Dark Chess
Dark Chess @ Eastern Game Fest!
We are honored to participate in the Eastern Game Fest hosted by Steam China team! Dark Chess is a unique twist on chess that introduces fog of war mechanics which shrouds the enemy army in mystery. The enhanced game rules will bring joy and thrill to chess-lovers and casual players alike.
In the single-player campaign, you can challenge kings and queens from eastern history, such as Genghis Khan, Cixi, and Wu Zetian. You can also compete with real people in PvP mode, who are as clever and tricky as you are, or even more so.
We hope you will enjoy this event and find fun and challenges in the game. Thank you for your support and attention. Let’s meet online!
King's Gambit Bundle
This bundle features four exciting chess-like games that are guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat.
All games use chess as a foundation for snappy, turn-based, tactical and strategical gameplay, and yet they do it in very different and exciting ways.
From tactical depth to infinite replayability, this bundle offers hours of gameplay that will challenge your mind and sharpen your strategic thinking skills.
Shotgun King: The Final Checkmate brings a whole new level of intensity to chess, as you replace your entire army with a royal shotgun! This one-of-a-kind strategy roguelike takes the timeless checkboard classic to new heights, with infinite replayability and an array of exciting challenges to conquer.
Dark Chess - a unique twist on chess that introduces fog of war mechanics, challenging single-player campaign with puzzles, various chess variations and dirty tricks that you must overcome to emerge victorious.
The Ouroboros King combines the best of both worlds, blending the tactical depth of chess with the build variety and replayability of roguelikes. Build a formidable army, discover powerful relics and take on the Covenant, encounter endless surprises that will keep you hooked for hours on end.
Pawnbarian is a quick-playing, turn-based puzzle roguelike that will put your chess skills to the test. Play cards to move your hero like a chess piece, and conquer challenging dungeons full of cunning monsters!
Whether you're a seasoned player or simply love a good strategy game, the King's Gabmit Bundle has something for everyone.
Get ready to immerse yourself in hours of challenging, mind-bending gameplay that will keep you coming back for more! Don't miss out on this epic bundle - grab it now and start your strategic adventure today!
Il Vaticano Update
We're excited to announce the latest update for the game, packed with new features and improvements to enhance your gameplay experience.
- With this build, we've fixed several bugs that were reported by our community, ensuring that the game runs smoothly and without issue.
- Additionally, we've added the ability to choose which side to play for in solo mode, giving you more control over your strategy and allowing for more replayability.
- We've also added cloud saves on Steam, making it easier to access your saved games across multiple devices.
- Hints for Campaign levels have been added as well, providing helpful tips and guidance to aid you on your chess adventure.
- Visually, Dark Chess has been updated to give the game a fresh new look, bringing an even more immersive chess experience to your screen.
- We've also made balance fixes for Campaign opponents, as the Chess gods have been especially harsh on Juana and Vlad.
And finally, we have to address the elephant in the room - our team members were taken as hostages by Anarchy Chess, which led us to make an emergency visit to Il Vaticano. We'll leave it at that for now, but suffice it to say that we'll continue to do everything in our power to bring you the best possible Dark Chess experience.
Thank you for your continued support, and we hope you enjoy these new updates to the game.
Dark Chess - 20% discount - Steam Spring Sale
To take advantage of this special discount, head over to the Dark Chess Steam page now and grab your copy at a reduced price. Don't wait too long though, as this offer will only be available for one week!
We greatly appreciate your support, and there are a few ways you can help us spread the word about Dark Chess!
If you've played the game and enjoyed it, please consider leaving a review on Steam to let others know what you liked about it. You can also help by telling your friends and family about the game and encouraging them to give it a try.
We're always looking to improve the game and value your feedback, so please feel free to share any thoughts or suggestions.
Your support means a lot to us, and we're grateful for every player who joins us on this chess adventure. Thank you!
One week after release of Dark Chess
That should be our motto.
The most significant criticism we receive is that our game is not a chess game, as indicated by negative reviews and game returns. It is disheartening to discover that people are not reading the description, not examining screenshots, nor attempting to comprehend why we chose to name the game Dark Chess.
Disclaimer
We are considering adding a prominent disclaimer at the beginning of the game, ensuring that players understand that it is not a classic chess game. After they confirm they will be bounded to sell their souls if they ever say anything about it not being a classic chess game.
We want to make it clear that the game is based on alternative rules and variations of chess, and we hope that players will appreciate and enjoy it for what it is.
The Campaign
While we didn't originally plan for it, we have decided to create a single player Campaign for both Classic Chess and Dark Chess. Although some people may still find something to complain about (especially in regards to Classic Chess), we believe that it will be of interest to many of our players.
Feedback
We've received a lot of feedback from players since the game's release, and we're working hard to make improvements based on what you've told us. Here are a few things that were heavily requested:
- The ability to change set pieces for the Campaign. We've heard you and are working on implementing this feature.
- Achievements. We understand that Steam achievements are important for many players, and even though the game already has its own achievements, we are working hard to implement Steam achievements as well.
- Windowed mode. We've received requests to enable windowed mode, and while it's already possible to access it using the alt+enter combination on your keyboard, we understand the convenience of having it available in the game settings. Therefore, we are currently working on adding the option to play in windowed mode in the game settings.
