Chess Survivors

About

Chess Survivors is a single player casual role playing game. It was developed by Aarimous and was released on August 31, 2023. It received positive reviews from players.

Chess Survivors is a grid based, quick-turn, roguelike where you outmaneuver and destroy an ever growing horde of chess enemies. Combine abilities and upgrades to create game-breaking builds. Unlock cosmetics, characters, and powerful relics. Think fast, die, learn, repeat.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 124 reviews

gameplay7 positive mentions

grinding1 negative mentions

Unique and clever mix of chess mechanics with the survivor genre, offering a fresh and engaging gameplay experience.
Fast-paced yet strategic turn-based system with timed moves adds tension and skillful planning, suitable for both casual and hardcore players.
High replayability with multiple characters, diverse abilities, upgrades, and difficulty settings; developer is active and responsive to feedback.

Lack of deep chess strategy and limited build variety can make gameplay feel repetitive after several hours.
Some players find the timed turn system stressful or difficult to control, especially with controllers due to imprecise and slippery movement UI.
Relatively small content currently with basic graphics and sound; the absence of meta-progression or endless mode reduces long-term engagement for some.

gameplay
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
57%
13%
The gameplay uniquely blends turn-based chess mechanics with real-time bullet-hell action, creating an engaging and strategic experience that stands out from similar games. While some find the pace too fast for deep chess-like thinking, the core loop is praised for its originality, replay value, and intriguing interactions between mechanics. Despite room for expansion and polish, the gameplay is consistently described as fun, rewarding, and compelling enough to keep players coming back.
- “Core gameplay deserves awards.”
- “An extremely interesting mix of turn-based and real-time gameplay.”
- “Compared to some games out there it's got more basic graphics and sometimes seems to be held together with duct tape, but it all doesn't matter because the gameplay feels like it actually melds chess and vampire survivors in a way that teases your brain while also demanding 'one more run'.”
- “Needs more chess-like gameplay and not constant bullet hell; you don't have much time to really think about where to move and you rely solely on the buffs and AoE attacks more than actual chess-style combat.”
- “The less turn time you have, the faster the unlock progression is, meaning that builds that don't trivialize the chess-like movement mechanics become harder compared to others.”
- “Once you've figured out how each ability works and upgrades, the gameplay loop may get a bit repetitive; however, Chess Survivors is early in its release at this point and has much room for growth.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
The game offers high replayability through its variety of characters, abilities, and relic combinations, making each run feel unique and rewarding. While the core gameplay may be short with most content unlocked quickly, features like potential daily challenges and strategic depth encourage repeated play. Replay value may vary based on the player's familiarity with turn-based mechanics, but overall it remains a strong aspect.
- “It’s got incredible replay value and unique mechanics, great ‘gimmicks’ and I love the parallels it pulls from the real game.”
- “The many combinations of abilities, relics, and characters you can make each run unique. Finding the perfect 'broken' combination is very rewarding and fun.”
- “Whilst the game as a whole is rather short, with most things being unlocked after a few runs, there is enough replay value to keep you coming back for more.”
- “I'm not sure how replayable it currently is, but I don't see why it can't be made to be ("daily challenge" perhaps?).”
- “Depending on your current understanding of chess and ability to quickly process turn-based gameplay, the amount of replayability may be low at this time.”
graphics
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics are simple and polished, though the pixel art style can feel inconsistent and basic compared to other games. Despite minor UI and visual issues, the art effectively complements the gameplay and suits touchscreen play well. Overall, the visuals are functional and unobtrusive, allowing the gameplay to shine.
- “Visuals are simple but look polished”
- “Compared to some games out there it has more basic graphics and sometimes seems held together with duct tape, but it doesn't matter because the gameplay melds chess and Vampire Survivors in a way that teases your brain while demanding 'one more run'.”
- “There are certainly some small UI/graphical/sound improvements to be made, but other than that I don't really have any serious flaws to point out.”
- “Games alright although the art style for the pixel art is jarringly inconsistent.”
- “Compared to some games out there it's got more basic graphics and sometimes seems to be held together with duct tape.”
- “There are certainly some small UI/graphical/sound improvements to be made.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Users praise the soundtrack as excellent and enjoyable, expressing excitement for new music additions. While generally positive, one noted that a particular track felt out of place, likening it to a dating game theme. Overall, the music is well-received and enhances the gaming experience.
- “Hope we get some new music, love it!”
- “Soundtrack is fire and it's awesome to be playing something I saw the making of over many months of videos.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is seen as somewhat out of place and can be perceived as odd, though not necessarily bothersome. Some players find it amusing, while others view it as slightly awkward.
story
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The story is minimal and mostly serves as a simple backdrop, resembling classic Mario-style narratives with a basic rescue premise rather than a fully developed plot.
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect to be time-consuming and slow, with progress feeling limited despite significant effort.