Dark Chess

fun for a minute till u realize the AI doesnt have fog of war. i dont see myself putting anymore time into this game.

[h1]Теперь, я мамин гроссмейстер. [/h1] Кто бы мог подумать,что игра в шахматы может быть настолько интересной. Я как большой любитель шахмат, решил поискать подобные игры в стиме и наткнулся на настоящий " Hidden gem". [h2]Геймплей [/h2] Игра представляет собой как классические шахматы, так и режим " Тёмных шахмат". Именно во втором режиме игра раскрывается по полной программе- Хотели бы вы сыграть в шахматы с "туманом войны", где буквально не видно вражеских фигур и вы должны ,ходя фигурами, разведывать территорию. Или наткнуться на противника, чьи фигуры заменены на коней кроме короля. Так вот, игра вам это предоставит. Кроме того на игровом поле порой появляются ловушки, которые могут как "испортить вам жизнь", так и перевернуть игру в вашу пользу, вроде специальных клеток , где ваши фигуры просто исчезают. Помимо этого походу кампании вы будете решать шахматные задачи, по типу "поставить мат в 1 ход". По началу они покажутся лёгкими, но ближе к концу вы будете сидеть долго сидеть над их решением, благо в этом режиме есть подсказки(видимо решили совсем не упарываться в хардкор). [h2]Графика [/h2] Приятна глазу, игрушка не требовательна к железу, так что вы сможете поиграть в неё на древних калькуляторах. По итогу скажу, игра топчик, однозначно стоит своих денег(правда я брал по скидке). Играется буквально "на одном дыхании", прошёл с удовольствием и выбил все ачивки. [h1]Хотя, может, я просто задрот, любящий шахматы) [/h1]

I can't play any of the online modes, it shouldn't have those types of tags

So, I initially disliked this game, and gave it a poor review, but then I regretted it because I said to myself. Maybe I'm giving it a bad review just because I'm bad at it and I should spend more time with it. Well....I spent a bit more time with it and if anything I like it less? I feel like the AI in this game is really dumb, because I feel deep down that I am terrible at this game and yet I can still win again it. To compensate for that the campaign lets the AI cheat. There's no other word for it. I intentionally sacrificed pieces to kill all of one of the opponents' queens (they had more than one) and then the game just gave them another queen. I mean maybe if they had told me that rule (that the particular opponent could never be without a queen) I MIGHT feel differently. I MIGHT feel that this was just a very hard annoying puzzle to kill the king while the opponent traipses around the board with multiple queens. But it did not. It made me waste time and effort to pull a trick on me. So, no, I don't like the game.

5/10 + chess - fog of war can eat a full on bag of ♥♥♥♥♥. it just makes every game slower and longer with way more guess work - dont know what power enemy has until it procs the 1st time. good chance your not winning 1st fight. what do you mean you get a new free queen every time i kill your queen??? - just about every level is you get normal chess and enemy team gets random ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥. something like enemy team gets random piece every 7 turns. cool thats a free queen im dead or fog that blocks random spaces. and thats mate in 3 cause fog moved that way randomly and locked all the pieces i needed - you can move into check without knowing your moving into check and lose the game....thats some real ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ that makes me hate this game. same for the enemy. i feel like im just winning some games by luck and chance. + 13$ - AI voice acting for some reason, doesnt really add anything to the game - no undo

Close, but can't recommend. Overall it's fun and there are a lot of great puzzles. There's an ok amount of customisation, but some elements are relatively limited and I don't think the resource allocation all makes much sense e.g. you can unlock dozens of "collectible cards", which don't feature outside the "collections" window, while there are only 4 sets of pieces and 4 boards. The voice acting is mostly worth a negative review on its own - travel around the world to meet leaders from history... with really strong USA accents. The two main opponents are very well voiced (ironically, these are the two that are not linked to any particular old world civilisation), almost making up for it, but not really. The AI opponents can crash or take an eternity to make their move. This really shouldn't happen.

Terrible game. Dark patterns nestled throughout the menus. Chess bots playing at a skill level above the difficulty selected. Don't download this game.

