Emberfall Saga

Emberfall Saga is the kind of RPG I didn't expect to lose a weekend to. You build a party of four, each with their own quirks, and work through a story that actually bothers to give side characters personalities. The writing has a dry sense of humor that sneaks up on you.

Combat is turn-based, which suits mobile perfectly. You queue actions with taps, and there's an auto-battle option for grinding that you can override the moment things get dangerous. I turned off battle animations after a while to speed things along and save battery, and the game handled that gracefully.

My only gripe is the early inventory management, which feels clunky until you unlock a proper sorting menu around chapter three. Push past that and you've got a genuinely satisfying handheld RPG that respects your saves and lets you play in short bursts.

What we liked

• Well-written cast and side quests
• Flexible turn-based combat with auto option
• Animation toggle for faster, cooler-running play