FireChess

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A clever way to play chess.

"FireChess" is one of those cases where an amateur developer thinks he can "fix" the "problem" with Chess by screwing up the rules and adding new pieces. Chess doesn't need to be fixed. Unsurprisingly, this was a complete and utter failure. Have we learned yet? Nope, I am quite sure this is not the last attempt at "fixing" Chess I'll come across. What do you do in the game? This is Chess, but worse. The game features really lacklustre 2D visuals (does the developer not know 3D graphics became mainstream in the mid-1990s?). Gamers don't spend thousands of dollars on gaming rigs and the latest 3D graphics cards to play 2D games. Even mobile phones and game consoles can do 3D graphics now. There's no excuse. There's numerous 3D rendered Chess games on Steam already. On pricing, this is "free" enough, at least you won't be expected to spend any more money after you download this, but just because something is free doesn't mean it's good, and the cost of a game is more than just financial, your time is valuable too. Despite having no up-front cost, this failed to appeal to the 120 million+ gamers on Steam. SteamDB showed the game peaked at only 3 concurrent players... this …

FireChess takes the familiar foundations of chess and transforms them into a much less predictable strategy game where magic, resource management, special units, and territorial control are just as important as traditional piece movement. Developed and published by JT, it is clearly designed for players who understand the basic language of chess but want something more experimental. Instead of simply adding a handful of alternative pieces, the game changes how players think about controlling the board by introducing gold, purchasable units, environmental hazards, and abilities capable of disrupting otherwise sensible chess strategies. One of the biggest changes is the introduction of an economy. Players receive gold as matches progress, while certain spaces on the board can provide additional income when controlled. Gold can then be spent through the shop to acquire more pieces. This creates an interesting relationship between positioning and long-term strength. Moving onto a valuable square may expose a unit to danger, but maintaining control over profitable territory can provide enough resources to reinforce your army later. Losing material is therefore not always as permanent a…

Bro got whooped by a furry. LMAO

FireChess is an unfinished demo rather than a proper game because the AI doesn't move the chess units. You can always win in the game against AI. The introduction of new mage, gold digging and shopping in the game units aren't extraordinarily innovative. The 2D artwork is also too plain.