# Year Walk vs The Ensign

The clearest difference is rating: The Ensign at 4.6 against Year Walk's 4.2. The Ensign also leads on update cadence (every 2 months vs every 7 months) and review sentiment (86% vs 77%). Year Walk's advantage is iOS requirement (8.0 vs 11.0). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Year Walk costs $3.99 and The Ensign $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

The Ensign holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 368 and 552 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 77% of Year Walk's written reviews are positive against 86% of The Ensign's.

Year Walk ships an update every 7 months, The Ensign every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Year Walk | The Ensign |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $3.99 | **$1.99** |
| Rating | [4.2 (368 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/year-walk/id555916407/reviews) | **[4.6 (552 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-ensign/id908073488/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 368 | **552** |
| Positive reviews | 77.1% of reviews | **86.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 7 months | **Every 2 months** |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #116 | **#100** |
| Size | 782 MB | 32 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 11.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | +12 |
| Developer | [Simogo AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/404446783) | [Amirali Rajan](https://appshunter.io/developer/736683064) |

## What reviewers say

### Year Walk

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/year-walk/id555916407)

**Currently charting:** #116 Top Paid · Role Playing (US App Store)

Embark on a unique first-person adventure set in 19th-century Sweden, experiencing the ancient phenomenon of year walking. Explore dark woods, solve puzzles, and uncover mysteries to glimpse the future. This atmospheric game blurs reality and the supernatural.

**Highlights:** First-person adventure, Ancient Swedish phenomena, Cryptic puzzle solving, Supernatural elements, Vision quest narrative, Atmospheric exploration

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Gorgeous artwork and atmosphere
- 🤯 Creepy and unsettling experience
- 🧠 Intriguing story and folklore
- 🔍 Compelling puzzles and exploration
- 🎨 Unique and innovative gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏱️ Game is too short
- 🤔 Puzzles can be confusing and unintuitive
- 🔇 Sound issues on some devices
- 🗺️ Frustrating navigation and getting lost
- 💰 Expensive for the length of gameplay

**Reported bugs**

- Sound not working on certain devices
- Crashes and freezes on older devices

**Requested features**

- Longer gameplay and additional content
- More guidance and hints for puzzles
- Improved navigation and map functionality
- Support for more devices and screen sizes


### The Ensign

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-ensign/id908073488)

**Currently charting:** #100 Top Paid · Role Playing, #181 Top Paid · Adventure (US App Store)

Embark on a challenging narrative-driven adventure where your choices have dire consequences. This game offers a fully accessible experience for VoiceOver users, delivering a difficult yet rewarding gameplay loop.

**Highlights:** 100% VoiceOver playable, Challenging gameplay, Narrative-driven, No ads, No data collection, No in-app purchases

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Compelling story and world-building
- 🤖 Unique and challenging gameplay
- 🎮 Rewarding progression and sense of accomplishment
- 💎 Excellent prequel to A Dark Room
- 🧠 Encourages strategic thinking and decision-making

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Extremely difficult and punishing at times
- 🔁 Frustrating to restart from the beginning after dying
- 🕹️ Lack of checkpoints or save options
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🧭 Unclear navigation and objectives at times

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashing when trying to collect loot
- Inconsistencies between item descriptions and inventory
- Saved progress being lost after closing the app

**Requested features**

- Ability to save progress and resume later
- Difficulty settings or optional modes
- More narrative depth and character development
- Improved accessibility and UI for visually impaired players


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Year Walk free?

Year Walk costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is The Ensign free?

The Ensign costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Year Walk or The Ensign?

The Ensign is rated higher. Year Walk averages 4.2 out of 5 from 368 ratings, while The Ensign averages 4.6 from 552 ratings.

### Do Year Walk or The Ensign have ads?

Neither Year Walk nor The Ensign shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Year Walk or The Ensign?

Year Walk ships an update every 7 months, and The Ensign every 2 months. Most recently, Year Walk was updated on October 26, 2026 and The Ensign on October 28, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Year Walk or The Ensign?

Year Walk currently peaks at #116 in the App Store charts, and The Ensign at #100. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*