Skip to main content

Tsunagari Chess School

70%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
optimization
70% User Score Based on 126 reviews

Platforms

PCPCWinWindows
Buy Nowfrom $4.99
Buy NowGet on Steam$4.99

About

Welcome to Tsunagari Chess School where Yumiko and your classmates will help you master chess strategies through mini battles and social interactions. Beyond classes, chat with friends, go on dates, and explore the school using your flip phone to unlock secrets. Engage in non-grimy roleplaying with this unique chess-centered experience.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Tsunagari Chess School screenshot
Tsunagari Chess School screenshot
Tsunagari Chess School screenshot
Tsunagari Chess School screenshot
Tsunagari Chess School screenshot

70%
Audience ScoreBased on 126 reviews
story12 positive mentions
optimization2 negative mentions
  • The game features beautiful character art and an interesting concept that combines elements from popular titles like Doki Doki Literature Club and Mirai Nikki.
  • Some players enjoyed the twists and fourth-wall breaking elements, finding them refreshing and engaging.
  • Despite its flaws, many reviewers appreciated the game's potential and expressed excitement for future updates and improvements.
  • The story is criticized for being rushed, with many characters feeling one-dimensional and lacking depth, making it hard for players to form connections.
  • The combat system is often described as frustrating and poorly executed, detracting from the overall experience.
  • Many players felt the game was overpriced for the amount of content it offers, especially when compared to free alternatives like Doki Doki Literature Club.
  • story
    86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is criticized for its rushed pacing and lack of character development, leaving players feeling disconnected and confused. Many reviewers noted that the narrative jumps quickly into action without sufficient backstory, resulting in a disjointed experience filled with plot holes. While some appreciate the potential of the story and its intriguing concepts, they urge the developers to take more time to flesh out the narrative and characters for a more engaging experience.

    • “I love the characters, the gameplay elements from visual novel to exploring to RPG fights, and the story keeps you hooked!”
    • “The game comes off with a really interesting plot that combines a few things and has a lot of potential but is locked to 2 routes at the moment, which is understandable since it's only been released a month ago.”
    • “This game is absolutely a fresh new experience; the design and story feel thoughtfully crafted, looking forward to uncover all the secrets and romance my babe Misaki.”
    • “The story moves at break-neck pace.”
    • “The plot feels rushed with no real reason for anything.”
    • “Where it really falls flat is the story - there isn't enough backstory for any of the characters so that you can get attached to them in the game and it feels rushed.”
  • gameplay
    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is primarily a visual novel experience, featuring dialogue reading and simple RPG mechanics, with minimal chess elements that serve more as a thematic backdrop than a central focus. While some players appreciate the attempt to incorporate different gameplay styles, others feel that the game would benefit from a more traditional visual novel approach without the added mechanics. Overall, the gameplay is described as decent but could use more depth and inspiration from other titles in the genre.

    • “I love the characters, the gameplay elements from visual novel to exploring to RPG fights, and the story keeps you hooked!”
    • “The fighting mechanic is very simple, and as long as you pay attention, it shouldn't cause you any problems.”
    • “The gameplay is harsh, and some would say it's better without it, but I applaud the willingness to try something different.”
    • “Overall, you the player enter a new school that teaches chess (basic stuff really, no real chess gameplay here).”
    • “That said, don’t let the word 'chess' in the title mislead you; it's not a central focus of the gameplay, but more of a thematic element.”
    • “There won't be a lot of chess mechanics; there's even a mistake where if you castle on the long side, the other player castles the same way even though the rook is in the way.”
  • music
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some users praising its chill and appropriate vibe that complements the atmosphere and characters. However, several critics have noted that certain tracks feel derivative, resembling the original soundtrack of "Doki Doki Literature Club" (DDLC) too closely, leading to accusations of plagiarism. Overall, while the music is generally considered enjoyable, it falls short of the quality found in DDLC.

