So, the folks behind Duskers, Misfit Attic, just dropped a trailer for their new game, Below The Crown, and it looks pretty wild. Imagine a dungeon crawler blended with chess, then sprinkled with some mind-bending meta stuff like in Inscryption. Oh, and it's got this rad 80s CRT aesthetic that I'm totally digging!

You play as a wizard who needs to gather a party and dive into this Tron-ish dungeon to snag some gold. Your crew? Chess pieces, but with upgrades! Each level is like a chess puzzle where you gotta use classic moves to win. Think Forks and Pins, but with more magic and less quiet contemplation. They even released a trailer to give us a taste.

Chess with a Twist

The creator, Tim Keenan, jokes that it's a "gateway drug into chess," which is funny because they also seem to be making fun of chess a little bit. It’s like they want to get new players excited, but also assure them that Below The Crown isn't some boring chess game. They're saying, "Forget memorized openings and drawn-out endgames! You start with a cool wizard instead of sixteen pieces." It's like they're playfully roasting chess while secretly loving it.

But putting chess aside, Below The Crown is trying to be a smart roguelike, something in the vein of Slay The Spire. Which, to be honest, feels a bit harsh on other roguelikes. Aren't they all kinda brainy? I mean, it's not like calling something a "thinking person's ballpit." You're making clever moves to beat enemies and survive in a dungeon that keeps changing. You can give your party abilities like Vision or Shadow Protection and collect spell cards and skills. Don't forget to grab gold for the Emperor and hunt for mysterious runes.

That "dot-dot-dotting" probably hints at the Inscryption-style meta stuff, where you step back from the game to answer weird questions. The developers are saying to "expect weirdness", and I'm writing that down. I like when games mess with your head a bit.

Keenan also calls Below The Crown a "massively singleplayer experience" because you can make your own levels with a custom board editor and share them online. That sounds pretty cool, especially if you're into creating your own challenges.

I'm willing to forgive all the marketing hype because these are the same folks who made Duskers. It's a really unique and atmospheric game. If you haven't played it, and you're into creepy space adventures, you totally should. It's one of my favorites.

Misfit Attic is also working on a "spiritual successor" to Duskers where you get to build ships, called "Humanity 2.0." Plus, they're making a "Crusader Kings lite" game where you try to get different factions to fight each other. They're definitely keeping busy!

If you're excited about Below The Crown, it's hitting Steam Early Access in Q4 2025. But you can try out a demo this October during Steam Next Fest. Be sure to check it out!