Emberfall Saga

Emberfall Saga is a proper RPG that respects your time. Battles are turn-based and tactical without drowning you in menus, and the story hooks early with a small band of outcasts trying to hold a crumbling border town together.

Progression is where it shines. Each character learns skills along branching paths, and by mid-game you're building a party that fits your style rather than following one obvious build. The writing is warmer than most mobile RPGs bother with.

It's a bigger commitment than the arcade stuff on this list, but it saves cleanly mid-battle, so it survives being played in short bursts. Well worth it if you miss the console RPGs of years past.

What we liked

• Meaningful skill trees per character
• Charming, well-written cast
• Saves anywhere, plays in short sessions