MARLVEL

Popcorn, Soda ... Murder? vs its rivals

Side-by-side comparison against Popcorn, Soda ... Murder?'s closest competitors — identity, store metrics, ratings & sentiment, and strategic intel.

Popcorn, Soda ... Murder?
This App
Duskwood - Detective Story
Nemesis
Choice of the Vampire 2
Nemesis
Unsolved: Hidden Mystery Games
Contender
Scriptic: Crime Stories
Contender
Creatures Such as We
Contender
Choices: Stories You Play
Peer
Romance Club - Stories I Play
Peer
MeChat - Interactive Stories
Peer
Sorcery! 4
Peer
Core Identity
DeveloperHosted GamesEverbyte GmbHChoice of Games LLCArtifex Mundi S.A.Scriptic LTDChoice of Games LLCPixelberry StudiosYour Story InteractivePlayMe Studioinkle
CategoryGamesGamesGamesGamesGamesGamesGamesGamesGamesGames
PlatformAndroid, iOSAndroid, iOSiOS, AndroidAndroid, iOSiOS, AndroidAndroid, iOSiOS, AndroidiOS, AndroidiOS, AndroidiOS, Android
Store Metrics
Rating3.7 / 54.4 / 54.1 / 54.7 / 54.5 / 54.8 / 54.5 / 54.5 / 54.6 / 54.6 / 5
Ratings Count212,5512952,570775605198,73615,77196,47386
PriceFreeFree$5.99FreeFreeFreeFreeFreeFree$4.99
Release DateDec 8, 2011Sep 27, 2019Aug 1, 2013Sep 2, 2020Mar 29, 2021Dec 11, 2014Aug 20, 2016Mar 7, 2018Dec 15, 2020Sep 22, 2016
Last UpdatedJan 8, 2026Apr 12, 2025Jan 8, 2026Apr 28, 2026Mar 20, 2025Jan 8, 2026Mar 30, 2026May 5, 2026Apr 21, 2026Sep 21, 2019
Sentiment & Reviews
Sentiment-mixed-mixed--negativemixed--
Score-45/100-45/100--35/10065/100--
Praises-
  • Immersive narrative and character depth create a strong emotional connection for players
  • Authentic texting interface design provides a realistic and engaging communication experience
-
  • Engaging mystery narratives and challenging puzzle designs keep players invested in the story progression
--
  • Legacy Content Quality
  • Immersive storytelling and high-quality character art drive deep emotional investment for long-term players
--
Complaints-
  • Forced match-three mini games disrupt the narrative flow and create artificial progression barriers
  • Aggressive monetization tactics and pay-to-win mechanics frustrate players during difficult puzzle sequences
-
  • Aggressive energy consumption mechanics force long wait times that disrupt the core gameplay flow
--
  • Generative AI Integration
  • App Loading Failures
  • Aggressive monetization changes post-update restrict access to core story choices and progression
--
Requests-
  • Skip functionality or difficulty reduction for mandatory mini games to prioritize story progression
-
  • Adjustment of the energy system to allow for longer uninterrupted play sessions
---
  • Implementation of a cloud-based save system to prevent progress loss across device transitions
--
Strategic Intel
Strengths
  • Lightweight ChoiceScript engine ensures low-friction narrative progression
  • Accessibility font settings differentiate the reading experience
  • Messenger interface creates high-retention emotional hook
  • Episodic delivery maintains long-term engagement cycles
-
  • Hand-painted visual assets function as a brand differentiator in the hidden object category.
  • Centralized multiverse hub increases cross-promotion potential for additional in-app purchases.
--
  • Extensive legacy library of high-quality human-authored stories
  • Reliable weekly update cadence
  • Strong genre diversity including fantasy and mystery
  • High-fidelity character art sustains emotional attachment
  • Episodic release cadence drives recurring engagement
--
Weaknesses
  • 3.0 rating on Android indicates significant user satisfaction gaps
  • Lack of multimedia elements limits immersion compared to category leaders
  • Forced match-three puzzles create progression barriers
  • Aggressive monetization drives negative sentiment
-
  • Aggressive energy-gated progression causes high-frequency user churn.
  • Monetization pressure perceived as pay-to-progress barrier in reviews.
--
  • Poorly received Generative AI art and writing
  • Technical instability (app loading bugs)
  • Aggressive monetization friction (40+ diamond costs)
  • 0.7★ Android-iOS rating gap indicates technical instability
  • No cloud-save mechanism despite frequent user requests
--
Pricingfreemiumfreemiumpaidfreemiumfreemiumfreefreemiumfreemiumfreemiumpaid
MomentumMaintenanceMaintenanceSteadyActiveSteadySteadyActiveActiveIntenseZombie
Update Cadence2 versions, 2 majors/6mo, ~3d avg5 versions, 3 majors/6mo, ~248d avg5 versions5 versions, ~9d avg5 versions5 versions2 versions, 2 majors/6mo, ~10d avg5 versions, 4 majors/6mo, ~20d avg5 versions5 versions

Compare Popcorn, Soda ... Murder? head-to-head

Disclosure: Independent intel to help mobile builders succeed.

AI-powered analysis with editorial review, built from publicly available sources. Marlvel.ai is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Popcorn, Soda ... Murder?, its developer, the app publisher, Apple, or Google Play. All trademarks, logos, and screenshots referenced remain the property of their respective owners.

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