Chinese Chess Master is a game that obviously originated in the orient and was converted from the classic board game for play on the personal computer.
Chinese Chess, also sometimes referred to as Xiang Qi, is very similar to the game of chess that many of us have come to understand and excel at. There are intricately carved little pieces in the traditional game that each have their own power ranking and movement capabilities, very similar to the variation of International chess pieces. The movements and capabilities, however, differ greatly between Chinese Chess and International chess, as does the terminology used to identify each piece and some specific strategic moves.
The game lay out is also slightly different.
This particular version of Chinese Chess is excellent for gamers of any level. It features the ability to play in several different languages, although text will not often be used and is not terribly important. There are several different difficulty settings, and the easy one will make a nice tutorial for players who are new to this strategy game. There are no hints or help modes, though, so despite the fact that the lower settings are easy, the user must have some idea of how to play. The game does feature rewinds or re-dos, so gamers can try their luck again if they realize their mistakes too late. This,
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in itself, is a nice teaching tool. The middle settings are actually quite challenging, and the highest settings are the name of the game. They are created for the Chinese Chess master, and will be exceptionally difficult to conquer. The computer’s artificial intelligence is very good. The gamer can also fast forward through plays and can save a game in the middle and pick it up again later, if the stress is getting to him or the game is taking too long. At higher levels, the computer simulates a thoughtful individual and will take a long time to select a move. It is a good idea to limit the time allowed on moves for this reason.
The game is very straightforward and does not offer a lot of whistles and bells. The colors are primarily in black and white and sound is not a factor. Still, as every classic gaming fan knows (especially with puzzle type games), the important thing is the game play, and the computer will certainly offer any player the challenge that he needs in Chinese Chess Master.
