Tideborne Command

Tideborne Command asks you to think a few moves ahead. You manage fleets, supply routes and territory on a hex-based map, and the AI is willing to punish lazy positioning. It's more thoughtful than most mobile strategy fare, and it doesn't nag you to hurry up.

The touch interface handles a lot of information well. Pinch to zoom, long-press for unit details, and drag to plan routes. It took me a session to learn the icons, but after that everything clicked. Matches can be paused and resumed cleanly, which suits a phone game.

This is a heavier title, so the battery does take a hit during long campaigns. Dropping the map detail slider helped a lot without making anything harder to read.

What we liked

• Genuine tactical depth
• Clear touch-based map controls
• Pause and resume anytime