Mirage Tracker

Ever thought about the combination of a dungeon crawler with chess? Why not throw a little bit of anime in there? I present to you, Exodus Checkmate! Without seeing the gameplay or screenshots, it sounds like a bit of a mish mash, but it does indeed work.

If you’d like to learn more about Exodus Checkmate, you can visit the game’s official Itchi.io page, where you can also purchase the game!

A Combination of Franchises… and Chess

With a starting point similar to Danganronpa or Corpse Party (you’re stuck inside a school), you’re introduced to the world of chess. Although, it’s a little more dangerous than your typical game of chess. The members of your group need to play chess with their own bodies – it’s not as crude as it sounds, I promise.

Each character has to walk across a chess board (the map) and battle against opponents that may appear with turn-based combat. There are a total of 7 dungeons to explore with 7 additional dungeons due to be added to the game in a future update. You’ll also come across handy items that you can pick up throughout a dungeon, such as consumables that can be used to support your party!

Retro and Modern

Exodus Checkmate reminds me of so many games all at once. It’s got the style of Persona and Shin Megami Tensei, the vibe of Danganronpa, and a dungeon crawler aspect that takes me back to Heretic – basically, it’s a really cool concept. In fact, the game itself is reminiscent of the old-school entries in the Shin Megami Tensei series, except with a more modern flair.

The character designs have a little bit of edge sprinkled in, each with their own personality. Plus, I think the mixture of 2D art and 3D background is pretty neat. One minute it feels like you’re playing a retro dungeon crawler, and the next you’re pulled into an anime visual novel – similar aspect to Dangonronpa really.

Before you go, why not check out our news on Dewborne Dawn? It’s an upcoming metroidvania that fills the void of Hollow Knight: Silksong!