Iron Tide Command

Iron Tide Command is a proper strategy game squeezed onto a touchscreen, and mostly it pulls it off. You manage a chain of island bases, moving ships and resources while the enemy does the same. The map is the star here, and reading it well matters more than reflexes.

The interface took me a session to get comfortable with, since there's a lot happening, but once it clicks you feel like an actual commander. The AI plays a slow, thoughtful game, so bad decisions come back to bite you three turns later. That delayed consequence is what kept me hooked.

It's not a game to play in short bursts. Give it an hour and it rewards you. Rush it and you'll lose your whole fleet, which I did, twice, before I learned.

What we liked

• Deep supply-line management
• An AI that punishes sloppy planning
• Readable, detailed campaign map