Ironvale Command

Ironvale Command asks you to manage a small holdfast against waves of raiders, and it does it with maps you can read at a glance. You place towers, reroute supply lines, and decide whether to spend gold on walls or on training better troops.

What I liked is that there's no timer breathing down your neck. You can pause, think, and plan the next assault. The difficulty ramps fairly, and losing usually taught me something rather than feeling cheap.

It's not flashy, but the systems interlock nicely. A few missions late in the campaign forced me to completely rethink my defensive habits, which is the best compliment I can give a strategy game.

What we liked

• Readable maps and clean UI
• Fair, teachable difficulty curve
• Deep enough for long sessions