Dark Notes is a narrative-heavy horror puzzle game for iOS and Android that features dual-protagonist exploration across time and space.
Product velocity
Dormant
Daily rank 🇺🇸
—
Games
Sentiment
4.2
3k reviews
Nemesis
Boxes: Lost Fragments
The App DNA
What makes this app unique?
The app removes the friction of linear, single-perspective puzzle games by allowing players to piece together mystery clues from two distinct timelines.
For Fans of mystery and horror puzzle games who prefer narrative-heavy, atmospheric experiences.
What does it look like?
Key features
Players switch between two characters to explore the same environment across different time periods, increasing session length.
Environmental puzzles provide clues directly tied to the mystery plot, encouraging repeat visits.
How much does it cost?
Monetization relies on ad-supported gameplay, evidenced by the presence of IAP and ad-supported status in store metadata.
Velocity
Dormant developmentopaqueShow more...
Development has stalled, with no new feature builds or updates released in over nine months. The app maintains a zombie status due to the lack of activity across both platforms. The last recorded update was 278 days ago, and the release history shows no evidence of active maintenance or live operations.
Who built it?
FUNNY GAME CO.
13+ apps tracked · Games
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Madhouse13 - Room Escape GameUser Sentiment
What do users think recently?
The recent review mood reads thrilled. Users appreciate tactical map hints and narrative progression keep players engaged throughout the current chapter.
How are ratings & reviews evolving?
What users say, by theme
- Tactical map hints and narrative progression keep players engaged throughout the current chapter
2 of 2 recent reviews analyzed · limited sample
Read the full review analysisUnlock 1 user request, each backed by review evidence.
Access the full report for freeCompetition
Competitive landscape for Dark Notes - Horror Games
How's the Games market?
Dark Notes currently holds a #96 Grossing position in the Hong Kong puzzle category, despite having no major updates for 279 days. The gap between its discovery-driven free rank and its grossing rank suggests a need for more aggressive monetization or content gating to capture value from its narrative-heavy user base.
Read the market outlookThe rivals identified
By Snapbreak Games
This app dominates the premium puzzle-box genre, directly competing for the same audience seeking high-fidelity, atmospheric mystery-solving experiences.
- Features high-fidelity 3D mechanical puzzle boxes that offer a more tactile, premium feel than static notebooks.
- Maintains a massive, established user base with frequent content updates that dwarf current target engagement levels.
- Immersive audio environment design creates a deeper sense of presence compared to standard puzzle game soundscapes.
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MOON HOUSE : ROOM ESCAPEContenderUnlock the head-to-head verdict: where this rival wins, and where it loses.
Access the full report for freeThe Analyst's Read
Key takeaways for Dark Notes - Horror Games
Where is it heading?
The puzzle category is consolidating around high-cadence live-ops titles, leaving Dark Notes exposed due to its long-term maintenance-only state. If the team does not resume a content-update cadence by Q1, the current grossing traction will likely evaporate as players move to more active rivals.
- The 279-day update silence erodes the player base's trust, which compounds the churn risk already visible in the lack of new content.
- Initial grossing chart entries in Hong Kong and Malaysia indicate that the narrative-heavy hook is successfully converting new users into spenders.
The SWOT
- Dual-protagonist narrative structure creates a unique, non-linear engagement loop that differentiates the app from static escape rooms.
- Localized content expansion in Hong Kong and Taiwan markets could capitalize on current grossing chart presence.
Next best moves
Ship a new chapter update because users explicitly request content expansion → increase retention
+ 1 more prioritized moveThe counter-intuitive read
The app's 2D notebook aesthetic is a strength, not a weakness…
Read the full takeFeature gaps
High-fidelity 3D mechanical puzzles (available in Boxes: Lost Fragments but absent here) +1
Since the last report: The app has shifted from a steady development cadence to a zombie state, with 279 days of inactivity creating a critical content-starvation risk. This stagnation now defines the competitive outlook, as the app struggles to convert discovery-driven free traffic into revenue compared to high-fidelity rivals.
Bottom line
The app's narrative-first approach creates a defensible niche, but the 279-day content drought is actively bleeding the user base. Transitioning to a regular content-update cadence would unlock the retention potential of the current player requests.
Unlock 1 critical friction, 1 market threat, 1 more prioritized move and the analyst’s take.
Access the full report for freeFAQ
Is Dark Notes suitable for casual players?
How does Dark Notes compare to Boxes: Lost Fragments?
Does Dark Notes have intrusive ads?
What are some alternatives to Dark Notes?
Sources
- [1] Play Store listing, source
Report last updated