Ironline Command

Ironline Command takes the classic base-and-army formula and squeezes it onto a touchscreen without making a mess of it. Unit selection is handled with smart radial menus, and you can queue orders quickly once you learn the rhythm. Matches are tight, usually ten to fifteen minutes, which keeps things intense.

The depth is in the counters. Every unit beats something and loses to something else, so a match is really about reading your opponent and adapting. I lost a lot early on, then it clicked, and the comeback mechanics meant a shaky start didn't doom me.

Touch controls in strategy games are always a gamble, but this one mostly nails it. The occasional misfire tap aside, it's one of the better mobile RTS experiences I've played.

What we liked

• Tight, readable unit counters
• Short but intense matches
• Controls built for touch, not ported from PC