Review of WizardChess (PC) – That VideoGame Blog

We all appreciate a well-crafted tactical game, don’t we? There’s a unique charm to turn-based strategy games that stirs up nostalgia while simultaneously offering something fresh. Sure, the fundamental rules remain fairly consistent across these games, but there’s typically enough innovation to make each one feel distinctive. Now, you might think we’re diving into a game of chess, but hold your horses; we’ll get into the specifics soon enough. I’ve been delving into a game called WizardChess, and while there are a slew of reasons I’m hooked, there are just as many things that puzzle me—starting with its name.

WizardChess sorta resembles chess in the loosest way possible. Your units navigate the board, mimicking the movement and even some attack patterns of chess pieces. But that’s where the similarities end. WizardChess carves its niche in the strategy genre, diverging so much from chess’s typical flow and rules that it stands alone. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if you approach it with preconceived notions, brace yourself for potential confusion or, at worst, some frustration.

In WizardChess, you’re thrust into a dungeon on a mission to tackle various challenges and, ultimately, topple the tutorial boss across several rounds. The tutorial itself can be a bit of a drag, but I suspect it’s essential for truly grasping the game’s mechanics. There are several unlockable units, and figuring out how they contribute to your strategy is crucial for victory. A sore point, though, is that the tutorial doesn’t save your progress. I had to abandon my run, losing all headway just because I needed a break. Consequently, I jumped into a different game mode, perhaps a hasty decision as it drastically altered the gameplay vibe.

The tutorial mode feels very turn-based. You’re dealing with units represented by cards, and you have all the time you need to plan out your moves. Only one unit can be moved per round, and while this seems straightforward, it complicates your strategic positioning, especially with foes maneuvering around. Some units come with special abilities that consume the movement action—a delicate balance, indeed. Once I familiarized myself with these mechanics, I found myself enjoying the pace, setbacks notwithstanding.

Switching gears, the arcade mode is a beast of its own. Here, you’re up against the clock, trying to down as many foes as possible before a boss appears. You can visit a shop between rounds for upgrades, but currency is scarce, slowing your progress to a crawl. This mode flips traditional strategy on its head—you need to act fast and accumulate enough points to equip yourself for that looming boss battle, diluting the tactical richness of the game in the process. You won’t get through many rounds either, intensifying the importance of your shop choices.

The shop in WizardChess is quite intriguing as you can either purchase new units or boost existing ones. Initially, I’d say go for more units rather than enhancements. It’s vital to expand your lineup before diving into upgrades. Moreover, you can imbue your units with elements to tweak their behavior—for instance, fire adds aggression, while water lends a more defensive stance. This feature deepens strategy, offering greater control over units outside your immediate command.

Now, I’d love to boast about defeating the first boss in Arcade Mode, but sadly, that’s not the case. Each encounter left me woefully unprepared, and every defeat felt more due to systematic unpreparedness than a lack of skill. Your hero plays a supporting role and can’t attack, leaving you vulnerable once your units are down.

It’s glaringly obvious that WizardChess could benefit from a campaign mode. The tutorial hints at a promising storyline with engaging characters, but without a campaign, this potential narrative remains unexplored. The game is more about seeing how far you can go in one sitting rather than how far you can progress overall. It’s a neat concept for short bursts of play, but its longevity might be questionable.

Control-wise, everything functions well with a simple point-and-click system. Chess-like movements may feel awkward in real-time situations, especially as terrain can hinder movement, which doesn’t sit well with the timed nature of the game.

In sum, WizardChess is a bit of an enigma to me. Perhaps I need more time to acclimate to its nuances, which might also affect my earlier choice to skip most of the tutorial. Apologies if I’ve misjudged any aspects. For now, it seems like this game has some great ideas that aren’t cohesively blending. If you enjoy the notion of a turn-based dungeon crawler with chess elements, you might find a gem here. Conversely, if you prefer fast-paced strategy, this mix might feel confused. The developers have certainly tried something bold, and for those it clicks with, WizardChess can be incredibly rewarding. Unfortunately, I’m inclined to seek my tactical thrills elsewhere for the time being, as something about the mechanics doesn’t quite align for me.