Dungeon Chess, described as “the first official Dungeons & Dragons-themed Gear VR Game”, is now available on both Samsung’s mobile VR platform and the Oculus Rift. The title combines classic chess gameplay with iconic D&D creature designs and suitably atmospheric environments.
Building on the strength of their first VR game, Magic Table Chess, which is available free on both Gear VR and Rift, New York and San Diego-based developer Experiment 7 have created a more compelling title in Dungeon Chess, integrating one of the most significant brands in the history of gaming, Dungeons & Dragons. Experiment 7 have forged a strong partnership with Wizards of the Coast, publisher of tabletop RPG Dungeons & Dragons and trading card game Magic: The Gathering, who have hinted that there could be multiple VR titles to come.
Responding to VentureBeat after the game’s announcement in February, D&D director Nathan Stewart said “They are a talented group of industry vets and big D&D fans. We have a long-term partnership in place which spans different genres and game types”.
Combining chess with the very first published tabletop RPG, which itself would have been influenced by chess, seems to be an ideal match, and the developers have embraced the potential by animating each encounter with ‘dramatic combat effects’, as shown in the game’s launch trailer (heading this article).
“As huge D&D fans ourselves, it was a dream come true to be able to work on Dungeon Chess,” said Co-founder and Creative Director of Experiment 7, Geoffrey Zatkin. “We’ve created what we believe is a killer VR game worthy of D&D enthusiasts, chess fans and the VR community’s attention. We can’t wait to do the same for our next VR project with Wizards of the Coast.”
The game supports Oculus Touch controls on the Rift version to physically pick up and move pieces, although you can still use the gaze select from Magic Table Chess. It features multi-tiered AI for single player use and supports cross platform multiplayer (for online play across both Gear VR and Rift).
Dungeon Chess has launched just in time for the Oculus Store Summer Sale, where it is currently enjoying a 50% discount. However, it has a rival in Ripstone’s Chess Ultra, which also just launched on all high-end VR platforms, including PSVR. Experiment 7 recently confirmed with VRFocus that Dungeon Chess will also be making its way to PSVR this year.