Below the Crown Review

Personally, I’ve never been that into chess, if only because I’m not all that good at it. However, I do enjoy the odd chess puzzle, where you have a set number of pieces and moves to win. What I never considered was how you could build a game around this idea, which is precisely what Misfits Attic has attempted with Below the Crown. The big question here is whether this is a checkmate or if checkers might be a better idea.

Below the Crown tasks you with delving into a dungeon to find gold at the behest of the emperor. However, the depths are filled with threats and a long-hidden secret that will be a major hindrance to any would-be explorer. Thankfully, you are a wizard, accompanied by certain recognisable soldiers and a spell or two that will help. In terms of plot, there’s nothing really “special” here; it’s mostly just window dressing, but it’s nice to see and at least gives a reason to keep going through the rooms. 

On that note, Below the Crown offers a series of rooms, each containing its own chess-based puzzle. Those familiar soldiers are things like Rooks, Pawns, and Bishops, which follow the same rules as their board game equivalent. When you first enter a room, you’ll only have the King and will need to summon the others throughout. Here’s how it works: you have a set number of cards you can summon, but first you need to move a unit and then summon a new one within view of your King. The challenge is figuring out the best place to move your pieces while also planning where to put new ones. 

The aim, if you’ve never played Chess, is to block the King from being able to move into a non-threatened square. So, you have a set number of units you can place, and the opponent has their own pieces that can remove or block yours. Thankfully, being a wizard, you also have access to some spell cards that help you to block movement and more. It can get pretty complicated at times, and it’s very easy to suddenly find yourself without a possible move in the more challenging puzzles. You’re also not able to really restart, instead having to leave the room with no bonuses, treasure, or possible upgrades.

Speaking of upgrades: like many other roguelike games, you are given a choice of different enhancements as you progress, and like other titles, this can be a bit of a mixed bag. However, I never found any that were downright useless during my playthrough. I also never found any of the puzzles unduly unfair, with my failures more due to my own mistakes than to the game being cruel.

Visually, Below the Crown utilises vector graphics, which use neon lines on a black background to create a futuristic aesthetic. It’s charming, with the design being simplistic enough that it’s not overwhelming, while also making sure the elements on the screen are distinct enough to be recognisable. There’s not a lot of animation to make note of, but then there isn’t in chess either, so it’s fine as is. The music is also pretty great; there’s nothing here that you’ll want playing on your car speaker, but it’s catchy enough.

Below the Crown is what I like to call a second-monitor game; it’s not something that you’re going to be able to focus on for hours at a time. However, if you’re watching a movie or something similar, then you can have it on the side to help pass the time. It’s fun in short bursts, and that’s all it really needs to be.