Report updated May 14, 2026
A Study in Steampunk
For fans of interactive fiction, mystery novels, and steampunk settings who prefer text-based narrative experiences.
A Study in Steampunk is a market-leading games app that is a paid app. With a 4.7/5 rating from 920 reviews, it delivers strong user satisfaction. Users particularly appreciate complex branching narrative structures provide high replay value for interactive fiction enthusiasts, though lack of gender selection options limits character identification for a portion of the audience remains a common concern.
What is A Study in Steampunk?
A Study in Steampunk is a text-based interactive mystery novel for fans of steampunk and choice-driven narrative games.
Users hire this app for deep, consequence-driven storytelling that rewards multiple playthroughs, serving the need for immersive, ad-free, long-form reading.
Current Momentum
v1.0 · 4mo ago
Maintenance- Added OpenDyslexic font support.
- Ships font selection settings.
Active Nemesis
Fragmented niche
No dominant direct rival identified yet — see Other Rivals below.
Other Rivals
7-Day Rank Pulse 🇺🇸
GamesNo ranking data
Rating Pulse 🇺🇸
Recent User Mood
What makes this app unique?
What Does It Look Like?
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What Are The Key Features?
Text-based narrative engine that processes user decisions to branch story outcomes
Customizable font selection including OpenDyslexic and Helvetica options
277,000-word interactive mystery novel with multiple character roles and romance options
How much does it cost?
- Single purchase at $6.99
Fixed-price model at $6.99 per unit, targeting users seeking a complete, ad-free interactive novel experience.
Who Built It?
Hosted Games
Empowering authors to create and publish interactive text-based gamebooks using a proprietary scripting language. Providing a platform for narrative-driven roleplaying experiences.
Portfolio
13
Apps
What other apps does Hosted Games make?
Way Walkers: University
Life of a Space Force Captain
Don't Wake Me Up
Super Star Soccer Striker
Scales of Justice
Sordwin: The Evertree Saga
Explore the full Hosted Games report
Portfolio breakdown, audience, momentum, and every app published by Hosted Games.
What do users think recently?
Low confidence · Latest 60 of 107 total reviews analyzed · Based on 107 reviews. Signal may be noisy.
How did the latest release land?
What is the recent mood?
Recent user voice shows a thrilled sentiment. Users appreciate complex branching narrative structures provide high replay value for interactive fiction enthusiasts, but report lack of gender selection options limits character identification for a portion of the audience.
What Users Love
What Frustrates Users
What Users Want
View the full user-sentiment analysis
Mood gauge, ratings & review-volume history, every praise / complaint / request, and sentiment over time.
What is the competitive landscape for A Study in Steampunk?
Where is it available?
Localized markets (1)
How's The Games Market?
**Pricing Strategy**: Fixed-price model at $6.99 per unit, targeting users seeking a complete, ad-free interactive novel experience. **Target Audience**: Fans of interactive fiction, mystery novels, and steampunk settings who prefer text-based narrative experiences.
How does it evolve in the Games market?
The title maintains a 4.7-star rating across 920 total ratings, indicating strong product-market fit within the niche interactive fiction category.
Rank progression
40 active rankings tracked — 30-day window
Which niche is A Study in Steampunk in?
to experience an interactive mystery novel
Explore the full Steampunk Readers niche
Every app in this space — 3 tracked, the niche's live rankings, and Marlvel's editorial take on the job-to-be-done.
The rivals identified
Nemeses(1)
Both titles utilize the ChoiceScript engine to deliver high-fidelity, text-based interactive fiction that targets the same core demographic of narrative-driven RPG enthusiasts.
Same space(3)
This app competes for the same narrative-focused mobile gamer, specifically targeting those interested in romantic drama and episodic content.
It captures the same audience interested in dark, atmospheric interactive fiction, though it utilizes a different engine and established IP.
This title competes directly for the same 'ChoiceScript' user base by offering a similar stat-based gameplay loop within a fantasy setting.
Differentiators
- Features a more traditional high-fantasy setting compared to the target's unique steampunk-mystery genre blend.
- Utilizes a classic hero-journey progression system that contrasts with the target's complex, investigation-heavy narrative structure.
New entrants(1)
This newcomer enters the interactive fiction space with a focus on episodic, character-driven content that could siphon off narrative-hungry users.
Compare A Study in Steampunk against every rival
All rivals in one side-by-side table — identity, store metrics, ratings & sentiment, and strategic intel — plus a head-to-head page for each.
The outtake for A Study in Steampunk
Strengths to defend, gaps to attack
Core Strengths
- ChoiceScript engine enables high-complexity branching narratives that drive repeat engagement
- 277,000-word count provides high content-per-dollar value for the $6.99 price point
Critical Frictions
- Mandatory email registration for save functionality creates unnecessary friction
- Lack of gender selection options limits character identification
Growth Levers
- Adding gender-inclusive protagonist options would broaden the addressable market
- Removing email-gated saves would reduce churn for casual readers
Market Threats
- High-fantasy narrative titles with more flexible character customization siphon potential players
- Friction in the save-game flow encourages users to seek ad-free alternatives
What are the next best moves?
Ship gender selection options because user feedback identifies it as a primary barrier to identification → increase conversion among female readers.
Sentiment data shows multiple users cite the lack of gender choice as a barrier to full enjoyment.
Trade-off: Pause the font-accessibility expansion sprint — gender representation has a higher impact on new-user conversion.
Remove mandatory email registration for save points because it is a top-cited friction point → reduce churn for casual players.
User reviews explicitly report frustration with email sign-up requirements for save functionality.
Trade-off: Deprioritize the planned UI polish for the settings menu — save-flow friction is a direct churn risk.
A counter-intuitive read
The app's narrative depth is a double-edged sword: the 277,000-word count creates a high barrier to entry that makes the title more vulnerable to shorter, more accessible interactive fiction games.
Feature Gaps vs Competitors
- Flexible character gender selection (available in broader RPG market but missing here)
Key Takeaways
- Prioritize character customization to align with modern interactive fiction standards and reduce churn.
- Audit the save-game flow to remove mandatory email registration, which currently acts as a barrier to casual play.
The app maintains a strong narrative core that justifies its price, but the rigid character design and save-flow friction limit its reach, so the team should prioritize inclusive character options to capture a wider audience.
Where Is It Heading?
Stable
The interactive fiction market is consolidating around titles that offer higher levels of player agency and customization. The app remains stable but exposed, as the lack of character flexibility will continue to drive potential players toward more inclusive competitors.
The 4.7-star rating confirms the core narrative quality remains high, ensuring continued interest from the core interactive fiction audience.
Recurring complaints regarding gender representation and save-flow friction create a ceiling on growth, preventing the app from expanding beyond its current niche.