Comparison

DEVICE 6 vs Meridian 157

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

Head to head
About

DEVICE 6

A surreal thriller where text serves as your map and narrator. Immerse yourself in an intriguing mystery of technology and neuroscience by reading, listening, and exploring three-dimensional photographs to solve puzzles and uncover secrets.

Highlights
  • Text-based navigation and narration
  • Interactive puzzles
  • 3D photographic elements
  • Intriguing mystery narrative
  • Exploration of technology and neuroscience themes
  • Unique blend of game and literature conventions
Features
Read full description

** Winner of Apple Design Award 2014 ** A surreal thriller in which the written word is your map, as well as your narrator. DEVICE 6 plays with the conventions of games and literature, entwines story with geography and blends puzzle and novella, to draw players into an intriguing mystery of technology and neuroscience. Anna wakes up in a castle on a remote island, with little recollection of how she got there. All she remembers is an unusually unpleasant doll. Why are there two identical castles on the island? Who is the mysterious man in the bowler hat? And above all, what is the purpose of the tests Anna is put through? Read, listen and peek into three-dimensional photographs to solve the bizarre mysteries of DEVICE 6. "DEVICE 6 is designed to linger in the mind long after the last code has been cracked and the last sentence read. Spy stories - even traditional ones - often haunt their readers' dreams once they've been completed. It's only appropriate, really. Is that a final full-stop or a microdot? Is this the end of the affair or an invitation to go deeper?" Eurogamer - 9/10 "In using its text both as narrative and as geography – and through its impressively restrained use of illustration and sound – it generates an almost unrivalled sense of place. It isn’t embarrassed to allow Device 6 to be a game when it needs to be, and yet it knows precisely when to let the story take over. The result is a sharp, striking mystery that is at once provocative, extraordinarily stylish and altogether essential" EDGE - 9/10 "In turning a text adventure into a world map, Simogo has resurrected a long-dead genre with style and confidence. Great presentation and brilliant puzzles complete a stellar package" Pocketgamer – 9/10 "Ever exceeding expectations, the developer has followed up one of 2013′s highlights with another title that can be classed as such. With a compelling story that keeps you guessing, and a pin-point utilisation of the platform, Device 6 is an accomplishment in games design, mobile or otherwise" God is a Geek - 9/10 "DEVICE 6 not only explores the boundaries of narrative storytelling, it also demonstrates the creative potential of touchscreen gaming" Appspy – 5/5 "Simogo’s doing something few others are doing, and it’s wonderful that someone is both providing great experiences and testing the limits of interactive media" 148apps - 5/5 "An ingenious slice of puzzling adventure that's as imaginative as it is stylish" Modojo - 4.5/5

About

Meridian 157

Embark on the thrilling conclusion of an island mystery. Explore ancient caverns and advanced labs to uncover a sinister project and prevent a global disaster. Solve challenging puzzles and unravel unsettling secrets in this epic adventure.

Highlights
  • Final and longest chapter
  • Unique and challenging puzzles
  • Immersive graphics
  • Custom ambient soundtrack
  • Two-tier hint system
  • Available in 9 languages
  • Color blind mode
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

You have ventured this far, now there is no turning back. Uncover the island’s dark history by travelling through crumbling caverns and mysterious laboratories, but be warned, some may not be too welcoming of your presence… The epic conclusion to the Meridian 157 series has arrived! Follow Dr. Zander into the heart of the facility to discover the sinister purpose behind the FLARE project, and to avert the impending disaster brought on by its conception. With the most unique puzzles of the series, Meridian 157: Chapter 3 takes you to the source of the anomaly through a thrilling journey of mind-bending enigmas, perilous exploration and unsettling secrets of the island’s previous inhabitants. Follow Dr. Zander as he is pushed to his wits-end in this final adventure. Features: • The final and longest chapter in the Meridian 157 storyline! • The most unique and challenging puzzles to date • Immersive graphics • Custom ambient soundtrack • A logical two tier hint system • Available in 9 different languages • Color blind mode

