# The Ensign vs Eldrum

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: The Ensign at none against Eldrum's 1. The Ensign also leads on price ($1.99 vs $8.99) and chart position (#58 vs unranked). Eldrum's advantage is update cadence (every 3 days vs every 2 months) and rating (4.9 vs 4.6). On review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

The Ensign costs $1.99 and Eldrum $8.99 up front. Eldrum sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. The Ensign asks for nothing beyond the download.

Eldrum holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 552 and 160 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of The Ensign's written reviews are positive against 92% of Eldrum's.

The Ensign ships an update every 2 months, Eldrum every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Ensign | Eldrum |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | **$1.99** | $8.99 |
| Rating | [4.6 (552 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-ensign/id908073488/reviews) | **[4.9 (160 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eldrum-black-dust-text-rpg/id6689519299/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **552** | 160 |
| Positive reviews | 86.2% of reviews | **92.2% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 days** |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free with in-app purchases** |
| Best chart rank | **#58** | — |
| Size | 32 MB | 186 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 16.4 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | +12 | 12+ |
| Developer | [Amirali Rajan](https://appshunter.io/developer/736683064) | [Act None](https://appshunter.io/developer/1652633881) |

## What reviewers say

### The Ensign

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-ensign/id908073488)

**Currently charting:** #58 Top Paid · Role Playing, #110 Top Paid · Adventure (US App Store)

Embark on a challenging narrative-driven adventure where your choices have dire consequences. This game offers a fully accessible experience for VoiceOver users, delivering a difficult yet rewarding gameplay loop.

**Highlights:** 100% VoiceOver playable, Challenging gameplay, Narrative-driven, No ads, No data collection, No in-app purchases

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

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🌟 Compelling story and world-building
- 🤖 Unique and challenging gameplay
- 🎮 Rewarding progression and sense of accomplishment
- 💎 Excellent prequel to A Dark Room
- 🧠 Encourages strategic thinking and decision-making

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤯 Extremely difficult and punishing at times
- 🔁 Frustrating to restart from the beginning after dying
- 🕹️ Lack of checkpoints or save options
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🧭 Unclear navigation and objectives at times

**Reported bugs**

- Game crashing when trying to collect loot
- Inconsistencies between item descriptions and inventory
- Saved progress being lost after closing the app

**Requested features**

- Ability to save progress and resume later
- Difficulty settings or optional modes
- More narrative depth and character development
- Improved accessibility and UI for visually impaired players


### Eldrum

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/eldrum-black-dust-text-rpg/id6689519299)

Embark on a dark, immersive text-based RPG where your decisions dictate your fate. Experience D&D-inspired gameplay, strategic turn-based combat, and branching storylines in a richly crafted, grimdark world. Explore, uncover secrets, and forge your own path to one of multiple endings.

**Highlights:** Branching storylines with multiple endings, D&D-inspired gameplay mechanics, Strategic turn-based combat, Rich, dark, and immersive world, Exploration with secrets and side quests, Atmospheric audio and evocative imagery

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

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Mount Karnak DLC | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Immersive storytelling
- 🚀 Engaging combat system
- 💡 Accessible for blind users
- 🔒 Deep RPG mechanics
- 👍 Fantastic writing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Broken/tedious combat
- 🐛 Slow progression
- 🐛 Bugs and glitches

**Reported bugs**

- Voiceover issues with health display
- RNG-heavy combat

**Requested features**

- More cities and activities
- Ability to improve fighting skills
- Clarity on save system


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Ensign free?

The Ensign costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Eldrum free?

Eldrum costs $8.99, and also offers in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, The Ensign or Eldrum?

Eldrum is rated higher. The Ensign averages 4.6 out of 5 from 552 ratings, while Eldrum averages 4.9 from 160 ratings.

### Do The Ensign or Eldrum have ads?

Neither The Ensign nor Eldrum shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, The Ensign or Eldrum?

The Ensign ships an update every 2 months, and Eldrum every 3 days. Most recently, The Ensign was updated on October 26, 2026 and Eldrum on October 25, 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.*