Emberfall Saga

Emberfall Saga is the kind of mobile RPG I keep hoping to find. The turn-based combat has enough depth that you actually plan your turns, and the party members each have a personality that comes through in the dialogue. Choices matter more than in most phone games — a decision I made in the second chapter closed off a whole questline later, and I respected that.

Progression is well paced. You get new abilities often enough to feel like you're growing without drowning in menus. The auto-battle option is there for grinding, but the real fights want your attention. I especially liked how gear changes your character's look on screen.

The one downside is the early hours are a bit slow while the story sets up. Push through the first two chapters and it opens up beautifully.

What we liked

• Branching choices that stick
• Strategic turn-based combat
• Memorable party characters