Screenshots

DEVICE 64 screens
Meridian 1574 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Meridian 157 at 4.9 against DEVICE 6's 4.5. Meridian 157 also leads on update cadence (every 4 months vs every 21 months) and review sentiment (96% vs 81%). DEVICE 6's advantage is iOS requirement (11.0 vs 13.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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

DEVICE 6 costs $3.99 and Meridian 157 $3.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Meridian 157 holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 884 and 3.2K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of DEVICE 6's written reviews are positive against 96% of Meridian 157's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

DEVICE 6 ships an update every 21 months, Meridian 157 every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
DEVICE 6 versus Meridian 157: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDEVICE 6Meridian 157
Price$3.99$3.99
Rating4.5 (884 ratings)4.9 (3.2K ratings) — better
Positive reviews81.4% of reviews96.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings8843.2K — better
Update frequencyEvery 21 monthsEvery 4 months — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank#125 — better#161
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.0 — better13.0
Further details — not scored
Size760 MB755 MB
Age rating12+12+
DeveloperSimogo ABNovaSoft Interactive Ltd

Customer experience

DEVICE 6

All ratings882 ratings
Positive87.5%
Neutral1.9%
Negative10.5%
Written reviews660 reviews
Positive81.4%
Neutral4.7%
Negative13.9%

Meridian 157

All ratings3,101 ratings
Positive98.8%
Neutral0.7%
Negative0.5%
Written reviews540 reviews
Positive96.5%
Neutral1.9%
Negative1.7%

User reviews

DEVICE 6

From 884 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Unique and immersive experience
  • 🎨 Beautiful visuals and sound design
  • 🤯 Clever and challenging puzzles
  • 📚 Engaging and mysterious story
  • 💡 Innovative use of mobile device features

Room to improve

  • 🕰️ Short gameplay length
  • 🤔 Confusing or unclear puzzles
  • 🙉 Lack of accessibility for hearing-impaired users
  • 💰 Expensive for the amount of content

Meridian 157

From 3.2K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Immersive, engaging, and on par with or better than Riven
  • 👍 Excellent graphics, story, and puzzles
  • 👍 Challenging but fair puzzles
  • 👍 Helpful hint system
  • 👍 Atmospheric and creepy environment

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional bugs or glitches, especially on iOS devices
  • 🤔 Some puzzles were too obscure or illogical
  • 🤔 Repetitive backtracking through large environments

Bugs and requests

DEVICE 6

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Sound not working on some devices
  • Compatibility issues with newer iOS versions

Requested features

4 requests
  • Longer or more expansive story
  • Difficulty settings or hints for puzzles
  • Accessibility options like subtitles
  • More games or sequels in a similar style

Meridian 157

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Stacked boxes puzzle in Chapter 3 unplayable on iOS devices
  • Occasional freezing or crashes reported

Requested features

3 requests
  • Option to turn off the Bunsen burner in the chemistry lab
  • More varied puzzles and less repetition
  • Ability to change difficulty settings mid-game

In-app purchases

None

DEVICE 6

No in-app purchases

None

Meridian 157

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is DEVICE 6 free?
DEVICE 6 costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Meridian 157 free?
Meridian 157 costs $3.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, DEVICE 6 or Meridian 157?
Meridian 157 is rated higher. DEVICE 6 averages 4.5 out of 5 from 884 ratings, while Meridian 157 averages 4.9 from 3.2K ratings.
Do DEVICE 6 or Meridian 157 have ads?
Neither DEVICE 6 nor Meridian 157 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, DEVICE 6 or Meridian 157?
DEVICE 6 ships an update every 21 months, and Meridian 157 every 4 months. Most recently, DEVICE 6 was updated on October 26, 2026 and Meridian 157 on October 25, 2026.
Which is more popular, DEVICE 6 or Meridian 157?
DEVICE 6 currently peaks at #125 in the App Store charts, and Meridian 157 at #161. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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