# Baldur's Gate II vs XCOM®

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: XCOM® at none against Baldur's Gate II's 4. XCOM® also leads on update cadence (monthly vs every 23 months) and price ($4.99 vs $9.99). On review sentiment, ads, chart position and device support there is nothing between them.

Baldur's Gate II costs $9.99 and XCOM® $4.99 up front. Baldur's Gate II sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. XCOM® asks for nothing beyond the download.

XCOM® holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: XCOM® has 5.6K ratings behind it against 317, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 57% of Baldur's Gate II's written reviews are positive against 62% of XCOM®'s.

Baldur's Gate II ships an update every 23 months, XCOM® monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Baldur's Gate II | XCOM® |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $9.99 | **$4.99** |
| Rating | [4.1 (317 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/baldurs-gate-ii-ee/id633625517/reviews) | **[4.3 (5.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xcom-enemy-within/id881270303/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 317 | **5.6K** |
| Positive reviews | 56.6% of reviews | **61.9% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 23 months | **Monthly** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #98 | **#71** |
| Size | 3.7 GB | 3.3 GB |
| Requires iOS | 11.0 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 17+ |
| Developer | [Overhaul Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/869400201) | [2K](https://appshunter.io/developer/324563547) |

## What reviewers say

### Baldur's Gate II

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/baldurs-gate-ii-ee/id633625517)

**Currently charting:** #98 Top Paid · Role Playing, #164 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

Embark on an epic fantasy roleplaying adventure as you battle to resist or embrace your dark destiny. Explore vast lands, uncover ancient secrets, and make critical choices that shape your journey. This game offers a rich narrative with multiple expansions and additional content available for purchase.

**Highlights:** Isometric Dungeons & Dragons roleplaying, Epic fantasy narrative, Multiple story expansions included, Additional character-driven quests, Character creation and customization, Tablet optimized gameplay

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

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A Price Paid in Blood | $2.99 | one-time |
| In Defense of the Wild | $2.99 | one-time |
| A Voice in the Dark | $2.99 | one-time |
| Gallery of Heroes | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🎮 Excellent RPG experience
- 💎 Classic game with great story
- 🎨 Impressive graphics and visuals
- 🕹️ Smooth controls and gameplay
- 🕰️ Huge amount of content and replayability

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Bugs and glitches
- 🔍 Small text and UI elements
- 🔌 Compatibility issues with newer devices
- 🤔 Confusing or lacking tutorials
- 💰 Expensive in-app purchases

**Reported bugs**

- Game-breaking bugs in key quests
- Crashes and freezes
- Disappearing NPCs and items
- Broken multiplayer functionality
- Difficulty slider not working as expected

**Requested features**

- French language support
- Improved character import/export
- Controller support
- Larger text and UI scaling options
- Cloud save/sync across devices


### XCOM®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xcom-enemy-within/id881270303)

**Currently charting:** #71 Top Paid · Strategy, #75 Top Paid · Action (US App Store)

This is a standalone expansion to a critically acclaimed strategy game, offering new soldiers, abilities, enemies, maps, and a multiplayer mode. Players can upgrade their soldiers with genetic modifications and cybersuits, research new weapons, and counter new alien threats.

**Highlights:** New soldier abilities (genetics & cybersuits), New weapons and equipment, New enemy types and organization, New strategic resource (Meld), New story missions, New multiplayer maps, units, and abilities

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent port of the PC game
- 👍 Great gameplay and strategy
- 💎 Addictive and replayable
- 🎮 Faithful to the XCOM franchise
- 🔝 Best strategy game on iOS

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Difficult to control on small screens
- 🔋 Battery draining
- 🗺️ Limited map selection compared to PC
- 🔇 Sound issues and lack of audio options

**Reported bugs**

- Tutorial getting stuck
- Crashes when returning to base
- Inability to move soldiers to elevated positions
- Unresponsive menus and UI
- Progression-blocking bugs

**Requested features**

- Controller support
- Improved camera controls
- Full screen support for newer devices
- Update to fix compatibility issues
- More customization options


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Baldur's Gate II free?

Baldur's Gate II costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Is XCOM® free?

XCOM® costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Baldur's Gate II or XCOM®?

XCOM® is rated higher. Baldur's Gate II averages 4.1 out of 5 from 317 ratings, while XCOM® averages 4.3 from 5.6K ratings.

### Do Baldur's Gate II or XCOM® have ads?

Neither Baldur's Gate II nor XCOM® shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Baldur's Gate II or XCOM®?

Baldur's Gate II ships an update every 23 months, and XCOM® monthly. Most recently, Baldur's Gate II was updated on October 23, 2026 and XCOM® on October 21, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Baldur's Gate II or XCOM®?

Baldur's Gate II currently peaks at #98 in the App Store charts, and XCOM® at #71. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*