Tidewatch Empires

Tidewatch Empires asks you to grow a chain of islands from a single fishing village into a small trading power. There's no rush timer breathing down your neck — you plan, build, and check back in later, which suits the phone perfectly.

The strategy comes from routing: ships carry goods between islands, and one bad decision on where to build a dock can bottleneck your whole economy for a while. Combat exists but stays secondary; this is a builder at heart.

Menus are a touch fiddly on small screens, and I wish the tutorial explained trade contracts better. Once it clicks, though, it's a relaxing thing to dip into daily.

What we liked

• Relaxed, no-pressure pacing
• Satisfying trade-route planning
• Great for daily check-in play