Ariana and the Elder Codex vs Space Survivor
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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/
Space Survivor
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Prepare for the ultimate deep space survival challenge! Space Survivor: Activated is an intense sci-fi roguelite action RPG where you are the lone pilot facing endless swarms of hostile alien armadas. Dodge bullet hell barrages, collect energy cores, and evolve your spacecraft into an unstoppable war machine. KEY FEATURES: ▶ INTENSE SCI-FI ROGUELITE ACTION Face thousands of relentless alien enemies on screen at once. Master responsive one-finger controls, weave through deadly hazards, and fight to the last second. ▶ MASSIVE ARSENAL & WEAPON EVOLUTIONS Equip lasers, plasma cannons, homing missiles, tesla shields, and orbital drones. Combine different weapons and tech modules to discover game-changing synergies and devastating evolutions! ▶ SHIP UPGRADES & PERMANENT PROGRESSION Level up your pilot, upgrade base stats, and unlock powerful starships with unique abilities and passive bonuses. Every run makes you stronger! ▶ EPIC BOSS BATTLES Challenge massive alien motherships and elite commanders with unique attack patterns. Prove your combat skills and claim legendary rewards. ▶ STUNNING RETRO-FUTURISTIC ATMOSPHERE Enjoy vibrant sci-fi visual effects, dynamic synthwave soundtrack, and immersive sound effects that keep your adrenaline pumping. ▶ PLAY ANYTIME, ANYWHERE Fully optimized for smooth 60 FPS performance on iOS devices. Quick sessions make it easy to jump in and play whenever you want! Die. Upgrade. Adapt. How long can you survive the swarm?
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Ariana and the Elder Codex at none against Space Survivor's 4. Ariana and the Elder Codex also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, 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
Both are free to download. Space Survivor sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Ariana and the Elder Codex asks for nothing beyond the download.
Ariana and the Elder Codex ships an update every 3 days, Space Survivor weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 31, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Ariana and the Elder Codex | Space Survivor |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (6 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 6 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 3 days — better | Weekly |
| Ads | No — better | Yes |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1.2 GB | 266 MB |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | Crunchyroll, LLC | Valeriia Horetska |
In-app purchases
Ariana and the Elder Codex
No in-app purchases
Space Survivor
- 1,000 Coins$0.99
- 5,000 Coins$3.99
- No Ads (7 Days)$4.99
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- 20,000 Coins$9.99
Questions
Is Ariana and the Elder Codex free?
Is Space Survivor free?
Do Ariana and the Elder Codex or Space Survivor have ads?
Which is updated more often, Ariana and the Elder Codex or Space Survivor?
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