Vivendi Universal announced today that Hoyle Majestic Chess has shipped to retailers. The title, developed by Fluent Entertainment, features not only a classic chess mode, but also Chess Adventure, in which gamers can complete a fantasy-themed quest and battle evil by, um, playing chess.
"We designed Hoyle Majestic Chess to be the best chess software product available for the PC. We already knew how to make a world-class chess engine and game. With the invention of Chess Adventure, we know this game to be incredibly fun for strategy game players and absolutely the most engaging product of its kind. It's a game that will both appeal to the new player but still challenge the experts," said Don Laabs, Chief Technology Officer for Fluent Entertainment.
While it may not match previous attempts to meld action with chess, word on the editorial street is that Majestic Chess is worth, ahem, checking out.