Ember Crown Saga

Ember Crown Saga is the kind of RPG that justifies the extra storage space. You play a wandering guard who stumbles into a succession crisis, and the writing is far better than we expected from a phone game. Characters remember your choices, and the dialogue has actual personality.

Combat is turn-based and leans on positioning. Where your party stands on the grid matters as much as which skill you pick, so even easy fights ask for a little thought. We liked that you can speed up animations once you've seen them a hundred times.

The game is generous with its pacing. There's no timer pushing you forward, and side quests are worth doing for the stories rather than just loot. A genuinely good mobile RPG.

What we liked

• Writing that holds up through a long story
• Tactical grid combat that rewards planning
• No pressure systems — play at your pace