Brogue vs Return to Pixhell
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Brogue
Embark on a challenging 26-level dungeon crawl to find the Amulet of Yendor. Master strategic gameplay with a focus on a smooth learning curve and intuitive design within a classic ASCII/Unicode aesthetic. Experience high fantasy with a variety of creatures and magical items.
- 26-level dungeon crawl
- Strategic depth
- Smooth learning curve
- ASCII/Unicode display
- High fantasy theme
- Permadeath gameplay
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Countless adventurers before you have descended this torch-lit staircase, seeking the promised riches below. As you reach the bottom and step into the wide cavern, the doors behind you seal with a powerful magic... Welcome to the Dungeons of Doom! Brogue is a single-player strategy game set in the halls of a mysterious and randomly-generated dungeon. The objective is simple enough -- retrieve the fabled Amulet of Yendor from the 26th level -- but the dungeon is riddled with danger. Horrifying creatures and devious, trap-ridden terrain await. Yet it is also riddled with weapons, potions, and artifacts of forgotten power. Survival demands strength and cunning in equal measure as you descend, making the most of what the dungeon gives you. You will make sacrifices, narrow escapes, and maybe even some friends along the way -- but will you be one of the lucky few to return alive?" This app offers: Brogue Classic - Brian Walker's original vision and where it all started. Brogue CE - A community effort that fixes bugs and crashes and focuses on QoL. Brogue SE - A new variant by yours truly with original items, monsters, and mechanics "...on the iPad, Brogue is an even more incredible feat than it is on the Mac: there aren’t a lot of roguelikes that can jump from a keyboard to a touch-based interface without coming off worse for wear. It’s every bit as good on the iPad as it is on the Mac." - Cult of Mac "[...] it manages to make use of its ASCII visuals to create some truly impressive-looking environments [...] it’s high fantasy to the core; filled with kobolds, goblins, wands, spell scrolls, and more." - 148Apps "It's a bit weird and clunky, but yeah, it's still Brogue" - Roguelike Radio
Return to Pixhell
Descend into a cursed world in this 2D roguelike action game. Survive endless hordes, defeat bosses, and manage your fear in a dark, oppressive atmosphere. Master strict movement mechanics and build powerful characters to climb the leaderboards.
- Strict 4-way movement combat
- Explore Forest, Caves, and Hell
- Fear system and light mechanics
- Character selection (Mage, Reaper, Aura, Bard)
- Item collection and build creation
- Leaderboards for competition
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Are you ready for darkness? Return to Pixhell is a roguelite survival fantasy game where you descend into a cursed, dying world with no goal – only survival. Fight through endless hordes, defeat bosses, and go as far as you can… because death is inevitable. FEATURES: - Tactical 4-way movement – movement precision is your weapon! - Descend through Forest, Caves, and Hell (+ secret level) - Dark, oppressive atmosphere that never lets go - Fear system - stay in the light or be consumed - Ignite campfires for light, power and survival - Compete on Season and All-time Leaderboards – prove you are the ultimate survivor. - Choose your character (Mage, Reaper, Aura, Bard) - Collect gold, buy items, create powerful builds - Original soundtrack - Fully handmade - no AI - Enjoy as endless demo with all heroes and first map - No ads. Ever.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Brogue at 94% against Return to Pixhell's 14%. Brogue also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). Return to Pixhell's advantage is iOS requirement (16.0 vs 18.6). On price, update cadence and ads 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
Both are free to download. Return to Pixhell sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Brogue asks for nothing beyond the download.
Brogue ships an update every 4 days, Return to Pixhell every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and September 19, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Brogue | Return to Pixhell |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.6 (76 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 93.9% of reviews — better | 14.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 76 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | Every 3 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone |
| Requires iOS | 18.6 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 28 MB | 139 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | Seth Howard | Martin Lepic |
Customer experience
Brogue
Return to Pixhell
In-app purchases
Brogue
No in-app purchases
Return to Pixhell
- Full game unlock$4.99









