Comparison

Feed the Deep vs The First Ascent

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

Head to head
About

Feed the Deep

Explore procedurally generated undersea caves in this atmospheric roguelike. Collect resources to upgrade your gear, manage limited oxygen, and face hostile wildlife. Every dive offers a unique challenge in a dark, Lovecraftian world.

Highlights
  • Procedurally generated caves
  • Resource collection and upgrades
  • Atmospheric deep sea adventure
  • Lovecraftian vibes
  • Exploration at your own pace
  • Limited oxygen management
Features
Read full description

- A dark roguelike by the designer of Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride. - Procedurally generated caves make every expedition different. - Explore at your own pace. Dive fast and aggressive or explore slowly, dropping markers along the way. - Soundtrack by award-winning composer Cedar Jones (Jetpack Joyride and more). - An atmospheric deep sea adventure with lovecraftian vibes. When they built the floating cities, they had no idea an insidious threat lurked deep below... Feed the Deep is a compulsive lovecraftian roguelike inspired by the likes of Dome Keeper and Spelunky. Dive into an ever-changing system of undersea caves. Collect resources that can be traded for upgrades and items. Explore ever deeper, managing dark spaces, limited oxygen, and hostile wildlife, and complete your mission to Feed the Deep. Feed the Deep was built almost entirely by me, Luke Muscat. Back in the Old Times I was creator of Jetpack Joyride and Fruit Ninja. A couple of years ago I decided I wanted to try the ultimate game dev challenge and make a game completely solo.

About

The First Ascent

Features
Read full description

“The first ascent” is an immersive climbing adventure where players scale treacherous mountains, sheer cliff faces, and mysterious vertical landscapes in their quest to reach the top. From dark caves to outer space, each level introduces new challenges and environmental hazards like hotwind, falling blizzards, mostly unstable obstacles. Strategic planning, quick reflexes, and precision are the keys to reaching the summit. Upgrade your character and unlock new climbers with unique skills, and collect the useful items along your route. Whether you're racing the clock or exploring at your own pace, "The first ascent" promises a vertical adventure like no other.

Screenshots

Feed the Deep4 screens
The First Ascent4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The First Ascent at none against Feed the Deep's 1. Feed the Deep's advantage is update cadence (daily vs every 5 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

Both are free to download. Feed the Deep sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. The First Ascent asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Feed the Deep ships an update daily, The First Ascent every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 30, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Feed the Deep versus The First Ascent: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFeed the DeepThe First Ascent
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.7 (407 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews73.4% of reviews—
Number of ratings407 — better—
Update frequencyDaily — betterEvery 5 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.013.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size250 MB134 MB
Age rating9+4+
DeveloperLuke MuscatChi Nguyen

Bugs and requests

Feed the Deep

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Camera flipping when taking damage
  • Shoot button not working consistently

Requested features

2 requests
  • Support for older devices
  • Controller support

The First Ascent

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Feed the Deep

One-time1
  • Unlock Game$6.99
None

The First Ascent

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Feed the Deep free?
Feed the Deep is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is The First Ascent free?
The First Ascent is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Feed the Deep or The First Ascent have ads?
Neither Feed the Deep nor The First Ascent shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Feed the Deep or The First Ascent?
Feed the Deep ships an update daily, and The First Ascent every 5 months. Most recently, Feed the Deep was updated on October 30, 2026 and The First Ascent on October 25, 2026.

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