Iron Tide Command

Iron Tide Command asks you to think like an admiral. You're juggling a fleet across a map, deciding where to defend, where to push, and how to keep your ships supplied without overextending. The strategic layer plays out in slow, thoughtful turns, then battles kick off in real time where positioning decides everything.

I appreciated that it doesn't hold your hand for long. The early missions teach the basics, then it trusts you to make mistakes, which I did, spectacularly, before I learned to scout properly. Losing a fleet stings enough to make you plan better next time.

It leans a bit heavy on menus, and the interface takes an evening to get comfortable with. Push through that, though, and there's a meaty strategy game here that respects your intelligence.

What we liked

• Satisfying blend of turn-based planning and real-time combat
• Meaningful consequences for reckless play
• Deep enough to sink long sessions into