Xbox Live Arcade Roundup

Chessmaster Live

• Microsoft Points: 800
• In Real Money: GBP 6.80 / EUR 9.60

With a decent and well-featured Chess game already included in last year's Spyglass Boardgame compilation on Xbox Live, one has to wonder if there's really room for another one on the service. Usually the answer would be a firm 'whatever', but as this plucky newcomer is nothing less than the latest entry in the esteemed Chessmaster videogame series, perhaps XBLA's commissioning team isn't wasting our time after all.

The Chessmaster games are famed for offering a comprehensive range of AI opponents to play against, each rated on the Elo scale, the official measure by which professional players are ranked via a complex system of levers and maths pulleys far beyond the reach of this correspondent. What we can tell you is that, at full pelt, Chessmaster scores 2,715 on the Elo system, which makes it smarter and funnier than you, bitch.

So, for players who know their Prophylaxis from their Problem Child and who want a chess personal trainer that will build mental muscles and continue providing a meteoric challenge up to and beyond senior master level, this is the XBLA chess game for you. Primarily this is a tuned and augmented version of the 2003 PlayStation 2 game of the same name and it will ably guide newcomers through the entry-level rules and complexities of the ancient game.

No matter what your ability, the game presents a plethora of different AI characters to face off against. These aren't simple name and portrait variations either. AI opponents play in a vast array of different styles: some do everything they can to avoid draws; others neglect pawns or over-emphasise protecting their queen; still more will always try to trade pieces and so on. The game's genius is in recreating the foibles and weaknesses of real-life players. After all, once you've created a chess AI engine that can decimate most of the world's players, the challenge is in creating believable weakness and error. In a sense then, the game's many competitors are all shades, shadows and imperfections of the Chessmaster himself, who sits at the heart of the game, patiently awaiting your arrival.

The game is functionally presented with stark, simple menus and little graphical flourish (although you're able to switch between a 2D board and a 3D board at a flick of the X-button at any point in a game). The chess sets are practical if not beautiful and there's not much in the way of novelty sets on offer here.

Some of the features of the more expensive PC counterpart have been cut - such as the library of historic games and classic opening moves - but it's understandable that Ubisoft would want to distinguish the releases in this way. In addition to the core Chess games there's a huge range of different and enjoyable challenges to play through, as well as timed matches and online play. Indeed, as you receive your own Elo ranking through the game, which can be taken online and shown off, this is about as solid a Chess package as one could hope for on the service.

8/10