ChessLocke
- March 4, 2021
- Taylor Hatton
- 2h median play time
Get on SteamChessLocke is a single-player Fantasy Role Playing game, with a campaign where every game is unique, based on standard Chess movements with RPG elements. Your pieces gain experience points, level ups, and new abilities to unlock and upgrade. The goal is to land on the enemy Throne and stay there for 1 turn, and XP will be accumulated to spend on new abilities and upgrades, with each power piece having 3 unique abilities for capturing, defending, and utility. The game continues even if the King is captured, and the Knight has a Joust ability for straight-line attacks.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- ChessLocke offers a unique and innovative take on chess, introducing special abilities for pieces that add complexity and challenge to the gameplay.
- The game is highly addictive and enjoyable, providing a fun way to spend time and hone strategic skills across a hundred stages.
- The community is supportive, and the developer is responsive to feedback, which enhances the overall experience for players.
- The user experience is unintuitive and overwhelming, particularly regarding the introduction of abilities and lack of a proper tutorial.
- The graphics and design are considered unattractive, with issues like uncentered pieces and limited customization options.
- The game suffers from inconsistent AI performance and a grindy XP system, making progression feel tedious and frustrating.
- story8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is intertwined with its mission structure, where players navigate through various dungeons with unique starting positions and limited special abilities. While this adds strategic depth, some players feel that the mechanics can detract from the narrative experience, as quicker victory conditions may overshadow the story-driven elements. Overall, the narrative is engaging but may be overshadowed by gameplay mechanics.
“Now that I've played through the whole game (and beat it like it owed me money). All dungeons and missions done in 38.8 hours, with about 10 hours of breaks.”
“However, I think this mechanic is also a drawback when sometimes it's much faster to end the mission by landing on the opponent's throne than to capture all enemy pieces.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The graphics are noted for their artistic quality, complemented by great music, making the game a worthwhile purchase. However, some users feel the graphics are overly 'professional' and may detract from the game's originality, suggesting that those less concerned with visuals might still enjoy the experience.
“Great artwork and music, a great deal totally worth buying!”
“I wish the graphics weren't so 'professional'.”
“If you're not worried about graphics, it's definitely an original game.”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, with reviewers highlighting a "killer soundtrack" that enhances the overall experience. Coupled with great artwork, the music contributes to a compelling atmosphere, making the game a worthwhile purchase.
“Great artwork and music, a great deal totally worth buying!”
“Killer soundtrack, wide variety of maps/layouts, achievements to unlock for extra XP... oh, did I mention you get XP and can upgrade chess pieces to have abilities?”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game excessively tedious and frustrating, often describing it as "too grindy" and noting inconsistencies in the AI that exacerbate the experience. Overall, the grinding is seen as a significant drawback that detracts from the game's enjoyment.
“Much, much too grindy and the AI is inconsistent.”
“As it is, it's just the far side of too grindy and irksome to be worth it.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players note that while the gameplay mechanics offer strategic depth, they can also lead to situations where quickly ending a mission by targeting the opponent's throne is more efficient than engaging in the intended tactical gameplay of capturing pieces, which some view as a drawback.
“However, I think this mechanic is also a drawback when sometimes it's much faster to end the mission by landing on the opponent's throne than to capture all enemy pieces.”
