Xiangqi

It's safe to say that most people know how to play chess, but it's also reasonable to assume that if you didn't know how to play it, figuring it out for yourself would be harder than taking on Deep Blue without a queen. Chinese chess, fortunately, is something of a simplified version of western chess, though its intricacies are just as subtle and far reaching.

Assuming you have a basic understanding of western chess, Xiangqi (which, by the way, is the Chinese name for Chinese chess, pronounced 'shee-ang chee' – remember that, as you'll need it when you're Googling for instructions later on) ought to be fairly recognisable. After all, it's a progenitor of the European version, predating it by around 600 years. This iPhone adaptation features an option to switch to more western icons, such as king, queen, bishop, knight and so forth, to help the game slot into a more familiar style. Which is just as well, since the developer hasn't included any kind of instructions for how to actually play Xiangqi.

Considering the complex the strategies the game involves, a comprehensive guide to its innermost workings might be too much to expect; however, at least some kind of indication as to how each piece is allowed to move isn't too much to ask, surely? When there isn't a resource to learn the most basic of rules, the complete lack of information in Xiangqi is felt quite profoundly.

The game is fortunately the same no matter how many new versions are made, so it's down to subtleties like presentation and sound effects to make it stand out. Xiangqi succeeds quite well in this respect, with a pleasing soundtrack and a beautiful calligraphic style to the pieces and game board. The option to use Chinese pieces or western equivalents is also very welcome, and both retain that essential Asian design.

There are three difficulty settings, though to be honest there seems to be very little between them. The computer is quite ruthless, moving in for the kill with every turn. There's probably little else a computer-controlled opponent in a chess game could be persuaded to do, though a little leniency wouldn't go amiss on the easy setting. The App Store blurb, after all, promises Xiangqi is suitable for people who are looking to learn how to play Chinese chess, which brings us back around to the lack of instructions.

To be clear, this game is definitely not suitable for learning Chinese chess. Undoubtedly it's quite ideal for people who already know how to play, where the hard-nosed skill of the CPU opponent will offer a superb challenge. But there are some significant differences between Chinese chess and its western counterpart, with pieces moving in very different ways that alter your strategic choices profoundly.

The touchscreen controls work as well as expected, though there's no option to abandon a game midway through without closing and restarting the application. There is an unlimited undo option, however, which can be used as a clumsy guide through the early stages of learning the game, but not in a manner that's at all conducive to your ongoing enjoyment of Xiangqi.

Northern Bytes certainly isn't the first iPhone developer too time-starved to include instructions in its application, but most at least offer some help on their websites. In this case, you're on your own, and all the beautiful brush painted graphics and meditative soundtracks don't make up for a game that's unworkable without the player actively seeking out another source to explain its rules.

Should you feel so inclined to put in significant effort where Northern Bytes clearly couldn't, you'll unlock a style of chess that's ideally suited to the iPhone generation. It's a much quicker and (this isn't a criticism, by the way) aggressive game of strategic dominance; all the depth, but none of the pretention often attached to western chess. If you already know how to play Xiangqi, add two points to the overall score. If you're not particularly conversant with ordinary chess, you should probably deduct one.