Emberfall Chronicle

Emberfall Chronicle is a proper RPG that somehow fits in your pocket. You build a party, pick dialogue that actually shifts the story, and fight turn-based battles that reward planning over button mashing. The writing is better than it needs to be, with characters who remember what you did to them a few chapters back.

The touch interface deserves credit. Menus are big enough to use with a thumb on a bus, and combat lets you queue actions so a shaky signal or a bump in the road won't cost you a fight. Save points are generous, which matters a lot on mobile where you get interrupted constantly.

It does run the battery down during long battles, so we'd keep a charger near for marathon sessions. But for a game with this much depth, it's a fair trade.

What we liked

• Choices that genuinely change the story
• Thumb-friendly combat menus
• Generous autosave for interrupted play