# XCOM® vs Crying Suns

The clearest difference is rating: Crying Suns at 4.8 against XCOM®'s 4.3. Crying Suns also leads on review sentiment (73% vs 62%). XCOM®'s advantage is price ($4.99 vs $5.99) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 13.0). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

XCOM® costs $4.99 and Crying Suns $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Crying Suns holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 5.6K and 2.1K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of XCOM®'s written reviews are positive against 73% of Crying Suns's.

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | XCOM® | Crying Suns |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$4.99** | $5.99 |
| Rating | [4.3 (5.6K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xcom-enemy-within/id881270303/reviews) | **[4.8 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crying-suns/id1511788295/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **5.6K** | 2.1K |
| Positive reviews | 62.0% of reviews | **72.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | Monthly |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Best chart rank | #102 | **#49** |
| Size | 3.3 GB | 1014 MB |
| Requires iOS | **9.0** | 13.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [2K](https://appshunter.io/developer/324563547) | [Alternative Shift](https://appshunter.io/developer/394617049) |

## What reviewers say

### XCOM®

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/xcom-enemy-within/id881270303)

**Currently charting:** #102 Top Paid · Action, #110 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

This is a standalone expansion to a critically acclaimed strategy game, offering new soldiers, abilities, enemies, maps, and a multiplayer mode. Players can upgrade their soldiers with genetic modifications and cybersuits, research new weapons, and counter new alien threats.

**Highlights:** New soldier abilities (genetics & cybersuits), New weapons and equipment, New enemy types and organization, New strategic resource (Meld), New story missions, New multiplayer maps, units, and abilities

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Excellent port of the PC game
- 👍 Great gameplay and strategy
- 💎 Addictive and replayable
- 🎮 Faithful to the XCOM franchise
- 🔝 Best strategy game on iOS

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Difficult to control on small screens
- 🔋 Battery draining
- 🗺️ Limited map selection compared to PC
- 🔇 Sound issues and lack of audio options

**Reported bugs**

- Tutorial getting stuck
- Crashes when returning to base
- Inability to move soldiers to elevated positions
- Unresponsive menus and UI
- Progression-blocking bugs

**Requested features**

- Controller support
- Improved camera controls
- Full screen support for newer devices
- Update to fix compatibility issues
- More customization options


### Crying Suns

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/crying-suns/id1511788295)

**Currently charting:** #49 Top Paid · Role Playing, #106 Top Paid · Strategy (US App Store)

Command a space fleet in a tactical rogue-lite inspired by classic sci-fi. Explore a procedurally generated universe, engage in strategic ship battles, and uncover a deep storyline across six chapters. Experience a rich narrative and atmospheric gameplay designed for mobile.

**Highlights:** Procedurally-generated space exploration, Tactical battleship and squadron fleet combat, Over 300 story events, Deep, 6-chapter storyline, Mobile-optimized interface

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fun gameplay
- 🌟 Amazing atmosphere and story
- 👍 Engaging combat system
- 💎 Great value for money

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and bugs
- 🔍 Small text and UI elements
- 🔁 Repetitive gameplay and missions

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashes when using certain ship abilities
- Crashes during end-of-chapter cutscenes
- Progression-blocking bugs preventing access to new content
- Inability to progress past specific story points due to crashes

**Requested features**

- Zoom functionality for combat screen
- Ability to play own music during gameplay
- Endless mode or sandbox option
- Improved tutorial to explain key mechanics


## Frequently asked questions

### Is XCOM® free?

XCOM® costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Crying Suns free?

Crying Suns costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, XCOM® or Crying Suns?

Crying Suns is rated higher. XCOM® averages 4.3 out of 5 from 5.6K ratings, while Crying Suns averages 4.8 from 2.1K ratings.

### Do XCOM® or Crying Suns have ads?

Neither XCOM® nor Crying Suns shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, XCOM® or Crying Suns?

XCOM® ships an update monthly, and Crying Suns monthly. Most recently, XCOM® was updated on October 2, 2026 and Crying Suns on October 1, 2026.

### Which is more popular, XCOM® or Crying Suns?

XCOM® currently peaks at #102 in the App Store charts, and Crying Suns at #49. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*