# Basic Buddies vs Alchemist's Engine

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Alchemist's Engine at none against Basic Buddies's 5. Alchemist's Engine also leads on ratings volume (8 vs 1) and iOS requirement (16.0 vs 26.0). On price, rating, review sentiment and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Basic Buddies sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Alchemist's Engine asks for nothing beyond the download.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Basic Buddies against 5.0 for Alchemist's Engine. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Alchemist's Engine has 8 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.

Basic Buddies ships an update weekly, Alchemist's Engine every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 12, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Basic Buddies | Alchemist's Engine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-buddies-the-descent/id6756925711/reviews) | [5.0 (8 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alchemists-engine/id6804922440/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | **8** |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Weekly | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 52 MB | 9 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Andrew Hoffart](https://appshunter.io/developer/1863713553) | [Just Software LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/6804922442) |

## What reviewers say

### Basic Buddies

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/basic-buddies-the-descent/id6756925711)

Experience a fast-paced arcade game focused on vertical descent and precision movement. Navigate a continuously generating world with unique challenges and unlockable content. Master timing and control to survive longer and achieve higher scores.

**Highlights:** Four unique game modes, Endless vertically scrolling gameplay, Responsive mobile controls, Unlockable characters and customization, Coin-based progression, Designed for quick sessions

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (5)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Coin Pack (100 Coins) | $0.99 | one-time |
| Medium Coin Pack (500 Coins) | $2.99 | one-time |
| Premium Upgrade (No Ads) | $3.99 | one-time |
| Large Coin Pack (1,500 Coins) | $4.99 | one-time |
| Epic Coin Pack (5,000 Coins) | $9.99 | one-time |


### Alchemist's Engine

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/alchemists-engine/id6804922440)

Tend to a dormant engine in a ruined world by gathering fuel, crafting resources, and researching upgrades. Forge golems to assist in your tasks as you explore a labyrinthine mine and uncover a forgotten story.

**Highlights:** Feed and stoke the engine, Merge sparks on an alchemical table, Forge and upgrade golems, Research forgotten techniques, Explore a seeded labyrinth, Unravel the story

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Basic Buddies free?

Basic Buddies is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Alchemist's Engine free?

Alchemist's Engine is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Basic Buddies or Alchemist's Engine?

Basic Buddies and Alchemist's Engine are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 8 ratings respectively.

### Do Basic Buddies or Alchemist's Engine have ads?

Both Basic Buddies and Alchemist's Engine show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Basic Buddies or Alchemist's Engine?

Basic Buddies ships an update weekly, and Alchemist's Engine every 4 days. Most recently, Basic Buddies was updated on October 12, 2026 and Alchemist's Engine on October 9, 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.*