Emberkin Saga

Emberkin Saga is a full-on party RPG that runs well on a mid-range phone, which already earns it points. You build a group of four, each with elemental affinities, and combat is turn-based with a timing bump on attacks to keep you awake during grinding.

The story is stronger than I expected. Characters remember choices, and a couple of mid-game twists made me sit up. Combat opens up once you get status effects and combo chains going; stacking a burn then triggering a detonation skill is very satisfying.

It leans a little grindy in the back half, and the menus could be cleaner, but the writing and the combat depth carried me through. A good one for longer sessions rather than quick bursts.

What we liked

• Combo-driven turn-based fights
• Story that reacts to your choices
• Runs smoothly on modest hardware