# The Ensign vs Hardboiled

The clearest difference is monetization model: Hardboiled at free against The Ensign's paid. The Ensign's advantage is rating (4.6 vs 4.1) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 30 months). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

The Ensign costs $1.99 and Hardboiled $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

The Ensign holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Ensign has 549 ratings behind it against 46, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 86% of The Ensign's written reviews are positive against 74% of Hardboiled's.

The Ensign ships an update every 2 months, Hardboiled every 30 months. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 20, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | The Ensign | Hardboiled |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | $1.99 |
| Rating | **[4.6 (549 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-ensign/id908073488/reviews)** | [4.1 (46 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardboiled/id977874600/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **549** | 46 |
| Positive reviews | **86.2% of reviews** | 74.4% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 months** | Every 30 months |
| Monetization | Paid | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | **#77** | — |
| Size | 32 MB | 147 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 12.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | +12 | 12+ |
| Developer | [Amirali Rajan](https://appshunter.io/developer/736683064) | [Game Dev Team](https://appshunter.io/developer/561134317) |

## What reviewers say

### The Ensign

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

**Currently charting:** #77 Top Paid · Role Playing, #132 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


### Hardboiled

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardboiled/id977874600)

Embark on a turn-based RPG adventure in a post-apocalyptic world. Explore a desolate town, engage in strategic combat, and make choices that shape your character's destiny and the fate of survivors. Your decisions will determine whether you become a harbinger of justice or chaos.

**Highlights:** Explore desolate post-apocalyptic towns, Strategic turn-based combat, Atmospheric graphics and sound, Scavenge for weapons and loot, Dynamic reputation system, Robust skill point system

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- ✨ Fallout-like experience
- 💰 Good value for price
- ⚔️ Turn-based combat
- 🗺️ Post-apocalyptic theme
- 🎮 Simple and fun gameplay

**What reviewers complain about**

- ⏳ Too short/limited content
- ❓ Vague quests/boring quests
- 📉 Steep learning curve
- 🤖 Unimaginative equipment
- 😠 Frustrating combat difficulty

**Reported bugs**

- Combat locks you in
- Enemies walk away out of range
- Cannot save game
- Loot disappears after death
- Game crashes during combat

**Requested features**

- More content/levels/chapters
- Sequel with more features
- Save/load feature
- More in-depth character customization
- Perks system


## Frequently asked questions

### Is The Ensign free?

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

### Is Hardboiled free?

Hardboiled costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.

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

The Ensign is rated higher. The Ensign averages 4.6 out of 5 from 549 ratings, while Hardboiled averages 4.1 from 46 ratings.

### Do The Ensign or Hardboiled have ads?

Neither The Ensign nor Hardboiled shows ads.

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

The Ensign ships an update every 2 months, and Hardboiled every 30 months. Most recently, The Ensign was updated on September 24, 2026 and Hardboiled on September 20, 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.*