Comparison

The Guides vs GNOG

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

GNOG

Explore miniature worlds hidden within charming monster heads in this tactile 3D puzzle game. Manipulate toys and secrets by pointing, clicking, and interacting with the environment. Discover hidden secrets and enjoy an immersive experience, with optional augmented reality support.

Highlights
  • 3D puzzle gameplay
  • Tactile toy-like monster heads
  • Explore hidden worlds
  • Point, click, grab, poke, spin, pull interactions
  • Optional AR support
Features
Read full description

GNOG is a 3D puzzle game set in a tactile world of toys and secrets. Point, click, grab, poke, spin, pull, and play with uniquely charming monster heads, and explore the hidden worlds inside them. Inspired by real-world toy designs, every GNOG head is a miniature world to discover. GNOG has optional AR support to transform your tabletop into a magical toy box, bringing a new level of tactile, physical interaction to its world.

Screenshots

The Guides4 screens
GNOG4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: The Guides at 4.8 against GNOG's 4.4. The Guides also leads on review sentiment (88% vs 76%) and price ($2.99 vs $4.99). GNOG's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 4 months). On ratings volume, 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

The Guides costs $2.99 and GNOG $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

The Guides holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 731 and 292 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 88% of The Guides's written reviews are positive against 76% of GNOG's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

The Guides ships an update every 4 months, GNOG every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
The Guides versus GNOG: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterThe GuidesGNOG
Price$2.99 — better$4.99
Rating4.8 (731 ratings) — better4.4 (292 ratings)
Positive reviews87.7% of reviews — better76.1% of reviews
Number of ratings731 — better292
Update frequencyEvery 4 monthsEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better10.0
Further details — not scored
Size45 MB1.5 GB
Age rating4+9+
Developer2 Fountains LLCKO_OP

Customer experience

The Guides

All ratings731 ratings
Positive96.0%
Neutral0.5%
Negative3.4%
Written reviews220 reviews
Positive87.7%
Neutral4.1%
Negative8.2%

GNOG

All ratings290 ratings
Positive83.8%
Neutral5.9%
Negative10.3%
Written reviews155 reviews
Positive76.1%
Neutral7.1%
Negative16.8%

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

GNOG

From 292 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 💎 Beautiful graphics and animations
  • 🎶 Excellent soundtrack and audio design
  • 🧠 Challenging and creative puzzles
  • 🎨 Unique and whimsical art style
  • 🕹️ Tactile and engaging gameplay

Room to improve

  • 🕰️ Short gameplay length
  • 🔍 Small UI elements on mobile
  • 🔋 High battery drain
  • 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches

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

GNOG

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Levels not unlocking after completion
  • Ending animation not triggering
  • Freezing and crashing issues

Requested features

3 requests
  • More levels and puzzles
  • Ability to replay completed levels
  • Optimization for older devices

In-app purchases

None

The Guides

No in-app purchases

None

GNOG

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is The Guides free?
The Guides costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is GNOG free?
GNOG costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, The Guides or GNOG?
The Guides is rated higher. The Guides averages 4.8 out of 5 from 731 ratings, while GNOG averages 4.4 from 292 ratings.
Do The Guides or GNOG have ads?
Neither The Guides nor GNOG shows ads.
Which is updated more often, The Guides or GNOG?
The Guides ships an update every 4 months, and GNOG every 3 weeks. Most recently, The Guides was updated on October 24, 2026 and GNOG on October 24, 2026.

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