Comparison

Guidus One vs Ariana and the Elder Codex

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

Head to head
About

Guidus One

Embark on a real-time, grid-based roguelike action RPG adventure. Explore ever-changing dungeons, unlock unique heroes, and master strategic tile-based combat. Enjoy charming pixel art and one-handed vertical play.

Highlights
  • Real-time grid-based combat
  • Unique hero roster
  • Randomly generated dungeons
  • Charming pixel art graphics
  • Vertical one-handed play
Read full description

Guidus One is a real-time, grid-based pixel roguelike action RPG. Explore ever-changing dungeons, master strategic real-time combat, and lead a diverse roster of heroes on an adventure to reclaim the Royal Palace. ■ Real-Time Grid Action Every tile matters! Move and react to enemies in real time instead of taking turns. Read the battlefield, make quick decisions, and find your way through the dungeon. ■ Create Your Own Build Combine a variety of buffs, level-ups, and classes to create a build that fits your playstyle. Discover new combinations and shape a different build with every adventure. ■ A Roster of Unique Heroes Discover and unlock heroes with distinct combat styles and abilities. Choose the hero that best fits your playstyle and take on the challenges of the dungeon! ■ Ever-Changing Roguelike Dungeons Each adventure brings a new dungeon layout with randomly generated terrain, traps, and monsters. Adapt your strategy and discover a new path with every run. ■ Charming Pixel Art Explore the world of Guidus brought to life through beautifully crafted, high-quality pixel art, filled with unique characters and memorable bosses. ■ Vertical One-Handed Play Designed for mobile with a portrait interface, Guidus One offers smooth and convenient one-handed gameplay anywhere, anytime.

About

Ariana and the Elder Codex

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
Read full description

MEMBERSHIP REQUIRED - Exclusive to Crunchyroll Mega and Ultimate Fan Memberships STEP INTO A LIVING NOVEL AND RECLAIM THE WORLD'S LOST MAGIC! Dive into an enchanting fantasy world in Ariana and the Elder Codex, a gorgeous 2D side-scrolling action RPG. Take on the role of Ariana Virellis, a young, powerful magical librarian who protects a vast library and possesses the unique ability to venture inside the world’s ancient books. When the Seven Hero Codices are vandalized, magic vanishes from the realm. Now, Ariana must travel inside these corrupted tomes—experiencing their stories as a living fantasy novel brought to life. Defeat monsters, repair the damaged pages, and restore magic to civilization! DYNAMIC 2D ANIME ACTION & RPG COMBAT Enjoy a fast-paced 2D action platformer blending hack-and-slash combat with tactical JRPG depth. Explore beautiful worlds, exploit elemental weaknesses, and cast powerful spells to break enemy posture. Once they are stunned, unleash devastating combos for massive critical damage! MASTER ELEMENTAL MAGIC & TRANSFORMATIONS Master a deep magic system governed by opposing elements: Fire, Water, Earth, and Wind. As you restore each corrupted codex, you unlock the ability to trigger a stunning elemental form change. Transform Ariana by channeling a chosen element, dramatically boosting your spell power, unlocking new navigation skills, and causing explosive elemental bursts on impact. CUSTOMIZE YOUR SPELLBOOK With 30+ unlockable magic spells and abilities, you can completely customize your strategy. Mix, match, and equip your spells across six dynamic slots to build a loadout that perfectly suits your personal playstyle. Prefer a defensive tank build or an all-out elemental mage setup? The choice is yours. CRAFT POWERFUL MAGIC ITEMS & ACCESSORIES Mitigate environmental hazards and brutal challenges by unlocking, crafting, and equipping unique Magic Items. Equip up to five accessories within your equipment cost limit to gain crucial buffs like reduced knockback, enhanced critical hit rates, faster health recovery, and massive elemental stat boosts. THRILLING TIME ATTACK & REPAIR POINT CHALLENGES The adventure is about more than combat. Take on specialized platforming trials at Altered Points throughout the world. Sprint through tight, technical time attack platformer layouts, dodging traps and utilizing precision movement to reach the exit as quickly as possible. Clear these Repair Points efficiently to earn permanent HP upgrades and powerful rewards! KEY FEATURES: A Gorgeous Living Novel: Fall in love with an exquisite, hand-drawn art style that makes every stage feel like an illustration come to life. Intense Boss Battles: Face formidable guardians requiring sharp reflexes, smart spell timing, and quick dodging. Metroidvania Exploration: Revisit previously unreachable areas across interconnected side-scrolling worlds as you unlock new elemental mobility and librarian magic. Epic Story-Driven Adventure: Immerse yourself in rich fantasy library lore, deep NPC interactions, and an emotional tale of restoration. Are you ready to fix history and save magic? Download Ariana and the Elder Codex today and begin your magical librarian adventure! ---- Crunchyroll Premium members enjoy an ad-free experience, with full access to Crunchyroll's library of over 1,300 unique titles and 46,000 episodes, including simulcast series that premiere shortly after airing in Japan. In addition, membership offers special benefits including offline viewing access, discount code to Crunchyroll Store, Crunchyroll Game Vault access, streaming simultaneously on multiple devices, and more! https://www.crunchyroll.com/games/privacy/ https://www.crunchyroll.com/games/terms/

