Comparison

The Guides vs Vignettes

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

Head to head
About

The Guides

Embark on a journey of challenging codes, puzzles, and interactive ciphers that test your wit and imagination. Unravel a fragmented story by finding clues and patterns, utilizing integrated decoding tools and a distress support system.

Highlights
  • Hundreds of challenging codes and puzzles
  • Interactive ciphers
  • Fragmented story to unravel
  • Integrated decoding tools (Morse, binary)
  • Screenshot saving for clues
  • Distress support system
Features
Read full description

Featured by Apple in: 15 Most Mind-Bending Puzzlers, 15 Most Mysterious Games, The Best Games You’ve Never Played, Challenge Your Brain, Best New Games * * * * * “Best Mobile Games of 2015” — CNET “Best iOS Games of 2015” — Apple ‘N’ Apps “Best One Handed Mobile Games for Long Commutes” — Appcessories * * * * * Consisting of hundreds of extremely challenging codes, puzzles and interactive ciphers, The Guides is a journey that will challenge your wit, stretch your imagination and test your ingenuity in unique and innovative ways. Simply stated, they’re not easy. Progressing will be difficult, but you have the appropriate tools at your disposal. Everything you need to proceed is — or has been — provided. Look for clues and patterns to build on what you have learned. Remember what you have seen as for no detail is too subtle or insignificant. As you explore deeper, you’ll begin to unravel the enigma of The Guides. Peculiar, isn't it? • • • • • • • "From the word 'Go'... it tells you nothing. And you have to work it out for yourself. And that, my friends, that is cool." James Gilmour for App Spy "The Guides gets under your skin... you’ll find yourself thinking about it outside of the game and coming back for more." Jennifer Allen for 148apps "The Guides is one of the year’s most interesting puzzle games. It’s a beautifully designed toy box filled with an enormous variety of code-breaking ciphers and visual riddles..." Owen Faraday for Pocket Tactics "It's brilliant, uncompromising, satisfying, and one of the best games I have ever played on my phone... quite possibly on any platform." chanandler of App Army for Pocket Gamer • • • • • • • • Four Sections and 100 pages embedded with countless challenges. • Meticulously designed interactive puzzles and ciphers with each being more unique than the last. • Piece together the fragmented story to reveal the source of the messages. • Various game mechanics such as the code interface screen and the title bar to provide added layers of support. • Integrated decoding tools — including morse, binary and many more — to assist you on your journey. • Ability to save screenshots to keep track of invaluable clues and notes. • A distress support system is available if you find yourself stuck, but use sparingly, for your transmissions are limited. Official Site: theguidesapp.com General Inquiries: info@theguidesapp.com Twitter: twitter.com/theguidesapp Facebook: fb.com/theguidesapp Instagram: instagram.com/theguidesapp

About

Vignettes

Explore a world of shifting objects and hidden secrets in this unique, text-free puzzle game. Spin and interact with objects to discover different moods and settings. An accessible and colorful experience for all ages.

Highlights
  • Object shapeshifting
  • Text-free exploration
  • Playful interactions
  • Hidden secrets
  • Intuitive touch controls
  • Kaleidoscopic moods and settings
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

Vignettes is a casual but unique exploration game without text or characters, where objects shapeshift as you spin them around to wander through a kaleidoscope of different moods and settings. An accessible, colorful experience for all to enjoy, filled with playful interactions and hidden secrets. Drag your finger on the screen to rotate an object, and tap to interact. Here are some neat things you can do in Vignettes: • Rescue a stray cat • Re-enact the moon landing • Take a selfie on top of a mountain • Awaken an ancient snake spirit • Travel back in time • Conduct biological studies • And lots more! "Remarkably clever" -TouchArcade "An artistic puzzle game that looks and plays amazingly well" -Slide to Play "I haven’t been so entranced by a iOS game in a long time" -MacStories No in-app purchases or ads. **iPhone 5/iPad Mini 2 or higher recommended**

Screenshots

The Guides4 screens
Vignettes4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Vignettes at every 3 weeks against The Guides's every 4 months. Vignettes also leads on chart position (#163 vs unranked). On price, rating, review sentiment and ratings volume 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

The Guides costs $2.99 and Vignettes $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for The Guides against 4.8 for Vignettes. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 731 and 1K respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 88% and 88% positive.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The Guides ships an update every 4 months, Vignettes every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 9 level
The Guides versus Vignettes: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe GuidesVignettes
Price$2.99$2.99
Rating4.8 (731 ratings)4.8 (1K ratings)
Positive reviews87.7% of reviews — better87.6% of reviews
Number of ratings7311K — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#163 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better9.0
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB196 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer2 Fountains LLCSkeleton Business

Customer experience

The Guides

All ratings731 ratings
Positive96.0%
Neutral0.5%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews219 reviews
Positive87.7%
Neutral4.1%
Negative8.2%

Vignettes

All ratings1,023 ratings
Positive96.3%
Neutral1.5%
Negative2.2%
Written reviews218 reviews
Positive87.6%
Neutral2.8%
Negative9.6%

User reviews

The Guides

From 731 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Challenging and engaging puzzles
  • 🧠 Exercises the mind
  • 🎨 Minimalist and visually appealing
  • 🕹️ Unique gameplay experience
  • 🕵️‍♂️ Intriguing storyline and mystery

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
  • 🤯 Puzzles can be overly complex or unclear
  • 📱 Small text and UI elements on mobile
  • 🤔 Lack of clear instructions or guidance

Vignettes

From 1K App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🎨 Unique and creative design
  • 🕹️ Engaging and satisfying puzzles
  • 🎶 Calming and fitting soundtrack
  • 🔍 Intriguing secrets and hidden content
  • 🤯 Mesmerizing and mind-bending gameplay

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 🕰️ Game is too short
  • 🤔 Unclear progression and navigation
  • 💰 Perceived as overpriced for the content

Bugs and requests

The Guides

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Puzzle solutions not being accepted correctly
  • App crashes or freezes when switching between puzzles

Requested features

3 requests
  • More frequent updates and new content
  • Improved UI and accessibility options
  • Hint system or gradual difficulty scaling

Vignettes

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Chest won't open after putting in last key
  • Voodoo doll won't transform back
  • Crashes on startup for some devices

Requested features

4 requests
  • More levels and content
  • Better map/progression system
  • Easier to understand mechanics
  • Fix for persistent bugs

In-app purchases

None

The Guides

No in-app purchases

None

Vignettes

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is The Guides free?
The Guides costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Vignettes free?
Vignettes costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, The Guides or Vignettes?
The Guides and Vignettes are both rated 4.8 out of 5 on the App Store, from 731 and 1K ratings respectively.
Do The Guides or Vignettes have ads?
Neither The Guides nor Vignettes shows ads.
Which is updated more often, The Guides or Vignettes?
The Guides ships an update every 4 months, and Vignettes every 3 weeks. Most recently, The Guides was updated on September 29, 2026 and Vignettes on September 27, 2026.

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