Comparison

FF IV vs ATOM RPG

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

Head to head
About

FF IV

Embark on an epic sequel to a classic RPG, featuring a full 3-D remake with returning heroes and new characters. Explore ten interconnected tales, engage in strategic combat influenced by lunar phases, and utilize powerful band abilities.

Highlights
  • Full 3-D remake
  • Ten playable tales
  • Active Time Battle system
  • Lunar phase combat influence
  • Band Abilities
  • Minimap and world map
Read full description

FINAL FANTASY IV: THE AFTER YEARS is available on iPhone, iPad! With a full 3-D remake, FINAL FANTASY IV: THE AFTER YEARS can now be played as never before. Take part in the epic sequel that unfolds many years after the events of FINAL FANTASY IV. Classic characters make their return alongside several new heroes, such as Ceodore, son of Cecil and Rosa. - Ten Playable Tales Begin your journey with "Ceodore's Tale." Complete it to unlock the tales of six additional characters, which can be played in any order, and then return to the core story with "Kain's Tale," "The Lunarian's Tale," and "The Crystals." A total of ten tales in all, and all contained in FINAL FANTASY IV: THE AFTER YEARS. - Active Time Battle Take control of exhilarating combat made possible by the non-stop action in Square Enix's iconic battle system. - Lunar Phases Feel the moon's presence in combat, as its waxing and waning influences the potency of attacks and abilities of all combatants. Lunar phases cycle naturally with the passage of in-game time, or when resting at an inn, tent, or cottage. - Band Abilities Combine the strength of your party members to awesome effect with Band abilities that can be unlocked through in-game events or by leveling your characters' Affinity. - Minimap Keep an eye on your current location and nearby surroundings, or tap for quick access to the world map. - Game Center Support Step up to meet all-new challenges offered by dozens of achievements. - Widescreen Support Enjoy fullscreen display on iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, and iPhone 5c. STORY Seventeen years have passed since the war's end, and the son born to King Cecil and Queen Rosa of Baron has grown into a young man. Prince Ceodore has enlisted in the airship fleet known as the Red Wings, eager to meet the expectations demanded of his blood and station. Yet once more another moon has appeared in the sky, and with it vast hordes of monsters intent on destruction. The brief peace enjoyed by the Blue Planet now stands threatened under the shadow of impending catastrophe.

About

ATOM RPG

Explore a post-apocalyptic Soviet Wasteland, creating your own hero. Investigate bunkers, battle mutants, and uncover conspiracies in this offline RPG. Features deep character creation, turn-based combat, and nonlinear gameplay with multiple quest solutions.

Highlights
  • Character creation tool
  • Offline single-player RPG
  • Dozens of skills
  • Turn-based combat
  • Nonlinear gameplay
  • Multiple quest solutions
  • Deep dialogues
Features
Read full description

In 1986 the world war between the Soviet Union and the Western Bloc ended in mutual nuclear bombings. Both superpowers went down in flames. The impact of the fallout almost ended civilization as we know it. You are one of the survivors of the apocalypse. Your mission - to explore the wild and wondrous postnuclear world of the Soviet Wasteland. To earn your place under the sun in this new age. To investigate retro style bunkers, descend into a stalker filled metro, fight terrible mutants and solve a shadowy conspiracy, aimed at destroying all that is left of life on Earth. ATOM RPG is: - A powerful character creation tool, aimed at making the wasteland hero you want to portray; - A balanced offline single player roleplaying system. Each stat combination provides a unique cRPG experience, unique dialogues, and new ways to solve some quests; - Dozens of skills, from lockpicking to gambling; - Many hours of gameplay on all sorts of locations. Meet the other survivors in a brave new settlement, built from the remains of the old world. Venture into the wilds, where mutants and bandits lurk. Work out the secrets of an old military bunker. Or simply lose yourself, fishing at a scenic pond; - Turn-based combat, inspired by classic RPG’s of the nineties. Find your own strategy and develop the tactics needed to win; - Random encounters with the dwellers of the Soviet Wasteland - both friendly and dangerous. Sometimes all at the same time; - Many deep, multiple-choice dialogues that feel like real conversations with the unique NPCs of the game; - Nonlinear gameplay! This edition of the game features dozens of quests, most with alternative solutions. Play the game like you want to! Recommended: iPhone 15, 14, 13, 12, 11, SE, 6S, 6S Plus, 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, X, XS, XR; iPad Mini 6, 5, 4; iPad Air 3+, 2; iPad Pro Technical Support: You can contact the developers at support@atomrpg.com

Screenshots

FF IV4 screens
ATOM RPG4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FF IV at none against ATOM RPG's 1. FF IV also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 12.2). ATOM RPG's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 11 months) and price ($9.99 vs $14.99). On rating, ratings volume 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

FF IV costs $14.99 and ATOM RPG $9.99 up front. ATOM RPG sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. FF IV asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.3 for FF IV against 4.3 for ATOM RPG. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 195 and 221 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 60% of FF IV's written reviews are positive against 69% of ATOM RPG's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

FF IV ships an update every 11 months, ATOM RPG every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on September 28, 2026.

