Emberhold Saga

Emberhold Saga is a proper role-playing game that doesn't dumb itself down for the phone. You build a party of four, each with skill trees that branch in ways that actually matter, and combat is turn-based so you never feel rushed by clumsy touch input.

The crafting is where I lost a whole weekend. Gathering materials, upgrading gear, tweaking loadouts before a boss fight — it's the good kind of busywork. Menus are clean and legible even on a smaller screen, which is not something I say lightly about mobile RPGs.

Battery-wise it's heavier than most on this list, so I'd keep the graphics on medium during long sessions. But the story kept me going far past when I meant to stop.

What we liked

• Deep skill trees with real choices
• Turn-based combat suits touch play
• Satisfying crafting and gear upgrades