Review: Wizard Chess (PC) – That VideoGame Blog

We all love diving into a solid tactical game, don’t we? There’s this mix of nostalgia and innovation that comes with turn-based strategies. They don’t usually stray too far from the basic formula, but the addition of fresh mechanics can set them apart. Today, we’re not exactly playing a traditional game of chess, but WizardChess beckons with a similar nod, offering up its share of charming and puzzling elements. Starting with its intriguing name and how that sets your expectations.

WizardChess only parallels chess with its movement and attack patterns – and that’s pretty much where the similarities end. This game is a unique animal, vibrating with strategy but moving in a way that separates it vastly from the classic game. Entering WizardChess with rigid expectations could leave you a tad disoriented or maybe even frustrated.

In WizardChess, you plunge into a dungeon, gearing up to face various encounters, including a lengthy tutorial leading to a boss. Now, this tutorial feels long, perhaps necessary to help you really grasp the mechanics. Numerous units can be unlocked, and deciphering their roles and strategic advantages is key. However, the downside? This tutorial doesn’t save. If you exit the game, you have to start over – a frustrating setback that pushed me straight into Arcade mode instead, even though it meant skipping vital learnings.

The tutorial phase promotes a methodical pace, allowing you to play at your speed. It’s all about positioning your units, one per turn, to strategically counteract the opponent’s moves. Every unit can activate special abilities, but this comes at a cost, making balance essential. Once you get the hang of it, it’s quite enjoyable, but hitting reset isn’t fun.

Arcade mode throws you a different challenge. You begin with your squad on the board and a race against the clock to take down foes before a boss appears. Between rounds, you can delve into a shop to boost your units, but there’s a stingy limit to resources. This pushes you into frenetically finishing rounds to earn enough for necessary upgrades, shaking up the traditional strategic approach you might enjoy.

There’s an intriguing shop mechanic where not only can you purchase new units, but you can also enhance the stats of existing ones. My advice? Expand your roster early on; trying to jack up stats initially won’t serve you well.

Adding elements like fire, water, and earth to units also spices things up, tweaking behaviors within your lineup. These affect your team’s dynamics uniquely, offering a layer of strategy as to how your units engage when they’re not under your direct control during a turn.

I’ll be honest, my attempts to topple the first Arcade Mode boss were dismal – often crushed without much understanding of the shortcomings that led there. Your hero acts more as support, and when your units fall, it leaves you vulnerable, creating quite the sour note for what seems the game’s main mode.

Reflecting back, WizardChess needs a campaign mode. Characters introduced in the tutorial could spin a narrative that engages players more deeply. Sadly, the absence of a saveable campaign hampers storytelling potential. While the game is designed for quick sessions, it makes you wonder about its long-lasting draw.

WizardChess’s controls are straightforward, built on a point-and-click system that’s intuitive. Each piece mimics chess movements, but the twist here is ensuring tactical placement amidst constrained terrain and timed elements, which can trip you up in the flow of battle.

Ultimately, WizardChess feels like a blend of good ideas that haven’t fully melded into a cohesive experience. It’s a game I want to appreciate more, and the ambition here should be lauded. It might hit home with certain players, offering endless fun if it clicks, but for a mainstream strategy enthusiast, some mechanics might just feel too disjointed or confusing.

WizardChess has a compelling vision, and its developers deserve credit for attempting something bold and different. Whether it all works seamlessly, though, remains a question. If it resonates with you, there’s a lot of joy to mine here. As for me, while intriguing, I might seek my strategy thrill somewhere else. With a score of 6.2 out of 10, WizardChess dabbles with a fascinating premise that has the pieces to capture a niche audience. However, for broader strategy lovers, its ambitions might overshadow its appeal.