Chess!

About

Chess! is a single player and multiplayer casual sport game. It was developed by Exeter Game Studios and was released on October 23, 2023. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Chess! is a realistic online chess game built with the power of Unreal Engine 5 and seamlessly integrated with Lichess, the world's premier open-source chess platform. Chess! delivers an immersive and visually stunning experience, allowing you to: Practice against AI Compete with millions of Lichess players Track your online ranked ELO Dive into a lifetime of offline puzzles (500,000+) Free …

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Skip User Reviews

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 50 reviews

graphics6 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The game features a solid integration with Lichess, providing a great online multiplayer experience and access to a vast number of puzzles.
The graphics and 3D environments are visually appealing, enhancing the overall chess experience.
The game has potential for improvement and has been receiving updates, which shows commitment from the developers.

The game suffers from significant performance issues, including low frame rates and frequent crashes, even on decent hardware.
There are several bugs and missing features, such as the inability to see checkmate notifications and a lack of customization options.
The user interface is primitive and lacks essential quality of life features, making navigation and gameplay frustrating.

graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
36%
21%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews; while some users appreciate the good visuals and seamless interface, others criticize the performance and outdated graphics reminiscent of the early 2000s. There are calls for optimization, particularly regarding the low polygon count of the pieces, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the game still manages to engage players with its features and ongoing improvements.
- “Well, first of all, this is a chess game and has everything it needs in it: puzzles, the ability to change boards and pieces, good graphics, an online multiplayer with lichess integration, and a very good price for a game like this. They are still improving on the game, and I would suggest it.”
- “While I could delve into details about the seamless interface, graphics, and more, the most compelling testament I can offer is that this game has rekindled my enthusiasm and love for engaging in chess.”
- “Good graphics, but low(ish) poly pieces...”
- “The performance is almost unfathomably bad given the early 2000s graphics, which makes me doubt it has the technical foundation for improvement into something I would choose over the Lichess web interface.”
- “The graphics really need to be optimized.”
- “This was with low graphics and before I started my first game.”
optimization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
Overall, the game's optimization is severely lacking, with many users reporting poor performance despite its outdated graphics. While some players managed to achieve 60 fps on medium settings, the general consensus is that significant optimization is necessary to improve the experience, especially when compared to more visually advanced and smoother-running titles like Chess Ultra.
- “I agree with the other reviews; some optimization is needed, but I ran 60 fps on medium for me.”
- “Compare Chess Ultra, which is five years old but light years ahead visually (with VR) and runs smoothly.”
- “The performance is almost unfathomably bad given the early 2000s graphics, which makes me doubt it has the technical foundation for improvement into something I would choose over the lichess web interface.”
- “Terrible performance.”
- “The graphics really need to be optimized.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been criticized for its poor stability, with users reporting frequent random crashes and bugs. Many players are seeking refunds, expressing concern that supporting such a title may encourage the release of more rushed and poorly performing games.
- “Initially quite buggy - random crashing.”
- “I am requesting a refund, and doubt I will return to this, as I feel giving money to this game will encourage more games to come out rushed, buggy, and performing poorly and fixing it in mega patches.”