- Some players found the game too hard, so we've added an Easy and Normal Campaign modes to make it more accessible to chess newbies.
- Puzzles are too hard. Puzzles were also a challenge for some players, so we've added a hint button for every Puzzle. The button first shows you the piece you need to move, followed by a 15-second cooldown before it shows you where to move it. You can repeat this process as many times as you need to.
- Bugs. We appreciate your help in finding bugs, and we're working to fix them as quickly as possible. If you encounter any issues, please let us know in discord or via email at play@talltroll.com.
- Some players have said that the game is too short, but it should take between 5 and 10 hours to complete the Campaign. You can also play Solo and PvP modes if you want to spend more time in the game.
If you don't like playing against a particular opponent in the Campaign, please let us know what you liked or disliked about the game. Your feedback will help us adjust and balance the game for the best possible experience.
You can help.
If you enjoyed playing the game, we would be grateful if you could leave a review on Steam. Your feedback helps other players and also helps Steam gain a better understanding of our game. Additionally, you can share the game with your friends and family. We have also added Steam's Remote Play Together, which allows you to play the game with your Steam friends, even if they do not own the game yet.
Your support means a lot to us.
Thank you!
Dark Chess is released!
The game introduces a Fog of War feature, which shrouds the enemy army in mystery, making every move a strategic and tactical challenge. But that's not all! Dark Chess also offers a fully narrated, story-driven campaign mode, where players can meet and challenge famous kings and queens from the past, such as Genghis Khan, King Solomon, and Queen Elizabeth.
But it's not just the gameplay that sets Dark Chess apart. The game features an all-new visual chess experience, with customizable avatars and profiles that allow you to create your own unique chess identity. And for those who prefer to test their skills against other players, Dark Chess offers a thrilling PvP mode, with opponents who are as clever and tricky as you are.
So, my lords and ladies, if you seek a new challenge to test your wits and strategic mind, look no further than Dark Chess. Whether you're a die-hard chess lover or a board game enthusiast, Dark Chess is the game for you!
For those brave souls who dare to take on the game, we encourage you to write a report of your triumphs and tribulations. Share your experience with others and spread the word!
Build update and release date announcement
We have updated the current build with a bunch of new stuff.
Campaign Difficulty: We heard your request to make the Campaign easier or harder.
The new Campaign Difficulty Levels feature allows players to adjust the challenge level of the game to their liking. Players can choose from a range of difficulty levels, from Easy to Hard, each with their own set of challenges and obstacles.
Collectibles: With the new Collectibles feature, you will be able to gather unique cards throughout the game. Shiny things for everyone!
Achievements: The new Achievement system adds a whole new level of challenge and satisfaction to the game. Players will be able to unlock achievements by completing specific objectives or reaching certain milestones. These can range from simple tasks like winning a game on any difficulty level to more challenging feats like beating the Campaign in one run!
Customization: With the Customization feature, players will be able to personalize their game experience in a variety of ways. This can include changing the appearance of the game board and pieces, avatars, choosing custom backgrounds or flags. Something to make your appearance unique and beautiful.
All of these features have been carefully designed and implemented to enhance the overall gameplay experience, providing players with more ways to engage with the game and customize their experience. We hope that these updates will make the game even more enjoyable and satisfying for players of all skill levels. Please play the game, let us know of the bugs you encounter, leave the feedback on new features and share with us any ideas you have about improving the game.
This week we are working on fixing the bugs and online play.
Also we have another small announcement to make!
We are thrilled to announce that Dark Chess is going to be fully released next week!
It will be available to play on February 28th, 2023.
So gather your friends, sharpen your wits, and get ready to experience the thrill of the game.
Mark your calendars for February 28th and get ready to enter the world of Dark Chess!
Early February Update
The release of our game from Early Access is coming soon, and we're listening closely to your feedback. We understand that the Campaign mode may be challenging, especially for new chess players. To address this, we're introducing three different Campaign difficulty levels in the next week or two. For casual players, we're offering easier campaigns and puzzles. For those who found it too easy, we're adding more difficult challenges, puzzles, and tricks. Our goal is to make sure everyone enjoys the game, regardless of their chess skills.
We're also working on adding customization options, collectibles, and achievements to give players a sense of accomplishment and reward as they progress.
Stay tuned for more updates soon.
End of the Year Update
Last week we said we're working on the game and we are.
No rest until we keep our word and give you the update.
Last day of the year and here we are:
Please welcome new user interface. Some of the parts are hidden and will be unveiled as we add more features to the game.
Spanish localization is added to the game making it 8 languages in total: English, Russian, Ukrainian,
Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, Brazilian Portuguese, French and now Spanish.
If you want the game to be translated to your language and have the skills to do it, feel free to write us at play@talltroll.com
We are really happy to get your feedback good or bad. So don't be shy and let us know what you think is missing or can be improved in the game.
Happy New Year!
Happy Holidays update
The Holidays season is getting closer but we are not done yet.
Two weeks ago we showed you the roadmap and we're working hard to bring you a new game update until the end of the year.
This update will include a revamped user interface, some AI improvements, as well as a new localization language, Spanish, to better serve the game's Spanish-speaking players.
So far Dark Chess can be enjoyed in
English
Russian
Ukrainian
Simplified Chinese
Traditional Chinese
Brazilian Portuguese
French
And more yet to come.
Happy holidays!