Chessmaster

I have to say, this is an awesome chess game. What really caught my attention was the vast amount of tutorials. They are voice narrated and very detailed. You will learn a lot from playing this game, and enjoy it while doing so. Also, there are over 800 recorded games dating back to the 1600's that you can watch being played out with commentary! This game is a must have for any chess enthusiast or anyone looking to better their game.

- The ability to play your own xbox hard drive music over the games
- Improved graphics, in a stop-motion animated sequence of photos of real pieces moving over a top-view board
- Less words cluttering the playing screen
- Live-action pre and post-game cinematics and animated attack moves by genuine animators. Let's say a short opening scene depicting Chess pieces moving into Italy from the Italian Alps!
- A sense of the global cultures and the exotic playing areas
- A focus on 'star players' like Kasparov and even Deep Blue as characters! Not so many average people.
- Different voices to proclaim 'Check', 'Checkmate' or whatever in various instances.
- Sound effects, like a horse braying when it takes an opposing piece, a proud King saying 'You'll never take me alive' or an icey Queen - the voice accent of these pieces would change by selecting which country your side is from. For instance, if you chose France, the pieces would have a French accent. Like the 'Worms' games.
- Stylized culture-based gamepieces for major countries, Russia, Germany, France, America, Africa, Britain, Canada... etc.
- For God's sake, support for two players on separate controllers

All in all, this is a good game with inventive elements, detailing 500 years worth of games with narration, and it demonstrates in a very immediate way, how to improve your game. However, it could have animated and enlivened the game of Chess in a modern, but deeply cultural and historical way, and it hasn't done that. The best chess game out there, but hopefully not for long!

First, it's important to outline a context for my positive review of this game. I run a chess club in an elementary school and have been doing so for nearly five years. I have taught students how to play and given them basic strategy. However, I am only an average player myself.

This title was tremendously suited to my purpose. For one, it has allowed me to sharpen my game. The academy and tutorials are not only helpful, but provide me with information that I can bring back to my chess club. It also has enhanced my understanding of tournament play. Given the Live feature, students who wish to play each other who have this can do so as well (parents likely will not object given its low cost and nonviolent gameplay.)

Most of the criticism stems from the two play and having to pass the controller back and forth. Indeed I have also found this frustrating. I have also found frustrating that the computer takes no time off their clock or that the computer will take forever (when playing on an advanced mode.) Clearly those who excel at chess might not find this best suited to their needs. However, the graphics, loyalty to tournament style, and tutorials (including blunder alerts) make this an excellent game for those whose rankings might not be as high.

The biographies of the characters you play with is an added bonus. You feel as though you're playing a real person. This is a highly recommended game if your purpose in any way mirrors the context as I have outlined.

The problem I see with people debating the merits of this game generally revolve around motivation. If your sole motive is to use this game just to play chess, you will only get a fraction of the value out of it and might even be disappointed with it. The multiplayer function, offline, requires two people to pass the controller back and forth. While this is not a problem with me, some tend to consider it a hindrance. There are not many people that play online, so the "live" feature lacks attractiveness. This leaves you basically with just a chess game that you are able to play on the xbox, but not much else. If you play the game in this fashion, you are really only getting a superficial taste of what this game really has to offer.

If you, on the other hand, are a player that would like to develop his/her game significantly, then you will marvel at the extensive, nay, nearly overwhelming, tutorial features Chessmaster has to offer. This tutorial section, I believe, is the heart of the Chessmaster game. There is an "academy" taught by Josh Waitzkin himself. It is broken into sections covering the basics of movement, strategy, tactics, psychology, and endgame strategy. To show examples of each section, he annotates an incredible amount of games he played that reinforce the principles he is teaching. I have had this game for a week going through the academy and have not gotten through half of it. This academy is only a fraction of the tutorial section though. There are also the tutorials from previous Chessmaster installments, drills, and an infinite number(literally) of one move puzzles.

There is so much depth to this Chessmaster game that I feel I have not really done it justice in the review. The Josh Waitzkin academy is worth the $20 dollars alone. If you are striving to become a better chess player and looking for some direction, I couldn't give this game a higher recommendation.

If you want to play chess, go grab a real chess board.

1. The two player mode isn't really two players. You have to share the same controller. Yes, you literally have to pass the controller back and forth for every move.

2. No one plays this game on Xbox Live.

3. The AI cheats after a set number of victories.