The Guides vs Exception;
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- Hundreds of challenging codes and puzzles
- Interactive ciphers
- Fragmented story to unravel
- Integrated decoding tools (Morse, binary)
- Screenshot saving for clues
- Distress support system
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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
Exception;
Engage in a unique single-player game where you program AI units to overcome challenges and defeat enemies in a virtual world. Strategize and code different unit types to progress through levels and uncover the secrets of a seemingly perfect system.
- AI programming gameplay
- Strategic unit control
- Challenging single-player levels
- Virtual world exploration
- Uncover system secrets
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Exception is a game about AI programming. During the game, the player assists the units to defeat their enemies in the virtual world. However, the player needs to control the units by programming instead of controlling them directly. This is a challenging single-player game. In each level, the player needs to think about the strategy and program the units accordingly. The player needs to program different types of units to beat the level. ************************** In a virtual world where everything operates steadily under an omnipotent system, you will play the role of an operator named 159, who oversees and maintains the system. Nevertheless, there is no perfect system. You find an exception in the program one day. What is stranger is that the program made a request… You will discover the secret underneath this cyber world. ************************** [LEVEL SOLUTION] [WHEN] Success Rate = 100% [DO] Next level :D [WHEN] Success Rate ≠ 100% [DO] Optimize it :3 [/LEVEL SOLUTION] ************************** Contact us:support@kunpo.cc [Code monkeys change the world]
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Exception; at fortnightly against The Guides's every 4 months. Exception; also leads on ratings volume (2.7K vs 731). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads 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
The Guides costs $2.99 and Exception; $2.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.8 for The Guides against 4.8 for Exception;. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 731 and 2.7K respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of The Guides's written reviews are positive against 82% of Exception;'s.
The Guides ships an update every 4 months, Exception; fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on September 29, 2026 and September 21, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | The Guides | Exception; |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 | $2.99 |
| Rating | 4.8 (731 ratings) | 4.8 (2.7K ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 87.7% of reviews — better | 82.1% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 731 | 2.7K — better |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Fortnightly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 45 MB | 79 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 2 Fountains LLC | Kunpo |
Customer experience
The Guides
Exception;
User reviews
The Guides
From 731 App Store ratingsWhat 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
Exception;
From 2.7K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Interesting and challenging gameplay
- 🚀 Smooth and fluid animations
- 💡 Unique programming-based mechanics
- 🤖 Good introduction to programming concepts
- 🎨 Visually appealing design
Room to improve
- 🔒 Most levels locked behind paywall
- 🐛 Inconsistent bot behavior
- 💰 Game feels like a demo with limited 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
Exception;
Reported bugs
2 issues- Bots not responding to commands as expected
- Scripting errors when retreating
Requested features
4 requests- Sandbox mode to create custom levels
- Hint system for difficult levels
- Ability to sync progress across devices
- Multiplayer or co-op modes
In-app purchases
The Guides
No in-app purchases
Exception;
No in-app purchases









