Emberfall Chronicles

Emberfall Chronicles is the kind of RPG you don't expect to find sitting quietly on a phone. It's a proper turn-based adventure with a party you build over time, elemental weaknesses to exploit, and a story that doesn't insult you. The writing has real character, especially the grumpy alchemist you recruit early on.

Combat rewards planning. You can brute-force early fights, but bosses force you to think about turn order and buffs. The autoplay option is there for grinding, though I found myself turning it off because the battles were the fun part.

It saves progress well and works nicely in short bursts, which matters for a genre that usually assumes you're on a couch. My only gripe is a slightly cramped inventory screen.

What we liked

• Meaningful combat decisions
• Charming hand-drawn art
• Good writing throughout