Tideborn Tactics

Tideborn Tactics drops you into island battles on a hex grid, and the whole thing lives or dies on how you position your squad. High ground, cover, and shifting tides all change what's possible each turn. It's the sort of game where a bad move on turn two ruins you by turn eight.

What I appreciate is how readable it is. The interface shows exactly what damage a move will do and what your enemy can reach, so mistakes feel like your fault, not the game's. Missions are short enough to fit into a break but layered enough to chew on.

There's a light campaign map with upgrades between fights, and none of it needs a connection. I've played whole sessions in a basement office with no bars and never hit a wall.

What we liked

• Clear, honest combat information
• Terrain and tides change every fight
• Bite-sized missions with real depth