Item: Animus - Stand Alone
Rating: 79
Author: Dinsun

Our Expert Score

79/100

Animus - Stand Alone is a breath of fresh air for mobile players who crave the 'Soulslike' experience. It is unapologetically difficult, focusing on tight, deliberate combat and punishing boss encounters. Unlike most mobile RPGs that rely on auto-play, Animus requires you to master your timing, stamina management, and dodge-rolling to survive. Every enemy is a threat, and every victory feels genuinely earned.

The game's aesthetic is dark and gritty, reminiscent of the best dark fantasy titles on console. While the environments are somewhat linear, the core focus is clearly on the boss fights, which are spectacular and varied. You’ll need to study attack patterns and choose the right equipment for each encounter. The equipment system is deep, with various weapon types that change your playstyle entirely. It’s a hardcore game for a hardcore audience, and while the difficulty might be a barrier for some, those who stick with it will find one of the most rewarding combat systems on iOS.

Dinsun reviewed on: Sun Feb 15 2026

The Game

Available on: iPhone, iPad, iPod

1282288783

$7.99 13+★3.9 204 reviews

Author : TENBIRDS Corporation

Pubish Date : Wed Dec 13 2017

Last Update Date : Sun Nov 04 2018

Support Languages : English, German, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Thai, Traditional Chinese

Genres :

Version 1.2.0Sun Nov 04 2018

Minor bug fix
◆◆◆Developer Notes
Animus pays homage to punishing, albeit rewarding action games of a similar nature or genre. In this sense, it may be one of the rare and interesting additions to the App Store.
If you enjoy subtle, intense boss fights, this is for you. We don’t smother the screen with numbers or excessive effects — engaging combat is the focus.
Now, let us seek out our monsters, and meet them face to face.
Animus - Stand Alone (Ire SA Edition) is the companion game supplementing continued work on Ire - Blood Memory.
◆◆◆Background
"Countless possibilities had been while hope rose and fell, but all were beaten into the dust, bringing an end to the age of champions. The lands now lay desolate and empty but for the acrimonious shadows, enslaved in the falsehood of their own creation. Yet... there is one left wandering the lands in torturous pilgrimage, to escape this prison... or end it."
◆◆◆Game Characteristics*
. Standalone (offline capable)
. Tactical Action(RPG)
. Linear progression
. Tense combat mechanics and boss fights
. Button mashing will get you killed
. New perspective (literal and figurative)
. New bosses and weapons
. Cutscenes
. 4 levels of difficulty: Dawn, Midday, Dusk 1~3 (Day 1 ~ Day 4) . 3 different endings (Dawn, Midday, Dusk)
. 4 area themes
. 24 main quests (per difficulty)
. 13/17 sidequests (Dawn/Midday: 13, Dusk: 17)
. 11 main boss fights (final boss in Dusk)
. MFi controller compatible
*Following updates: Weapon type and boss
◆◆◆Device Requirement
. OS: iOS 10 ≥
. iPhone*: iPhone 6 ≥
. iPad: iPad Air 2 ≥
. iPad Mini: iPad mini 4 ≥
. Req Storage.: 2.2GB ≥
*Best on iPhone X
(Note: MFi controller compatible)
◆◆◆
Requires iOS 10.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.
2019 Year-End Promotion. (12/06~12/13)
◆◆◆Developer Notes
Animus pays homage to punishing, albeit rewarding action games of a similar nature or genre. In this sense, it may be one of the rare and interesting additions to the App Store.
If you enjoy subtle, intense boss fights, this is for you. We don’t smother the screen with numbers or excessive effects — engaging combat is the focus.
Now, let us seek out our monsters, and meet them face to face.
Animus - Stand Alone (Ire SA Edition) is the companion game supplementing continued work on Ire - Blood Memory.
◆◆◆Background
"Countless possibilities had been while hope rose and fell, but all were beaten into the dust, bringing an end to the age of champions. The lands now lay desolate and empty but for the acrimonious shadows, enslaved in the falsehood of their own creation. Yet... there is one left wandering the lands in torturous pilgrimage, to escape this prison... or end it."
◆◆◆Game Characteristics*
. Standalone (offline capable)
. Tactical Action(RPG)
. Linear progression
. Tense combat mechanics and boss fights
. Button mashing will get you killed
. New perspective (literal and figurative)
. New bosses and weapons
. Cutscenes
. 4 levels of difficulty: Dawn, Midday, Dusk 1~3 (Day 1 ~ Day 4) . 3 different endings (Dawn, Midday, Dusk)
. 4 area themes
. 24 main quests (per difficulty)
. 13/17 sidequests (Dawn/Midday: 13, Dusk: 17)
. 11 main boss fights (final boss in Dusk)
. MFi controller compatible
*Following updates: Weapon type and boss
◆◆◆Device Requirement
. OS: iOS 10 ≥
. iPhone*: iPhone 6 ≥
. iPad: iPad Air 2 ≥
. iPad Mini: iPad mini 4 ≥
. Req Storage.: 2.2GB ≥
*Best on iPhone X
(Note: MFi controller compatible)
◆◆◆

Ratings & Reviews

3.9 out of 5 with 204 Counts

★★★★★

Age Rating 13+

Features

Tactical, skill-based combat system

Colossal and challenging boss fights

Multiple weapon types with unique move sets

Deep equipment and armor progression

Full controller support for a console-like experience

Tips

Surviving the First Encounter

Don't get greedy with your attacks. Watch the enemy's animation; most have a 'tell' before they strike. Use your dodge to reposition and only attack when they are recovering from their own swing.

Promotion Videos

Animus - Stand Alone Gameplay Android / iOS (Offline Action-RPG) - YouTube

News on this game

Animus Heading To Nintendo Switch Worldwide

“The world is a broken place — lonesome, bitter, fatal. Humanity had been crushed between a clash for untold dominance between the Absolutes...

NintendoSoup Tue Jul 16 2019

Gameplays

Stamina Management

Every action—attacking, dodging, and blocking—consumes stamina. If you run out, you'll be left defenseless. Always leave a small sliver of stamina for an emergency dodge roll.