# Dark Forest vs Hooked

Dark Forest and Hooked both sit at 4.0 stars, but that hides the real split: 80% of Dark Forest's written reviews are positive against 24% of Hooked's. Dark Forest also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 26.0). Hooked's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 months) and ratings volume (14K vs 80). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Dark Forest sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Hooked sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per 7 days. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

Hooked holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Hooked has 14K ratings behind it against 80, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 80% of Dark Forest's written reviews are positive against 24% of Hooked's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Dark Forest ships an update every 3 months, Hooked every 5 days. Both last shipped on November 1, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Dark Forest | Hooked |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.0 (80 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-forest-horror-gamebook/id695442145/reviews) | **[4.2 (14K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hooked/id1024818709/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 80 | **14K** |
| Positive reviews | **80.5% of reviews** | 23.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | **Every 5 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | — | **#132** |
| Size | 67 MB | 12 MB |
| Requires iOS | **8.0** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 9+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Living a Book Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/695442148) | [Telepathic, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/997494868) |

## What reviewers say

### Dark Forest

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dark-forest-horror-gamebook/id695442145)

Embark on a terrifying mystery adventure where your choices shape the narrative and lead to multiple distinct endings. Immerse yourself in a chilling story with captivating illustrations and atmospheric music.

**Highlights:** Interactive story, Multiple endings, Branching narrative, Horror elements, Supernatural mystery, Illustrations, Atmospheric music

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlock Pathbook | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📖 Engaging story
- 💡 Interactive choose-your-own-adventure style
- 🎶 Great music/soundtrack
- 🎨 Nice artwork/graphics
- 🤔 Intriguing plot

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏳ Too short
- ✍️ Terrible/amateurish writing
- 🤷‍♂️ Predictable plot
- 😐 Unlikable main character
- 🧱 Walls of text

**Reported bugs**

- App freezes/crashes
- Story only in Spanish
- Last line of text missing
- Cannot open books/no text appears

**Requested features**

- More content/longer stories
- More choices/paths
- Add pictures to the book
- Translate to other languages
- Second part/sequel


### Hooked

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hooked/id1024818709)

**Currently charting:** #132 Top Grossing · Book (US App Store)

Dive into addictive, bite-size stories with bold manga-style art and cinematic panels. Choose to read, listen, or watch your favorite genres, from horror to romance. Discover your next obsession with personalized recommendations and trending charts.

**Highlights:** Bite-size, tap-through episodes, Manga-style art and cinematic panels, Read, listen, or watch formats, Diverse genres (horror, thriller, sci-fi, romance, fantasy), Personalized recommendations and trending charts, Unlimited access with subscription

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| HOOKED Unlimited | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| HOOKED Unlimited | $2.99 | per 7 days |
| HOOKED Unlimited | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| HOOKED Unlimited | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Hooked Unlimited | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| HOOKED Unlimited | $7.99 | per month |
| Hooked Unlimited | $9.99 | per 7 days |
| HOOKED Unlimited | $14.99 | per month |
| HOOKED Unlimited | $14.99 | per month |
| HOOKED Unlimited | $19.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Addictive stories
- 👍 Wide range of genres
- 🚀 Immersive storytelling

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Paywall to access content
- 🕰️ Long wait times between chapters
- 🔒 Restricted access without subscription
- 💰 Expensive subscription fees

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues
- Inability to access content without paying

**Requested features**

- Bring back free user-created stories
- Offer more free content options
- Reduce subscription costs


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Dark Forest free?

Dark Forest is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Hooked free?

Hooked is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Dark Forest or Hooked?

Hooked is rated higher. Dark Forest averages 4.0 out of 5 from 80 ratings, while Hooked averages 4.2 from 14K ratings.

### Do Dark Forest or Hooked have ads?

Neither Dark Forest nor Hooked shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Dark Forest or Hooked?

Dark Forest ships an update every 3 months, and Hooked every 5 days. Most recently, Dark Forest was updated on November 1, 2026 and Hooked on November 1, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*