Screenshots

Guidus One4 screens
Ariana and the Elder Codex4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Guidus One at 4.8 against Ariana and the Elder Codex's 3.0. Guidus One also leads on ratings volume (211 vs 6). Ariana and the Elder Codex's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 17) and ads (none vs shown). On price, review sentiment, update cadence and device support 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. Guidus One sells 17 one-off in-app purchases. Ariana and the Elder Codex asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Guidus One holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 3.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Guidus One has 211 ratings behind it against 6, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 55% of Guidus One's written reviews are positive against 50% of Ariana and the Elder Codex's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Guidus One ships an update every 6 days, Ariana and the Elder Codex every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Guidus One versus Ariana and the Elder Codex: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGuidus OneAriana and the Elder Codex
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (211 ratings) — better3.0 (6 ratings)
Positive reviews54.9% of reviews — better50.0% of reviews
Number of ratings211 — better6
Update frequencyEvery 6 daysEvery 3 days — better
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.015.0
Further details — not scored
Size574 MB1.2 GB
Age rating12+12+
Developerizzle Inc.Crunchyroll, LLC

Customer experience

Guidus One

All ratings204 ratings
Positive95.1%
Neutral2.0%
Negative2.9%
Written reviews102 reviews
Positive54.9%
Neutral11.8%
Negative33.3%

Ariana and the Elder Codex

All ratings5 ratings
Positive40.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative60.0%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

In-app purchases

17 purchases

Guidus One

One-time17
  • First Step Thank-You Pack$0.49
  • Key Pack$0.49
  • Satiety Package$0.49
Show 14 more
  • Daily Catalyst Package$0.49
  • Adventure's Beginning Package$0.49
  • Step-Up Pack 1$0.49
  • Step-Up Pack 2$1.99
  • Golden Ghoul Package$3.99
  • Stage Battle Pass$3.99
  • Weekly Summon Package$3.99
  • Hero Selection Package$3.99
  • Starter Catalyst Stone Package$3.99
  • Boost Subscription$3.99
  • Step-Up Pack 3$3.99
  • Remove Ads$5.99
  • Large Shine Crystal Pile$12.99
  • Deluxe Catalyst Package$19.99
None

Ariana and the Elder Codex

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Guidus One free?
Guidus One 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, Guidus One or Ariana and the Elder Codex?
Guidus One is rated higher. Guidus One averages 4.8 out of 5 from 211 ratings, while Ariana and the Elder Codex averages 3.0 from 6 ratings.
Do Guidus One or Ariana and the Elder Codex have ads?
Guidus One shows ads; Ariana and the Elder Codex does not.
Which is updated more often, Guidus One or Ariana and the Elder Codex?
Guidus One ships an update every 6 days, and Ariana and the Elder Codex every 3 days. Most recently, Guidus One was updated on October 25, 2026 and Ariana and the Elder Codex on October 21, 2026.

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