Tower of Embers

Tower of Embers looks like a standard match puzzle at first, but the twist is that clearing tiles feeds a tower you're trying to keep lit. Let it fade and you fail the level, so you're constantly balancing greed against survival.

That tension raises the game above its peers. Late levels force you to plan combos several moves ahead, and the difficulty ramps at a fair pace. I never felt cheated, just outsmarted.

It's a good pick-up-and-play title. Nothing revolutionary, but the core hook is smart and the levels are well tuned.

What we liked

• Match mechanic tied to a survival timer
• Fair, well-paced difficulty
• Ideal for short sessions