*Dark Chess*, developed by Tall Troll Games and published by Tall Troll Games alongside Hawthorn Games, takes the rigid, perfectly transparent structure of traditional chess and deliberately breaks it apart to create something far more uncertain and experimental. Instead of refining the classic formula, it challenges its very foundation by removing complete information, introducing narrative-driven scenarios, and bending rules in ways that force players to rethink how they approach strategy altogether. The most transformative element is the introduction of fog of war, which obscures enemy pieces unless they fall within the range of your own units. This single mechanic reshapes the entire experience. In standard chess, success depends on calculation and foresight built on complete visibility, but here, players are forced to make decisions with incomplete knowledge. Every move becomes a calculated risk, and reading the opponent turns into a process of deduction rather than observation. This shift creates a constant sense of tension, as players must balance caution with initiative, often acting on intuition as much as logic. Beyond this core mechanic, the game builds a structured campaign that adds personality and variation to each encounter. Rather than facing generic opponents in standard matches, players progress through a series of scenarios that introduce unique conditions and unconventional rules. Some opponents may alter the board layout, while others introduce mechanics that disrupt familiar strategies. These variations prevent the experience from becoming repetitive, turning each match into a distinct challenge that feels closer to solving a puzzle than playing a traditional competitive game. The puzzle-like design is one of the game’s strongest qualities. Many encounters are crafted to push players into unfamiliar situations where standard tactics no longer apply. Success often requires creative thinking, experimentation, and a willingness to adapt. The unpredictability introduced by hidden information and rule changes ensures that solutions are rarely straightforward, encouraging players to approach each scenario with a fresh perspective. This design makes the game engaging even for those who may not have a deep background in chess, as it emphasizes problem-solving over memorization. Visually, *Dark Chess* reinforces its identity through a moody and stylized presentation. The boards and pieces are rendered with a darker aesthetic that complements the sense of mystery created by the fog-of-war system. Subtle atmospheric elements and thematic touches give the game a distinctive tone, making it feel less like a traditional board game and more like a journey through a series of enigmatic encounters. While the visuals are not overly complex, they effectively support the game’s concept and help maintain immersion. At the same time, the game’s willingness to deviate from traditional chess can be a double-edged sword. Players who value the precision and predictability of the original game may find the added uncertainty frustrating, as it removes the clarity that defines classic strategy. The learning curve can also be steep, particularly for those trying to adjust to both hidden information and altered rules simultaneously. The game offers little in the way of gradual onboarding, which can make the initial experience feel overwhelming. Replayability is driven by the inherent unpredictability of its mechanics and the variety of scenarios available. Each match can unfold differently depending on how players interpret limited information, and the campaign provides enough variation to encourage multiple attempts. Additional modes, including matches against AI or other players, extend the experience further, allowing for continued experimentation with different strategies. However, the novelty of the concept may diminish over time for some players, especially if they prefer more structured or consistent gameplay. In the end, *Dark Chess* stands out as a creative reimagining of a centuries-old game. It trades certainty for tension, transforming a system built on perfect information into one defined by ambiguity and risk. While it may not satisfy purists looking for a traditional experience, it offers a compelling alternative that rewards adaptability and creative thinking. For players willing to embrace its unconventional approach, it delivers a fresh and engaging take on strategic gameplay that feels both challenging and unpredictable. Rating: 7/10

!!! ОТВРАТИТЕЛЬНО !!! В этот хлам я не советую играть ни кому , пустая трата времени и нервов ! Я всё понимаю у игры бюджет 2 бутерброда с чаем , НО... Почему это похоже больше на казино , где всё зависит от удачи , а не от расчёта и логики ? Что за уровень с Чакой , где надо найти путь к 8-ой горизонтали с рандомной генерацией , вы там чё курили когда создавали это ? Игра настолько крутая и интересна что даже онлайн мёртвый ! Играть в тёмный режим с ботом не имеет смысла , ибо только у игрока ничего не видно , а компьютер видит каждый ход ! P.S. Лучше бы шавуху купил !!!

I MAY keep trying for a little while, but as of now, the game is dogsh*t. Before i paint you the picture, let me clarify that the most important aspect for games for me is the campaign, if i dont like that, i dont like the game. I enjoy my friends face to face and while i may play anything with friends i rarely buy a video game thinking of playing with them. NOW, as you probably know, this chess gives you visibility only so far as your pieces can attack, meaning put a bishop on a corner and you it will only see a pointless line of diagonal squares as far as the next obstacle on its line of fire. Fun, right? well, maybe if the field is leveled, meaning PvP. Because on the capaign mode, the enemy has habilities (YOU dont). Another thing to account for, you dont checkmate here, you have to actually TAKE the King (meaning you need that one more move). So there i am, just acing this game like a "champ" untill i come across Cleopatra. Her skill? if you take her queen, she automatically respawns another queen on HER side of the field (meaning more than likely protected). How many times can she do that? every time you take her queen. - in a well designed game (Majestic Chess comes to mind) there would be a few possible ways to cover that power gap: tools, skills of your own character, limiters to her skill. So i go to the community page and i search for an inkling of what the game has in store for me if i keep trying. Heres the two hints the community provides: 1- its just luck 2- her king sometimes becomes suicidal I was about to take her king twice, both times i got denied by a respawned queen. Just because you gave it fog of war doesnt mean chess should lean heavy into luck. For now, this games goes into the "when theres nothing else to play Steam collection"