Chess Survivors is a grid based, quick-turn, roguelike where you'll outmaneuver and destroy the ever growing horde of chess enemies. Combine abilities and upgrades to create game-breaking builds. Unlock cosmetics, characters, and powerful relics. Think fast, die, learn, repeat.

Create Powerful Builds

Quick Turn Chess Movement

Break the Game

Die, Learn, Repeat

Features

Chess based enemies and player movement
Unique runs by choosing a Character, Starting Ability, and Relic
Casual quick 10-21 minute play sessions, for busy gamers.
Unlock new characters, cosmetics, and relics

https://store.steampowered.com/app/2065000/Chess_Survivors

Chess Survivors 1.0 BETA

Hi All,

I need your help testing my game! In case you missed this post here , I am fully releasing Chess Survivors on August 31st!

As a solo developer (with a full time job) I can only test so much. So I need you help testing the 1.0 release which I just published on the steam beta branch .

I go into a bit more detail about why I am fully releasing the game now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAEHFaOysgg

This patch contains a ton of balance changes and adjustments to the game which ended up being about 2 major patches worth of changes. I will likely make some additional changes in the coming days as I fine tune the balance. Please sent me a message over on my official discord , the steam discussion board, or even on this post.

Thank you,
Aarimous

1.0 BETA Patch Notes

Note: these are subject to change for full 1.0 release

New

New Map Consumables System
[list]
Every so often a random consumable will spawn
[list]
Potion - heals player
Magnet - sucks up all current XP
Bomb - creates an explosion dealing damage nearby enemies
Frost bomb - creates an explosion freezing nearby enemies
Chest - grants a choice of random relics (this can only spawn once per act)

[/list]

New Character based on my cat Karl

New Character based on my cat Martin

[/list]

Changes

Health and Damage:

Multiplied all the health and damage numbers by 10 since bigger numbers are more fun.
[list]
Adjusted damage text to fit new scale of numbers
Adjust health bar size to fit new scale of numbers

Ability Damage

Increased ability damage values across the board with a focus on making single target abilities really scale at the top end of the upgrade path

[/list]

Elites:

Removed Elite Combat Modifiers[list]
These include bonus damage (red), reduced damage (blue), and always move (green)
These were boring at best and never got the love they deserve. In their current state they dont feel like they are adding to the game.

All elites will now drop extra XP

Previously non-chest elites could drop bonus XP or a Potion
With the new consumable system player should no longer need potions from elites

All elites now have three times the health, and deal 50% more damage than their normal versions

Elites drop a twice as much XP

[/list]

Abilities

Jack Trap[list]
Reworked this ability as the original version was unfun
Sets a trap to your current tile which will trigger when an enemy collides with it dealing damage to the enemy and launching projectiles in random directions. These projectiles will deal damage to other enemies and trigger other traps.

Cribbage

Projectiles now shoot in alternating directions
I wanted to make this one a bit easier to use since it will be the first ability a player gets, this ability also resembles the starting ability from Vampire survivors. As such, Im hoping this will act as a good tutorial ability for players.
Damage has been reduced since the ability now starts with a base of 2 projectiles and its easier to hit enemies

[/list]

Miscellaneous:

The Real Knight[list]
Reworked since the original theme of cant heal, but has a lot of health, ended up being a bit confusing since healing related relics would still spawn.
Instead this will be a melee focused character

Relics:

Lucky Crown - Added -5 to Consumable Spawn Rate
Magic Carrot - Increased healing amount from 10 to 20
Three of Clubs - Increased all damages mods from 30 to 33 (for being on theme)

Player Base Stats

Increased base XP needed to level for 3 to 5. With the elite dropping more XP the player would get
to powerful to quickly so I have adjusted this down a bit.

Hide the run timer, there is already enough time pressure during the run and this is just extra clutter
Run timer is still in the stats screen and game win/lose screen

Bugs