Emberbound

Emberbound is the kind of mobile RPG you don't expect from a small team. You lead four travelers across a quiet, broken kingdom, and each character carries a 'memory' that you slot into battle to change the rules. One memory floods the field with fire tiles, another slows every enemy by a turn. Building a party is really building a set of ideas that combo together.

Combat is turn-based and happens on a small grid, which works beautifully on touch. You drag characters, tap skills, and the game never asks for precision your thumbs can't deliver. The writing is understated but lands, especially in the quiet moments between fights.

It's not flawless. The early hours move slowly and the menus could be cleaner. But once the memory system opens up, there's a surprising amount of depth here, and it respects your time with generous save points.

What we liked

• Clever memory-based combat
• Strong, restrained writing
• Touch controls that just work