Tideborn Command

Tideborn Command asks you to think a few turns ahead. You manage a growing fleet, decide which islands to fortify, and send scouts into fog-covered waters. The map fills in slowly, and that creeping sense of discovery is one of its best qualities.

Battles play out in a semi-automatic way — you set formations and target priorities, then watch the result. It takes a couple of fights to trust the system, but once it clicks you start winning engagements you'd have lost by button-mashing.

The pacing suits mobile. A full campaign mission fits into a lunch break, and the game saves cleanly whenever you close it. Our only gripe is the menu depth, which can feel heavy early on before you learn where everything lives.

What we liked

• Rewarding fog-of-war exploration
• Formation-based battles that reward planning
• Mission length that fits short sessions