We all cherish a solid tactical adventure, especially when it involves turn-based strategy games. They evoke a sense of nostalgia, and yet, when executed exceptionally well, they also exude a fresh, modern vibe. While the foundational rules of tactics games generally remain constant, the subtle innovation in mechanics often gives each new title its distinct personality. Today, we’re diving into a gem that shares some resemblance to chess, albeit in a very loose sense. And here’s why we’re discussing WizardChess, a game that, while captivating, has sparked both interest and curiosity in me. Let’s start with its name.
WizardChess only echoes the classic chess game superficially. The units you maneuver across the board mirror the movements and attacks of traditional chess pieces, and that’s where the similarities end. This game delivers a unique strategy experience that is distinctly different from conventional chess. This isn’t necessarily a downside; however, approaching it with preconceived expectations may leave you bewildered, if not slightly exasperated.
In WizardChess, you find yourself navigating a dungeon, participating in various encounters, and ultimately defeating a tutorial boss over several rounds. The tutorial can be quite drawn out, but considering the complexity of the rules, it feels necessary. Unlockable units abound, and understanding their functions and their strategic implications is crucial for success. One grievance, though, is the unsaved progress in the tutorial, forcing a restart if interrupted, which is admittedly frustrating and led me to explore an alternative play mode. This might not have been the wisest decision as shifting to Arcade mode altered the gameplay experience significantly.
Arcade mode marks a departure from the tutorial’s turn-based nature. It’s all about acting swiftly, using a starting set of units to face as many foes as possible before a boss character appears. Between rounds, you visit a store to either acquire new cards or enhance your current units’ stats, albeit with limited funds, which dictates a fast yet strategic progression—something that takes a bit of getting used to.
In essence, the tutorial mode is a pacing heaven where you manage units from collected cards, with ample time for strategic maneuvers. Each round allows for moving just one unit, requiring careful positioning as enemy pieces also shift around. Special abilities can be triggered but come at the expense of movement, adding an extra layer of strategy. This mode lets you take your time to plan, which, once you adjust, can be quite enjoyable despite having to restart midway through.
However, the fast-paced Arcade mode tosses traditional strategy out the window to some extent. It demands quick decisions to earn enough currency required for facing the daunting bosses ahead. This speed-driven tactic blurs the strategic lines, forcing essential decisions in the shop after each round. The Shop concept in WizardChess, which allows for both new units and upgrading existing ones, presents interesting strategic choices, albeit challenging ones as initial unit expansion seems critical before diving into further enhancements.
Additionally, you can imbue your units with elements that tweak their behaviors—fire for aggression, water for defense, and so forth—adding an intriguing strategic layer. This lets you influence how non-controlled units behave strategically, even if you’re not directly commanding them each turn.
Truth be told, I haven’t managed to defeat my first Arcade boss yet. Each attempt ended poorly, leaving me feeling woefully unprepared. Your hero, playing a more supportive role with no offensive abilities, offers limited recourse when your squad is down, leaving you defenseless. Given that Arcade mode appears to be the crux of WizardChess, this difficulty curve quickly becomes frustrating.
Reflecting on it, WizardChess feels like it’s missing a campaign mode. The tutorial provides intriguing character introductions, setting a narrative scene, but without a structured, savable campaign, there’s little room for story development, which is a pity given the quality of the writing. WizardChess seems designed for short, engaging playthroughs rather than prolonged gaming sessions, offering fun in brief spurts but potentially lacking in long-term engagement for some players.
The controls in WizardChess are straightforward—point-and-click mechanics—but the restriction of movement can sometimes be bothersome, especially in a time-sensitive environment. Moving units strategically on often obstructive terrains feels counterintuitive to the real-time urgency imposed by Arcade mode, causing a noticeable slowdown.
Overall, WizardChess is a perplexing mix. The game shows promise and sports some genuinely engaging concepts that just don’t seem to fully synergize. If it embraced a more straightforward, turn-based approach or leaned entirely into real-time strategy tactics, the experience might be smoother. Despite this, the unique blend of mechanics may just resonate with certain players, offering a potentially rewarding experience. However, for me, the execution felt slightly disjointed, encouraging me to seek strategic thrills elsewhere.
