Online Chess Kingdoms shines in gameplay, which you would really want in any game about chess. If the look of a 3D "battle chess" game is off, nobody is likely to be too critical since there hasn't really been a plethora of 3D battle-chess games out there to compare against. If something about the chess playing is off, we are all going to howl and throw a fit. Happy to report that the chess playing here is nicely done. The title is a tip-off but for those who worry about playing a computer, there are human opponents online. Not so many opponents, but they
do exist. I have been disappointed with my visits to most online communities built for PSP titles. It isn't that they are poorly planned, but that people just aren't signed on yet. There could be many reasons, including the competitive and somewhat fickle game market. Also factor in the people who buy games like this and aren't comfortable or interested in going up against human players. Maybe it is as simple as the number of people in the population who have a broadband and wireless connection at home. Whatever the case, I will say that
Online Chess Kingdoms is really just "Chess Kingdoms" until a good-sized community builds up online. Here's hoping that occurs, because chess is best when played against other humans.
The offline version of the game is built around two modes. Classic Mode is the version of the game we've been playing for hundreds of years. Turn based, with pieces consigned to specific move and capture patterns... if you've played chess even one time you've probably learned the fundamentals. Battle Mode is a very different story. I don't like Battle Mode. I do applaud the effort to create an interesting alternative to the usual fare. Instead of being turn-based, Battle Mode is in real time. The pieces still move and capture as they do in Classic, but each capture is assigned a point value. The first player to 30 points wins. The King is worth 12 points so you can imagine how quickly these games play out. My complaint with Battle Mode is partially the style of play, but also the issue with graphics that I already mentioned. Over time, I figured out who was moving where, but the first few games felt crazy. The control of pieces with the D-pad is okay in a turn-based battle, but isn't great for quick moves. In these moments, the genius of the DS touch-screen really becomes apparent. Even after the initial adjustment period, I never warmed up to Battle Mode.
The Classic Mode story revolves around five races that have been split and are now reunited. In each battle outside the story, you'll be able to choose a side to play and a choice of board. The story is more "on rails" and makes certain choices for you depending on the stage of the game and the location. Each race has the same pieces to play and the same chess moves we know and love. For gamers who love the traditional game, but want an interesting "wrapper" this may be a perfect title. The story has elements of a traditional strategy videogame, since each race is intent on capturing territory. The armies are perfect placeholders for the pieces on the chessboard. When armies meet a game begins... This is also played out in the online games, but with less of the storytelling you find offline. You can also play Classic games against another player offline by passing the PSP back and forth - low tech networking! Online play features a neat mode called Remote Play that is really just the online version of "chess by mail." In the days before all this cool technology, people would mail or e-mail moves back and forth and play each other one move at a time. In Online Chess Kingdoms Remote Play, you can make a move and then sign off while your opponent takes up to 24 hours to respond. This is a nice mode for people who have a little time to play or may not have persistent, fast connections to the Web.
