Spacecom

From the start, the game sticks with a simple yet appealing design. The music is calm and soothing, and the gameplay is simple to learn yet rewarding when mastered.

You have several planetary systems that act as capture points, and your end goal is to capture the enemy’s system, using three different fleet types: battle fleets, siege fleets and invasion fleets. Each has its specialization in battle, and deciding when to use each will be crucial in winning the game. The game supplies you with 13 missions, tied together with a simple story, or you can take on your friends or the AI in skirmish mode. Unlike a lot of strategy games, there isn't any serious details to get bogged down with here, you can pick the game up and get playing quickly, without the need to invest in any serious learning time for the mechanics. The first few missions serve as a tutorial for the game and get straight to the point in how things work, so even someone who has never played a game like this before will find it a breeze to get into.

However, one major problem I have that is exclusive to the platform of choice (iPhone/iPod) is the interface design. On a PC or an iPad I would imagine that it would be no problem at all, but on the small screen of your phone, it is frustrating to deal with at times. Most of the buttons are simply too small for you to hit them accurately, and in key moments where a misplaced touch can send your battle fleet the wrong way and cost you a vital system (a problem made worse by the inability of your units to turn around mid-flight) this is unbearable to deal with. And if you are playing the early missions, the tutorial messages can’t be moved, blocking info and buttons on screen.

Nonetheless, on the right platforms, this is a nice, easy game to play when out and about on your tablet and at £2.99 it’s not exactly a bank-breaker either. If you’re looking for a simple yet engaging RTS experience for your travels or want to take a plunge into the strategy genre, then Spacecom might just be your ticket.