Pascal’s Wager
Android, 
iOS (iPhone/iPad), 
Nintendo Switch, 
PC
Pascal’s Wager is a Soulslike action RPG developed by TipsWorks and published by Giant Network and Yooreka Studio — and before anything else, the necessary disambiguation: this is the video game, not Blaise Pascal’s 17th-century argument for believing in God, which dominates any search for the name. The game launched on iOS on January 16, 2020 as one of mobile gaming’s genuine milestones — a full, console-grade Soulslike on phones, years before that seemed plausible — then reached Android (June 2020), PC as the Definitive Edition (March 12, 2021), and Switch (July 14, 2022).
Reception split by platform in the most literal sense: positive reviews on iOS, where it was a marvel; mixed on Windows, where it competed with the genre it imitated on the genre’s home turf.
Technical Specifications
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Developer | TipsWorks (Shanghai) |
| Publishers | Giant Network · Yooreka Studio |
| Engine | Unity |
| Release | iOS: Jan 16, 2020 · Android: Jun 2020 · PC (Definitive Edition): Mar 12, 2021 · Switch: Jul 14, 2022 |
| Reception | Positive (iOS) · Mixed (Windows) |
| DLC | Tides of Oblivion (2020) · Dance of the Throne (2022) |
| Genre | Action RPG, Soulslike |
| Mode(s) | Single-player (multiple playable characters) |
Terrence and the Dark Mist
In a world where the sun sank and a soul-corrupting dark mist swallowed the land, humanity survives by following the Colossi — mountain-sized beings whose light holds the mist at bay. Terrence, a courier searching for his lost wife, trails the Colossi’s path into the darkness, with a Sanity system that erodes near the mist’s horrors and a roster of playable companions — each with their own combat style — swapped mission to mission. Digital Trends’ verdict became the canonical summary: writing and voice acting rough enough to notice, gameplay impressive enough to forgive it — for a mobile game, a qualifier the PC port couldn’t shed.
Reception and Legacy
Its real place in history is as a precursor: proof from a small Shanghai team that Chinese studios could build credible Souls games, four years before Wuchang and the post-Wukong wave made that unremarkable — Vice literally titled its profile “The Unlikely Journey of China’s Souls-Inspired Pascal’s Wager.” Two DLCs expanded the campaign, and on phones it remains near the top of every “best mobile Soulslike” list it effectively founded.
Where to Play It Today
Pascal’s Wager is on iOS and Android (premium, no ads), Steam as the Definitive Edition, and Switch — all routinely discounted to a few dollars. The honest platform advice inverts the usual: this one’s best on the phone it was built for, where its compromises read as achievements.
