Ashfall Wardens

Ashfall Wardens is a proper RPG that somehow fits comfortably on a phone. You lead a small band of wardens across a scorched borderland, recruiting odd characters and sorting out their grudges as much as their gear. The writing has a dry sense of humor that kept us reading the dialogue instead of skipping it.

Combat is turn-based and leans on positioning. Where you stand matters because of ash clouds that spread across the field and change what your abilities do. It rewards planning without demanding spreadsheets, which is a nice balance for a mobile game.

The pacing is the real win here. Chapters are sized so you can clear one in a sitting, and the auto-save never let us down when the signal dropped underground.

What we liked

• Characters worth caring about
• Positioning-based battles
• Save system that respects commutes