Ironhold Dominion

Ironhold Dominion is a proper thinking game. You start with a single keep and a handful of workers, and everything from there is about balancing food, stone and defence against a map that keeps pushing back. The AI opponents aren't geniuses, but they're persistent enough to punish sloppy planning.

What we liked most is how it handles offline play. There's no timed-energy nonsense; you build and fight at your own speed, and the game saves the moment you close it. Sessions can be five minutes or an hour and both feel worthwhile.

The interface takes a little learning, and the tutorial could hold your hand better. Push through the first hour, though, and it opens up into something genuinely absorbing on a quiet evening.

What we liked

• No timers or energy gates
• Deep resource management
• Saves instantly on exit