Sargon V is a solid chess game with outstanding training options and good presentation, offering both 2D and 3D boards. Billed a chess game for experts, it indeed plays a very good game of chess, with a world-class engine that was much stronger than the popular Chessmaster engine of that time. In addition to offering a wide variety of 2D and 3D boards, Sargon V features a wealth of customizable game features and a large book of opening moves. You can challenge a computer which knows the moves of such famous games as Karpov-Kasparov (1990), or go through Annotated games in which the "Dean of American Chess" George Koltanowski explains the thinking process behind the all-time great moves. Another excellent instructional feature is the "Illustrative Games" which let you guess, then tell you what happened in classic matches. The game has something for everyone, from novice to expert. You can play against the computer, against a friend, or just watch the computer play itself or famous historical games being replayed. You can also print out a list of your moves in your current game and a map of the piece locations. The only gripe I have about the game is the ugly hand that moves the pieces, but that's about it. With an astounding range of options, strong chess engine and the innovative Illustrative Games feature, Sargon V is a highly underrated classic, the last and best in a solid series that deserves a lot more recognition than the overhyped Chessmaster series. Two thumbs up, way up! Reviewed by: Underdogs |