Comparison

Dark Frequency vs Wade Runner

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

Head to head
About

Dark Frequency

Battle corrupted beasts with a celestial hammer in a dark, mythic world. This roguelite action survival game features endless waves of enemies, stackable upgrades, and permanent progression. Every run offers a unique challenge, making you stronger with each death.

Highlights
  • Roguelite action survival gameplay
  • Intense hammer combat mechanics
  • Endless waves of enemies
  • Stackable upgrade system
  • Permanent progression with Sigils
  • Unique Boons for altered gameplay
Features
Read full description

The Forge has shattered. The Glass-Beasts have risen. And you are the only thing standing between the world and eternal darkness. You are Crucible-Born, a being of molten glass and beast-soul, hammered into existence by The Ancient One. Armed with a celestial hammer, you must fight through endless trials of corrupted Glass-Beasts, reclaim the scattered Shards, and rekindle the Forge before the world goes cold forever. Every run is different. Every death makes you stronger. Forge your own path through a brutal roguelite system where no two runs play the same. Between waves, choose powerful upgrades that shape how you fight. Stack abilities, build synergies, and discover combinations that turn you from a lone survivor into an unstoppable force of the Forge. Fight with purpose. Strike with weight. Swing your hammer in fast, punishing arcs or charge a ground-shattering slam that sends shockwaves through entire enemy groups. Movement, timing, and positioning matter, dodge through enemy lines, dash to safety, and learn the rhythms of each beast before they overwhelm you. Grow beyond a single run. Spend your earned Shards on permanent Sigils that carry power across every future run. Unlock Boons, game-changing abilities that fundamentally alter how you play. Each session leaves you stronger, more prepared for the next. You will experience Endless waves of Glass-Beasts with scaling difficulty Upgrade system with stackable abilities and unique Boons Permanent progression through Sigils that grow with every run Intense hammer combat A dark, mythic world dripping in forge fire and shattered glass. The Forge remembers every trial.

About

Wade Runner

Features
Read full description

Wade Runner is a dark obstacle course runner with a mechanic no other game has — your detective can only see when he stops. Chemical exposure stole Wade's vision mid-run. Sprint through a noir city, dodge obstacles by memory and reflex, then stop for a split second to scan what's ahead. Every stop is a gamble. Every run is a risk. HOW TO PLAY • Tap to jump over obstacles • Swipe down to slide under barriers • Stop running to restore your vision — but every second counts • The longer you run blind, the higher your score FEATURES • Unique "stop to see" mechanic — never seen in any other runner game • Noir detective atmosphere with hand-crafted visuals • Speed ramps up the longer you survive • Leaderboard — beat your personal best and compete globally • Jump, slide and stop controls — simple to learn, hard to master • Free to play THE CHALLENGE Can you memorize the obstacle patterns? Run blind and rack up distance. Stop too often and you lose momentum. Stop too rarely and you crash. Find your rhythm — then beat it. Think you can out-run the darkness? Download Wade Runner — the blind runner that punishes panic and rewards patience.

Screenshots

Dark Frequency4 screens
Wade Runner4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: Dark Frequency at none against Wade Runner's shown. Wade Runner's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs every 6 days). On price, in-app purchases, 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. Dark Frequency sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Wade Runner sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Dark Frequency ships an update every 6 days, Wade Runner every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 15, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Dark Frequency versus Wade Runner: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDark FrequencyWade Runner
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 6 daysEvery 2 days — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS15.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size214 MB65 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperUnmbox StudiosTugay Pala

In-app purchases

4 purchases

Dark Frequency

One-time4
  • Ember Purse$1.99
  • Content Extension Pack$3.99
  • Forge Reserve$4.99
Show 1 more
  • Shards Vault$7.99
1 purchases

Wade Runner

One-time1
  • Wade Premium$0.99

Questions

Is Dark Frequency free?
Dark Frequency is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Wade Runner free?
Wade Runner is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Dark Frequency or Wade Runner have ads?
Wade Runner shows ads; Dark Frequency does not.
Which is updated more often, Dark Frequency or Wade Runner?
Dark Frequency ships an update every 6 days, and Wade Runner every 2 days. Most recently, Dark Frequency was updated on October 15, 2026 and Wade Runner on October 2, 2026.

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