The GameZone reviewer writes:
This is my first experience with Fritz, and I quickly saw why it is so popular.
Prior to this, I knew it only by (stellar) reputation. It is different than
the other offerings out there.
Like all chess games, you set up a profile based on your skill level. As I
always advise: be honest with yourself – no less, no more. This is more
of a factor when you venture online, where the Fritz community is like a shark
tank – and I mean that in a good way. You can even insert your own picture
if you like.
I first played with the voice on, and was taunted so viciously (in attempts
to rattle me), that I soon changed that setting for a more quiet experience.
Fritz 8 Deluxe will insult you in a million ways for every thing you do –
or don't do (fast enough). It can be very aggressive, and is not recommended
for the easily offended!
You are also able to set handicaps just like in golf. You can skew the settings
to help you play. You can implement a feature that allows the (pc) opponent
to execute accidental mistakes that might occur when playing against a human
player.
Fritz's manual is like a schematic for a computer itself. The various paragraphs
teach you how to constantly tweak the game to reach whatever level you need
it to be. The information for online play is detailed in a structured way to
best ensure you set yourself up to play at the maximum level for your ability
and needs. It doesn't just tell you how to log on and "go at it."
There are some very lush combinations of wood boards with matching (or contrasting)
pieces. However, I opted to go back to the more generic 2D views so that I
could focus on the pieces and moves.
Being able to upload your own picture is a nice touch for online play. I like
for people to be able to see whom they are crushing in an online duel!
The whole experience of playing Fritz is like a high-brow, well-executed excursion
into the world of chess that most people only see on TV or in movies. This
is the real deal.
The current "who's who" of chess – Kasparov – is in
this game and lends his talents to the training experience. You cannot get
much better than that.
You'd be hard pressed to improve any part of this game for what it is meant
to be. It can't be criticized for not being as pretty as some, for that
is not its strength. It does one thing great - plays Chess.
