# Never Night vs Ariana and the Elder Codex

The clearest difference is rating: Never Night at 3.2 against Ariana and the Elder Codex's 2.6. Ariana and the Elder Codex's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 7) and update cadence (every 3 days vs every 4 months). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Never Night sells 7 one-off in-app purchases. Ariana and the Elder Codex asks for nothing beyond the download.

Never Night holds the better App Store score, 3.2 against 2.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 13 and 5 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 58% of Never Night's written reviews are positive against 50% of Ariana and the Elder Codex's.

Never Night ships an update every 4 months, Ariana and the Elder Codex every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Never Night | Ariana and the Elder Codex |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.2 (13 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/never-night/id6479684285/reviews)** | [2.6 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ariana-and-the-elder-codex/id6760456190/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **13** | 5 |
| Positive reviews | **57.9% of reviews** | 50.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 855 MB | 1.2 GB |
| Requires iOS | 16 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Shanghai Tetris Network Technology Co., LTD](https://appshunter.io/developer/1562947915) | [Crunchyroll, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/329913457) |

## What reviewers say

### Never Night

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/never-night/id6479684285)

Embark on a classic 2D action adventure in a world of humans, vampires, and demons. Choose your character, master combat, and explore a war-torn realm. Discover, craft, and upgrade over 200 items to overcome challenges and earn rewards.

**Highlights:** Old-school hardcore action gameplay, Jump, attack, dodge, and combo system, Over 200 weapons, equipment, and items to craft/upgrade, 3 chapters of story mode, Endless Mist Tower challenge mode, Special intel missions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (7)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Crimson Gem | $0.99 | one-time |
| Crimson Gem | $4.99 | one-time |
| Crimson Gem | $8.99 | one-time |
| Higgs | $9.99 | one-time |
| Dove | $9.99 | one-time |
| Crimson Gem | $29.99 | one-time |
| Crimson Gem | $74.99 | one-time |


### Ariana and the Elder Codex

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ariana-and-the-elder-codex/id6760456190)

Embark on a 2D action RPG adventure as a magical librarian who enters ancient books to restore lost magic. Battle monsters, master elemental spells, and customize your abilities to save the world.

**Highlights:** 2D side-scrolling action RPG, Dynamic anime action combat, Master elemental magic and transformations, Customize spellbook with 30+ spells, Craft magic items and accessories, Time attack and repair point challenges, Metroidvania exploration

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Never Night free?

Never Night is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Ariana and the Elder Codex free?

Ariana and the Elder Codex is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Never Night or Ariana and the Elder Codex?

Never Night is rated higher. Never Night averages 3.2 out of 5 from 13 ratings, while Ariana and the Elder Codex averages 2.6 from 5 ratings.

### Do Never Night or Ariana and the Elder Codex have ads?

Neither Never Night nor Ariana and the Elder Codex shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Never Night or Ariana and the Elder Codex?

Never Night ships an update every 4 months, and Ariana and the Elder Codex every 3 days. Most recently, Never Night was updated on October 15, 2026 and Ariana and the Elder Codex on October 4, 2026.

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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.*