Comparison

The Night Archive vs PhonePlot

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

Head to head
About

The Night Archive

Features
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Before midnight, put the truth on record. The Night Archive is an AI-driven interactive mystery game. Become a night investigator, reopen sealed case files, examine clues, question testimonies, and make critical choices that shape the course of each story. A clerk vanishes from a border town on a rainy night. A lighthouse suddenly goes dark inside a fogbound harbor. An unnumbered carriage arrives at a storm-struck station. An ancient bell swings in silence at a snow-covered temple. Twelve standalone cases await, each hiding a different truth. Every investigation consumes precious time, and every decision can change the situation. Question the people involved, inspect traces left behind, uncover contradictions between testimony and physical evidence, and assemble scattered discoveries into a complete chain of evidence. Who can you trust? Which clues are carefully planted distractions? Can you uncover the real answer before midnight? Features: • Twelve standalone mystery stories unlocked through your progress • AI-assisted narration that responds to your actions with coherent, atmospheric results • Constantly advancing time that gives every choice weight • Collect and cross-check clues to expose contradictions • Multiple investigative paths and different endings • Original music for each story, creating an immersive mystery atmosphere • A complete investigation log for reviewing your actions and discoveries • Game Center achievements and leaderboards The truth will not reveal itself. Open the archive, step into the night, and finish your investigation before the final bell.

About

PhonePlot

Features
Read full description

A journalist is missing. Her sister hands you the only thing left: a clone of her phone. PhonePlot is one of those detective games where nothing is handed to you. No hidden object scenes, no timers. Just a phone that feels real, and a truth somebody tried to delete. WHAT YOU GET TO OPEN Explore messages, photos, audio and personal records in a phone that feels lived in. Each case has its own mix of apps and records. Inspect photos and metadata, replay recordings and follow clues to password-protected records. Audio is in English and Russian, with localized transcripts in all 15 supported languages. HOW THE CASE WORKS Connect clues across apps, compare dates and follow the evidence. Give short answers, choose options, put events in order and select supporting records. Each investigation ends with an update on what happened next. STUCK IS FINE Every question carries three clues that unlock as you go, from a nudge to a straight answer. An optional video or PhonePlot+ unlocks a clue. These are mystery games, not patience tests. Start playing for free. A weekly PhonePlot+ subscription unlocks all cases, removes ads and provides unlimited hints. You can also make a one-time purchase to unlock an individual case permanently. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled in your Apple Account settings. No registration is required. Stories work offline; ads and purchases require an internet connection. FOR PLAYERS WHO LIKE Crime stories told through screens, cold case podcasts, mystery games and puzzle games built on deduction rather than reflexes, and long evenings spent proving somebody wrong. Ten complete cases with 163 questions. Available in English, Russian, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, Japanese, Korean, Hindi, Bengali, Indonesian, Vietnamese and Arabic. PhonePlot is fiction. Every character, company, message and photograph in it was invented for this game. Terms of Use: https://games.lebedushka.com/phoneplot/terms Privacy Policy: https://games.lebedushka.com/phoneplot/privacy

Screenshots

The Night Archive4 screens
PhonePlot4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Night Archive at none against PhonePlot's 3. The Night Archive also leads on ads (none vs shown). PhonePlot's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, 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. PhonePlot sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $7.99 per 7 days. The Night Archive asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 5 level
The Night Archive versus PhonePlot: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe Night ArchivePhonePlot
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—1 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 weeksEvery 2 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size911 MB180 MB
Age rating4+9+
Developer婷 刘LEBEDUSHKA, MCHJ XK

In-app purchases

None

The Night Archive

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

PhonePlot

Subscriptions1
  • PhonePlot+$7.997 Days
One-time2
  • PhonePlot+$0.99
  • One case key$1.99

Questions

Is The Night Archive free?
The Night Archive is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PhonePlot free?
PhonePlot is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do The Night Archive or PhonePlot have ads?
PhonePlot shows ads; The Night Archive does not.
Which is updated more often, The Night Archive or PhonePlot?
The Night Archive ships an update every 2 weeks, and PhonePlot every 2 weeks. Most recently, The Night Archive was updated on November 9, 2026 and PhonePlot on November 10, 2026.

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