Iron Tide Command

Iron Tide Command asks you to defend a stretch of coast with limited units and no room for sloppy decisions. It's turn-based, so you have all the time you need to weigh a move, and I appreciated that on a phone where I don't want twitchy reflexes deciding the outcome.

The maps are tight and every unit matters. Lose your artillery early and you'll feel it for the rest of the mission. That tension is the whole appeal. I lost the third map four times before I finally read the terrain properly and it clicked.

It's not the flashiest game visually, and the tutorial could explain fog-of-war better, but underneath is a genuinely smart little strategy game. Great in short sessions between other things.

What we liked

• Take-your-time turn-based tactics
• Every unit feels valuable
• Tight, well-designed maps