Beyond The Board Is a Minimalist Chess-Themed Puzzle Adventure

Beyond The Board is a chess-themed minimalist puzzle adventure with a new demo out on Steam.

Described as Monument Valley meets Limbo "in a checkered universe", Beyond The Board takes place in a surrealist, chess-inspired world. It promises perception twisting puzzles where the path ahead isn't linear, and you don't need familiarity with the famous board game. In fact, Fragile Shapes Studio takes great pains to point out that this specifically is not a chess game.

"No chess knowledge required - just curiosity, and a willingness to lose yourself in the unknown," states the developer, who released a first look at gameplay during the OTK Games Expo.

Beyond The Board tells the tale of a lone Rook, who ends up adrift after a freak lightning accident sends them to a new dimension. You must then pursue the enemy King across a series of collapsing kingdoms and cursed lands, and each step ahead becomes a new puzzle to clear. That's thanks to hidden pathways, enemy pieces who follow their own sets of rules, and various bosses.

None of these characters speak; everything is told via visual storytelling, sound design and atmosphere. It sounds like there'll be the occasional backtracking too, as returning to previous levels with new combinations and moves allows you to uncover hidden areas and story fragments.

I've not had the chance to dive into the demo before today's announcement, but I'm aiming to do so soon. There's no release window yet, though Beyond The Board is coming to Steam.