Most strategy tutorials undersell the game

I've quit more strategy games in their opening tutorial than at any other point, and I don't think that's my fault. So many of them front-load dry instructions before the interesting systems show up.

Tidewatch Command is a perfect case. Its first hour is a slog of hand-holding, and it completely fails to convey how tense and clever the logistics get later. I only stuck with it because reviewing is my job — a casual player would have bounced.

My rough rule now: if a strategy game has good reviews but a boring start, push through to the point where it stops explaining and starts trusting you. That's usually where the actual game lives.

Developers, please: show the good part sooner. A great mid-game does you no good if nobody survives the intro.