Like so much it's maybe too much even?

XESS features 16 characters/factions to choose from, with unique units and setups.
Among these are two characters representing regular chess and shogi.

Select one of 7 relics to complement your units.

You also have 4 spells to further mix up gameplay, two from the character and two from the relic.
Spells are powered by collecting "blood", a resource that spawn nearby when a unit is captured.

Win by either capturing the king (or destroy every unit in case the opponents faction doesn't have a king!) or by holding the center tile for a certain time.

There's online multiplayer, puzzle levels, a short story mode, an endless challenge mode and a mediocre-at-best AI for versus.