Tidecrown Tactics

Tidecrown Tactics puts you in charge of coastal settlements under constant threat, and the whole thing plays on a clean hex grid you can manage with one thumb. You place units, manage resources and read the terrain, and there's real satisfaction in setting up a chokepoint that holds against a wave you were sure would break you.

The campaign eases you in with small maps before the real puzzles arrive. We appreciated that difficulty comes from smart enemy placement rather than from stat walls. There's an optional skirmish mode once you've finished the story, and it has surprising legs.

It's not the flashiest game on this list, but for strategy fans tired of sprawling menus, this is a tight, focused experience that always fits in a short session.

What we liked

• Clean one-handed hex strategy
• Difficulty from design, not stat inflation
• Satisfying defensive puzzles