Comparison

Hadean Lands vs Codenames

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

Head to head
About

Hadean Lands

Experience a classic text adventure with complex alchemical puzzles and a fluid interface. This interactive fiction game requires you to type commands to explore and solve challenges. It features a built-in map and a journal to track your discoveries.

Highlights
  • Classic text adventure gameplay
  • Complex alchemical puzzles
  • Fluid typing and reading interface
  • Built-in game map
  • Journal for discoveries
  • VoiceOver and dictation support
Features
Read full description

*Winner of the XYZZY Interactive Fiction Awards for Best Puzzles, Best Setting, Best Implementation, and Best Use of Innovation for 2014.* *Hadean Lands* is interactive fiction — a classic text adventure. No graphics! No menus! No point-and-click! You type your commands, and read what happens next. This is the most complex puzzle structure I’ve ever designed. It’s the culmination of four years of work. I launched *Hadean Lands* as a Kickstarter project in 2010; it was a runaway success. Now it’s ready for you to play. - Fluid interface designed for comfortable typing and reading. - Full-length puzzle adventure with interlocking alchemical challenges. - Pop-up palette of commonly used commands. - Built-in game map — tap to go directly to any explored room. - Journal tab records all the recipes and rituals that you’ve discovered. - Full support for VoiceOver (speech output) and dictation (speech input) on devices that offer these features. “The overall arc, for me, was that I spent the first bit of the game really excited about the possibility space, and then the next several hours feeling like my head was going to explode... This game ranks off the charts on the ingenuity measure.” — Emily Short “The bottom line is that Hadean Lands makes great strides towards perfecting the classic adventure game — not just the text adventure.” — Steven Watson, AdventureGamers.com

About

Codenames

Engage in a strategic word game of deduction and teamwork. Give one-word clues to help your team guess associated words before the opposing team. Enjoy a blend of casual fun and deep thinking with turn-based multiplayer matches.

Highlights
  • Turn-based multiplayer
  • One-word clue system
  • Teamwork and deduction
  • Multiple game modes
  • Spymaster and Operative roles
  • Logic and creativity challenges
Read full description

Codenames is available in ENGLISH, GERMAN, FRENCH, ARABIC, ITALIAN, PORTUGUESE, SPANISH, and CZECH. Codenames is a clever word game of deduction, teamwork, and strategy, inspired by the popular board game loved worldwide. Give one-word clues, link multiple words, and read your teammates’ minds to win before the other team does. Easy to learn, hard to master Codenames is simple to understand and instantly rewarding. Every match tests your logic, creativity, and intuition — a perfect blend of casual fun and deep thinking. Play at your own pace Turn-based matches let you play whenever you want, as much as you want. Start several games at once and return when it’s your turn — perfect for busy players. Smart fun for sharp minds If you enjoy games that make you think, this is for you. Every clue and guess matters — there’s no autoplay, no idle waiting, just pure wordplay and deduction. Why players love Codenames • Turn-based multiplayer — play with friends or online opponents. • Based on a beloved board game concept: give one-word clues, guess multiple words. • Exclusive twists and new game modes available exclusively in this version. • Choose your role — Spymaster or Operative — and master both perspectives. • One-time purchase unlocks a full experience — no freemium grind, no intrusive ads—just the pure enjoyment for the price of a cup of coffee for the dev team. Join millions of players and test how well you can get into the minds of others. Download Codenames today — the top multiplayer word game for clever thinkers.

Screenshots

Hadean Lands4 screens
Codenames4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hadean Lands at none against Codenames's 1. Hadean Lands also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.7) and iOS requirement (8.0 vs 15.0). Codenames's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 11 months) and ratings volume (1.1K vs 15). On price, ads, monetization model and device support 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

Hadean Lands costs $4.99 and Codenames $4.99 up front. Codenames sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Hadean Lands asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Hadean Lands holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.7. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Codenames has 1.1K ratings behind it against 15, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hadean Lands ships an update every 11 months, Codenames fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 18, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Hadean Lands versus Codenames: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHadean LandsCodenames
Price$4.99$4.99
Rating5.0 (15 ratings) — better4.7 (1.1K ratings)
Positive reviews88.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings151.1K — better
Update frequencyEvery 11 monthsFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidPaid
Best chart rank—#11 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS8.0 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size18 MB221 MB
Age rating9+9+
DeveloperZarfhome Software ConsultingCGE Digital s.r.o.

Customer experience

Hadean Lands

All ratings15 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews18 reviews
Positive88.9%
Neutral5.6%
Negative5.6%

Codenames

All ratings1,129 ratings
Positive93.4%
Neutral2.6%
Negative4.0%

Bugs and requests

Hadean Lands

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Codenames

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Initial launch with only Czech language support
  • Occasional app crashes and server disconnections

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add Codenames Duet mode
  • Implement AI/bot players for faster games
  • Allow custom word packs and themes
  • Add a 'speed mode' for faster gameplay
  • Improve the jury system to maintain game integrity

In-app purchases

None

Hadean Lands

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Codenames

One-time1
  • Krycí jména: Duet$4.99

Questions

Is Hadean Lands free?
Hadean Lands costs $4.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Codenames free?
Codenames costs $4.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Hadean Lands or Codenames?
Hadean Lands is rated higher. Hadean Lands averages 5.0 out of 5 from 15 ratings, while Codenames averages 4.7 from 1.1K ratings.
Do Hadean Lands or Codenames have ads?
Neither Hadean Lands nor Codenames shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hadean Lands or Codenames?
Hadean Lands ships an update every 11 months, and Codenames fortnightly. Most recently, Hadean Lands was updated on October 5, 2026 and Codenames on October 18, 2026.

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