Chessmaster has been around for nearly as long as I can remember playing video games. The graphics have always met or exceeded expectations.
Chessmaster for Xbox is no exception. There are lots of boards and sets of pieces, each with its own theme and color scheme. There are also three
whimsical chess sets that incorporate animations – no, you don’t get to cut off the heads of your opponent’s pieces. We said
whimsical! Not diabolical. Without turning it into a full on Chess-based MMORPG, say
EverPawn, what more could anyone want?
Sounds, audio, and music are above par. The voice-based tutorial sections actually make you feel like you’re being instructed by a real tutor instead of being talked down to or working with some sort of flawed A.I.-based shopping kiosk at the mall.