Hollow Tide

Hollow Tide is quiet and moody in the best way. You explore a half-sunken coastline, poking at ruins and slowly piecing together what happened here. There's no combat to speak of — the challenge is observation and light puzzling, and the game trusts you to notice things without hand-holding.

The mood carries it. Fog rolls in, the water laps at broken buildings, and the ambient audio kept me leaning closer with headphones on. I finished it over a couple of evenings and thought about it afterward, which is more than most mobile games manage.

If you want something contemplative rather than twitchy, Hollow Tide is a small gem. Just play it somewhere quiet where the atmosphere can land.

What we liked

• Gorgeous, melancholic atmosphere
• Rewards careful exploration
• Great with headphones