Tideborn Command

Tideborn Command is a slower, thinkier strategy game about keeping a fleet alive across an open sea. You juggle supply, repairs and positioning while storms and rival fleets keep ruining your plans. It's the kind of game you play with a cup of coffee, not on a crowded train.

The touch controls are better than I feared. Dragging formations and setting patrol routes feels natural, and you can pause to think without penalty. The campaign hands out new mechanics at a sensible pace, so it never dumps everything on you at once.

It does ask for patience. If you want instant action this isn't it. But if you like reading a map, weighing risks and watching a plan slowly come together, Tideborn Command has a lot to chew on.

What we liked

• Deep supply and positioning decisions
• Pause-anytime combat that suits mobile
• A campaign that teaches without hand-holding