REVIEW: WizardChess (PC) – Insights from That VideoGame Blog

We love a good tactical game. There’s something comforting about turn-based strategy games—they often evoke a sense of nostalgia, yet when they’re done right, they manage to feel fresh. The core principles don’t shift too much from one tactics game to another, but there are usually distinctive mechanics that help them stand out. We’re metaphorically going to be engaging with chess today. Well, not exactly chess in the traditional sense, but let me clarify as we go along. I’ve been diving into WizardChess, and while I’m enjoying many aspects of it, there are also quite a few head-scratchers, starting with its name.

WizardChess borrows from chess only in the most basic form. You maneuver units across the board, and their movement and attacks bear some resemblance to chess pieces. But that’s where the similarities stop. At its core, WizardChess is a strategy title of its own kind, with a flow and ruleset that takes it far away from classic chess. This uniqueness isn’t necessarily negative, but if you’re expecting a direct chess-like experience, you might find yourself confused or perhaps even frustrated.

In WizardChess, you’re plunged into a dungeon setting where you engage in various encounters, ultimately aiming to defeat a tutorial boss over several rounds. The tutorial goes on a bit long, but it’s crucial to getting a handle on the complex rules. The game features different unlockable units, and understanding their abilities is essential to success. One gripe I have, though, is that progress in the tutorial doesn’t save. If you have to quit mid-run, your only option is to abandon your current session, which can be frustrating if you’ve made significant progress. So, I pivoted to a different play mode, Arcade, and experienced a considerable shift in gameplay.

The tutorial in WizardChess feels very much like a traditional turn-based game. You’re dealt cards from which you deploy units, and you can take your time planning your moves. However, you can only move one unit per round, which complicates your strategy as enemy units also move and reposition. Some units have special abilities that can be triggered at the expense of movement, making for a delicate balancing act. You attack by moving a unit adjacent to another, with combat outcomes automatically determined by stats. Once I got the hang of it, I found the pace to be quite comfortable and, despite having to restart, I was finding some enjoyment.

Switching to Arcade mode felt like an entirely different game. Here, you start with a set number of units already on the board and are up against the clock, trying to defeat as many foes as possible before a boss arrives. Between rounds, you can visit the shop to buy cards or upgrade units, but resources are limited, forcing you to strategize under time pressure. This urgency dilutes the tactical elements, as rushing through rounds becomes necessary for gathering enough currency to face the boss.

The in-game shop offers an interesting twist. You can choose to forego recruiting additional units in favor of enhancing the stats of existing ones. My recommendation is to initially focus on expanding your unit count before delving into upgrades. Moreover, units can be imbued with specific elements, altering their behavior. For instance, fire makes them aggressive, water enhances defense, and earth induces patience, adding another layer to the strategy.

Despite my efforts, I couldn’t defeat any of the Arcade Mode’s bosses. Each encounter left me feeling unprepared, with my hero serving mostly as a non-combat support figure. When my squad fell, I was left defenseless. Given that Arcade Mode is the centerpiece of WizardChess, this posed a frustration.

It’s evident that WizardChess could benefit from a campaign mode. The tutorial introduces a set of characters without providing a storyline to build on. This aspect limits long-term engagement, despite the game’s appealing writing. WizardChess seems suited for short bursts of play—it’s addictive but focuses on quick runs rather than extended gameplay. This approach can be entertaining in small doses but might lack the depth needed for longer sessions.

The controls in WizardChess are intuitive—a straightforward point-and-click system. However, movement is reminiscent of chess, with units restricted to certain paths, and terrain obstacles can further complicate navigation. With some timed elements in play, these limitations can slow down the fast-paced strategy WizardChess often demands.

Ultimately, WizardChess is a puzzling experience for me. Maybe more playtime is required to get the full grasp of it. Perhaps my own mistakes are to blame for some challenges I faced, like not fully completing the tutorial. But there’s a collection of intriguing ideas here that don’t entirely come together seamlessly. If the game were strictly a turn-based dungeon crawler using chess mechanics, it might work better. Conversely, if it leaned more towards a straightforward real-time strategy without the chess elements, it might resonate more. The blend of both, while intriguing, seems to cause more issues than necessary—at least for now.

I appreciate the ambition of WizardChess. The developers are clearly onto something novel, and I applaud their efforts. Whether it all fits together perfectly, however, remains up for debate. If it clicks with you, I suspect you’ll find it quite enjoyable. Personally, some mechanical issues might push me to find my strategy elsewhere.

In summary: WizardChess is brimming with creative concepts, but lacks a cohesive direction. It’s the kind of game that might attract a devoted niche following, though its broader appeal is questionable. While it showcases many cool ideas, they don’t all mesh as well as they might, leaving its long-term traction with strategy fans uncertain.