Tideborn Empire

Tideborn Empire asks you to grow a string of island settlements, balancing trade routes against the weather and the odd raid. It's a strategy game that rewards patience, and I mean that as a compliment.

What won me over is the lack of nagging timers. You build at your own pace, and the systems are deep enough that optimizing your supply chains becomes its own quiet puzzle. The tutorial is a bit dry, but push past it and the game opens up nicely.

Battles are light and more about preparation than tactics, so if you came for warfare you might be underwhelmed. As a builder and manager, though, it's one of the better ones on mobile.

What we liked

• No energy timers or waiting walls
• Satisfying trade and supply systems
• Relaxed, self-paced progression