Beyond the Board is Taking Action

Man, you ever come across one of those things you thought you knew, then bam—turns out you didn’t at all? That’s kind of what this game does. Beyond the Board, they call it. Like chess, but not the chess you’re used to. And if you’re thinking, “Really, how different can it be?” Well, strap in, ‘cause it gets wild.

So there’s this team, Fragile Shapes Studio, cooking up something on Steam. A puzzle game that’s minimal but still kinda mind-bendy. They tossed us a demo—yeah, I got sucked in. No idea why I noticed this, but the tiles? Totally not what you’re thinking! It’s like they shift as you play. I mean, what?

Anyway—no, wait—let’s talk about this Rook you control. Yeah, a lone chess piece in this dreamy, trippy landscape. Like, imagine Monument Valley meets your wildest, chess-board fever dreams. Puzzly, and you’re sort of fighting to find the rest of your chess peeps.

They dropped the curtain on this thing during some game expo. Pieces just chilling out, ignoring the lines on the board. You don’t even need to know your knight from your bishop. Just wander through this surreal maze and try not to get lost—though getting lost is half the fun, you know?

Right, so the story kicks off with a bolt of lightning. Boom! Blasts you right off the board, chasing this enemy king through some pretty cursed landscapes. Tiles move under you, there are enemy pieces, and oh, did I mention boss battles? Yep, they’re there too—waiting to trip you up or blow your mind.

And the storytelling? They don’t even talk at you. It’s mood, shadows, and those sneaky quiet moments in between things. You, trying to make sense of it all in this world where the pieces don’t quite fit together—literally.

Look, if you’re up for it, give the demo a whirl on Steam. Might not be what you expect, but that’s kind of the point, isn’t it? Even if you’re like, “chess, meh,” you might want to peek—because it’s not really about chess at all. Or maybe it is? Who knows.