    • “I played for some time now, the atmosphere and characters are great, I am loving the music and the beautiful art!”
    • “The premise is interesting to say the least but the execution is a bit above average but for the price that it is currently, it is definitely worthwhile as it has nice music and art as well.”
    • “The art style is decent-good, the backgrounds are good, and some character designs look better than others, some are very good, but overall they are decent, the music is chill and good.”
    • “Instead what we get is just a shameless clone with music that feels like it almost plagiarizes the OST of DDLC in some tracks.”
    • “The thing is that DDLC, at least the base game, was free, and just the base game (excluding DDLC+) is still far superior to this game in writing, artwork, and music.”
    • “The music is appropriate, the characters are drawn well enough, and I really liked the initial setup with the chess school.”
  • graphics
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the decent art style and good backgrounds, while others find the overall artwork to be amateurish and reminiscent of free-to-play visual novels. Although certain character designs stand out positively, the visuals are generally considered unremarkable and not on par with higher-quality titles in the genre.

    • “The art style is decent-good, the backgrounds are good, and some character designs look better than others; some are very good, but overall they are decent. The music is chill and good.”
    • “The artwork (character design, backgrounds) is good and pleasant to look at, but nothing exceptional.”
    • “The visuals appear to be edited AI, but I could be wrong.”
  • character development
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is generally perceived as decent, with dialogues that feel natural and engaging, though not particularly groundbreaking. The character designs vary in quality, with some standing out as very good, while the overall artwork is described as pleasant but not exceptional. The visual novel format allows for a typical gameplay experience focused on reading dialogues and making choices.

  • atmosphere
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with players highlighting the captivating music, beautiful art, and well-developed characters that enhance the overall experience.

    • “I have been playing for some time now, and the atmosphere and characters are great. I am loving the music and the beautiful art!”
    • “I have been playing for some time now, and the atmosphere and characters are great. I am loving the music and the beautiful art!”
  • optimization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's technical performance is solid, with smooth gameplay; however, players express a desire for a 'skip' or 'fast forward' option for previously seen dialogue to enhance the experience.

    • “The game runs smoothly, but I wish there was a 'skip' or 'fast forward' button for dialogue that you've already seen.”
    • “The game runs fine, but I wish there was a 'skip' or 'fast forward' button for dialogue that you've already seen.”
    • “The game runs fine, but I wish there was a 'skip' or 'fast forward' button for dialogue that you've already seen.”

Buy Tsunagari Chess School

Videos

Games Like Tsunagari Chess School

Omensight Image
83%1.3kreviews

Omensight

2018Hack and Slash
NSNintendo SwitchPCPCP4Playstation 4+5
The Outbound Ghost Image
64%265reviews

The Outbound Ghost

2022Open World Role Playing
NSNintendo SwitchPCPCP4Playstation 4+6
The Pale Beyond Image
This game contains adult content
85%2.6kreviews

The Pale Beyond

2023Survival Role Playing
MOMac OSNSNintendo SwitchPCPC+2
Buddy Simulator 1984 Image
92%5.7kreviews

Buddy Simulator 1984

2021Casual Role Playing
NSNintendo SwitchPCPCP4Playstation 4+7
Summer Nightmare Image
50%317reviews

Summer Nightmare

2017Action
MOMac OSPCPCWinWindows+1
Break the Game Image
69%844reviews

Break the Game

2019Action
PCPCWinWindows
Blood Code Image
67%304reviews

Blood Code

2015Casual Simulation
MOMac OSPCPCPhoPhone+3
Moe Era Image
85%2.4kreviews

Moe Era

2020Action
MOMac OSPCPCPhoPhone+3
Eastward Image
83%6.6kreviews

Eastward

2021Role Playing
MOMac OSNSNintendo SwitchPCPC+3
Vampire: The Masquerade - Coteries of New York Image
This game contains adult content
69%1.7kreviews

Vampire: The Masquerade - Coteries of New York

2019Role Playing
MOMac OSNSNintendo SwitchPCPC+8