Scorecard8 real differences · 3 level
FF IV versus ATOM RPG: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFF IVATOM RPG
Price$14.99$9.99 — better
Rating4.3 (195 ratings)4.3 (221 ratings)
Positive reviews59.6% of reviews68.9% of reviews — better
Number of ratings195221 — better
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsEvery 5 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
Best chart rank—#89 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS9.0 — better12.2
Further details — not scored
Size591 MB3.0 GB
Age rating9+17+
DeveloperSQUARE ENIXATENT GAMES LTD

Customer experience

FF IV

All ratings195 ratings
Positive81.0%
Neutral7.7%
Negative11.3%
Written reviews146 reviews
Positive59.6%
Neutral11.0%
Negative29.5%

ATOM RPG

All ratings221 ratings
Positive79.2%
Neutral5.4%
Negative15.4%
Written reviews312 reviews
Positive68.9%
Neutral6.4%
Negative24.7%

User reviews

FF IV

From 195 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 📖 Deep and engaging storyline with multiple character perspectives
  • 🎨 Good graphics quality and visual improvements over original
  • 🎮 Solid gameplay mechanics and battle system
  • 👥 Large character selection with unique abilities and bands
  • 🎵 Music and audio design (when working properly)

Room to improve

  • 🎮 No controller/gamepad support (most critical issue)
  • 🔊 Missing voice acting compared to FF4
  • 🔁 Repetitive dungeon revisits and grinding requirements
  • 📉 Game feels incomplete compared to other versions
  • ⚠️ Inconsistent difficulty and balance issues

ATOM RPG

From 221 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Great when you give it a chance
  • 🚀 Huge game with lots of content
  • 🚀 Replayable with multiple paths
  • 👍 Scratches the Fallout itch
  • 👍 Immersive atmosphere and writing

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Controls constantly break
  • 🐛 Crashes and performance issues
  • 🐛 Unbalanced gameplay and difficulty
  • 🐛 Text and UI issues on mobile
  • 🐛 Glitches and bugs

Bugs and requests

FF IV

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • Sound/music not working on some devices
  • Game crashes during specific story segments (Luca character issues)
  • Save points disappearing after extended play
  • Targeting system malfunction with Dance and Jive abilities
  • Equipment not displaying properly after battle
Show 4 more
  • Missing content from bonus dungeons and final dungeon bosses
  • Rare tail monster spawn issues tied to moon phases
  • Missing bonus tails despite purchase
  • Game freezes and crashes on certain iOS versions

Requested features

11 requests
  • Controller/gamepad support (Bluetooth, MFi, Backbone)
  • Cloud save functionality across devices
  • Voice acting for cutscenes
  • Original SNES music option
  • Challenge dungeons from other versions
Show 6 more
  • Bonus bosses and cameo encounters
  • Full screen support for modern devices
  • iCloud backup feature
  • Original sprite graphics option
  • Auto-leveling system for characters
  • Retina display support for iPad

ATOM RPG

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Controls breaking
  • Frequent crashes
  • Text/UI issues
  • Glitches and bugs

Requested features

4 requests
  • Add controller support
  • Improve UI scaling and readability
  • Add more content and updates
  • Fix bugs and stability issues

In-app purchases

None

FF IV

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

ATOM RPG

One-time1
  • ATOM RPG - Supporter Pack$2.99

Questions

Is FF IV free?
FF IV costs $14.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is ATOM RPG free?
ATOM RPG costs $9.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, FF IV or ATOM RPG?
FF IV and ATOM RPG are both rated 4.3 out of 5 on the App Store, from 195 and 221 ratings respectively.
Do FF IV or ATOM RPG have ads?
ATOM RPG shows ads; FF IV does not.
Which is updated more often, FF IV or ATOM RPG?
FF IV ships an update every 11 months, and ATOM RPG every 5 weeks. Most recently, FF IV was updated on September 28, 2026 and ATOM RPG on September 28, 2026.

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