# Hardboiled vs Pathos

The clearest difference is price: Pathos at Free against Hardboiled's $1.99. Pathos also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.1) and update cadence (every 4 months vs every 30 months). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Pathos is free to download; Hardboiled costs $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Pathos holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.1. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pathos has 360 ratings behind it against 46, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 74% of Hardboiled's written reviews are positive against 89% of Pathos's.

Hardboiled ships an update every 30 months, Pathos every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 20, 2026 and September 22, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Hardboiled | Pathos |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | $1.99 | **Free** |
| Rating | [4.1 (46 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hardboiled/id977874600/reviews) | **[4.7 (360 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pathos-nethack-codex/id1045848120/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 46 | **360** |
| Positive reviews | 74.4% of reviews | **88.6% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 30 months | **Every 4 months** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Size | 147 MB | 142 MB |
| Requires iOS | **12.0** | 12.2 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Game Dev Team](https://appshunter.io/developer/561134317) | [Callan Hodgskin](https://appshunter.io/developer/1045848119) |

## What reviewers say

### 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


### Pathos

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pathos-nethack-codex/id1045848120)

Embark on a challenging roguelike adventure inspired by Nethack's rule set. Select from 13 distinct classes and delve into a perilous dungeon. Your mission is to confront your nemesis in hell and escape with as much treasure as possible.

**Highlights:** Nethack-inspired gameplay, 13 playable classes, Deep dungeon exploration, Defeat nemesis in hell, Loot collection and escape

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Hardboiled free?

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

### Is Pathos free?

Pathos is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Hardboiled or Pathos?

Pathos is rated higher. Hardboiled averages 4.1 out of 5 from 46 ratings, while Pathos averages 4.7 from 360 ratings.

### Do Hardboiled or Pathos have ads?

Neither Hardboiled nor Pathos shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Hardboiled or Pathos?

Hardboiled ships an update every 30 months, and Pathos every 4 months. Most recently, Hardboiled was updated on September 20, 2026 and Pathos on September 22, 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.*