Chess Valley (2021)

Developer: Artur Rezende
Platforms: Windows
Genres: Casual, Indie
Rating: 4.5 of 5, 48 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 38 minutes
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A calm, minimalist chess puzzle where you guide a lone king across a sparse board, carefully avoiding black pieces with thoughtful, deliberate moves.

relaxingpuzzle-likeminimalistcasuallogic-basedgrid-basedsingleplayersolitaire

What players say

Players praise Chess Valley as a simple, relaxing chess puzzle, but the lack of saving and the three-life system force a single-sitting run, which many find frustrating. The king can only move orthogonally, and later puzzles sometimes repeat. A few players wish for a tutorial and better camera controls.

Screenshots

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More by Artur Rezende

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.