIII asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 3.9 for Baldur's Gate against 3.8 for DRAGON QUEST VIII. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 668 and 401 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 58% of Baldur's Gate's written reviews are positive against 62% of DRAGON QUEST VIII's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Baldur's Gate ships an update every 9 months, DRAGON QUEST VIII every 16 months. The most recent releases landed on November 10, 2026 and November 12, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Baldur's Gate versus DRAGON QUEST VIII: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBaldur's GateDRAGON QUEST VIII
Price$9.99 — better$19.99
Rating3.9 (668 ratings) — better3.8 (401 ratings)
Positive reviews58.3% of reviews61.6% of reviews — better
Number of ratings668 — better401
Update frequencyEvery 9 months — betterEvery 16 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases — betterPaid
Best chart rank#183#67 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size3.1 GB1.9 GB
Age rating12+9+
DeveloperOverhaul GamesSQUARE ENIX Co., Ltd.

Customer experience

Baldur's Gate

All ratings664 ratings
Positive69.6%
Neutral6.5%
Negative23.9%
Written reviews405 reviews
Positive58.3%
Neutral8.9%
Negative32.8%

DRAGON QUEST VIII

All ratings400 ratings
Positive66.0%
Neutral12.3%
Negative21.8%
Written reviews320 reviews
Positive61.6%
Neutral16.6%
Negative21.9%

User reviews

Baldur's Gate

From 668 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Excellent port of a classic game
  • 🎮 Great gameplay and story
  • 👍 Nostalgic experience
  • 💡 New features and characters added

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Bugs and glitches
  • 🔍 Difficult to navigate and control on small screens
  • 🔋 Performance issues with spells and effects
  • 📏 UI not optimized for mobile devices

DRAGON QUEST VIII

From 401 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Smooth gameplay
  • 🎨 Gorgeous graphics
  • 📱 Convenient mobile experience
  • 🕹️ Intuitive controls
  • 🕰️ Faithful to original PS2 version

Room to improve

  • 🔇 Lack of voice acting
  • 🔍 Limited camera controls
  • 🔋 Battery drain issues
  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and freezes
  • 🔒 Cloud save problems

Bugs and requests

Baldur's Gate

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Sidebar menu issues
  • Crashes and freezes
  • Inability to restore purchased content
  • Compatibility problems with newer devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • Controller support
  • Improved UI and controls for mobile
  • Cross-save functionality between platforms
  • Ability to remove experience cap

DRAGON QUEST VIII

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Crashes during boss battles
  • Inability to load cloud saves
  • Unresponsive touch controls
  • Graphical glitches in certain areas

Requested features

5 requests
  • Landscape mode support
  • Controller support
  • Orchestral soundtrack option
  • Ability to customize characters
  • Downloadable voice acting

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Baldur's Gate

One-time4
  • Enhanced Voice Pack$1.99
  • Jason Manley Portrait Pack$1.99
  • A Blackguard’s Revenge$2.99
Show 1 more
  • To Flee Thay$2.99
None

DRAGON QUEST VIII

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Baldur's Gate free?
Baldur's Gate costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Is DRAGON QUEST VIII free?
DRAGON QUEST VIII costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Baldur's Gate or DRAGON QUEST VIII?
Baldur's Gate is rated higher. Baldur's Gate averages 3.9 out of 5 from 668 ratings, while DRAGON QUEST VIII averages 3.8 from 401 ratings.
Do Baldur's Gate or DRAGON QUEST VIII have ads?
Neither Baldur's Gate nor DRAGON QUEST VIII shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Baldur's Gate or DRAGON QUEST VIII?
Baldur's Gate ships an update every 9 months, and DRAGON QUEST VIII every 16 months. Most recently, Baldur's Gate was updated on November 10, 2026 and DRAGON QUEST VIII on November 12, 2026.
Which is more popular, Baldur's Gate or DRAGON QUEST VIII?
Baldur's Gate currently peaks at #183 in the App Store charts, and DRAGON QUEST VIII at #67. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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