Khet 2.0

Khet 2.0 is a digital adaptation of the award-winning board game Khet, where two players compete in strategic, laser-based combat on an Egyptian-themed grid. Players move mirrored pieces to deflect a low-powered laser beam after each turn, aiming to eliminate opponent’s pieces by hitting their non-mirrored sides while safeguarding their own king-like piece.

Khet 2.0: A Digital Labyrinth of Light and Strategy

Introduction: Chess with Lasers – A Concept That Hits the Mark

What if chess didn’t just capture pieces, but vaporized them with concentrated beams of light? This tantalizing “what if” lies at the heart of Khet 2.0, a digital adaptation of the award-winning physical board game that merges ancient Egyptian aesthetics with the cold physics of laser propagation. Born from a university classroom project and later refined into a commercial product, Khet (originally Deflexion) carved a unique niche in the abstract strategy genre. Its digital incarnation, released in 2014 by BlueLine Game Studios, carries this legacy forward onto PC, Mac, and Linux, promising the same mind-bending tactical depth with added convenience. While it faithfully translates the brilliance of the original—a game that feels like a cross between chess and a tactical laser show—the digital version stumbles in places, struggling with technical polish and a fading online community. Still, as a conduit for one of the most inventive board game designs of the 21st century, Khet 2.0 remains a compelling, if imperfect, artifact of the digital board game renaissance.

Development History & Context: From College Project to Steam Release

The story of Khet begins not in a corporate lab, but in a product design class at Tulane University. Professor Michael Larson and students Luke Hooper and Del Segura conceived Deflexion as a hands-on exploration of light reflection, quickly realizing its potential as a strategy game. After securing a trademark dispute that forced a rebrand to Khet and an Egyptian theme, Innovention Toys, LLC launched the physical game in 2005. It earned immediate acclaim, snagging a Mensa Select award and becoming a finalist for Toy of the Year. The game’s core innovation—mirrored pieces that deflect real laser beams—was both a selling point and a logistical challenge, requiring precise manufacturing and battery-powered components.

Enter BlueLine Game Studios, an indie developer founded by Sean Colombo and Geoff Brown (who had previously collaborated on a digital version of the abstract game Hive). Both developers were college acquaintances with a deep affection for Khet; in fact, Colombo’s introduction to the game by Brown was a key motivator for BlueLine’s very mission: to digitize award-winning board games. The studio’s vision was clear—preserve the strategic purity of the original while leveraging digital advantages like AI opponents, online multiplayer, and adjustable camera angles. Released on October 1, 2014, Khet 2.0 targeted Steam’s growing audience for tabletop adaptations, using the MonoGame framework (with SDL underpinnings) to ensure cross-platform compatibility (Windows, macOS, Linux). The timing was apt: the mid-2010s saw a surge in digital board game releases, from Tabletop Simulator to official adaptations like Catan and Ticket to Ride. Khet 2.0 entered this space as a niche but polished contender, priced at $9.99 and touting features like Steam Big Picture support, controller compatibility, and no DRM beyond Steam’s own ecosystem.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive: An Abstract Epic Etched in Light

Make no mistake: Khet has no conventional narrative. There is no campaign, no characters with backstories, and no plot twists. Its “story” is purely emergent—the tactical saga of two Egyptian factions (red and silver) battling for supremacy on a 8×10 grid. Yet, the game’s Egyptian theme is far from superficial; it is integral to its cognitive appeal. Each piece is a stylized icon—the Pharaoh (king), Pyramid (defensive rampart), Scarab (versatile swap-master), Anubis (front-line guardian), and Sphinx (immobile laser emitter)—and their names evoke a mythic antiquity that contrasts beautifully with the futuristic laser mechanics. This juxtaposition creates a unique atmosphere: you are not merely moving abstract tokens, but commanding an ancient army where the weapons are beams of light and the battlefield is a geometric sandbox.

The theme also serves a practical purpose. The mirrored surfaces on pieces are visually distinct (often with a shiny, metallic sheen), making it easier to track potential laser paths. The Sphinx, with its laser-emitting chest, becomes a focal point of tension—every turn hinges on its orientation. Even the color-coded board (red vs. silver zones) reflects the Egyptian division of territories. When ThinkFun later rebranded the physical game as Laser Chess with a sci-fi skin, it proved that the mechanics were theme-agnostic; but the Egyptian motif remains the most charming and thematically coherent. In the digital version, this aesthetic is rendered in clean 3D models with a diagonal-down perspective that emphasizes the grid’s geometry. The game’s minimalism is its strength: there are no cutscenes or dialogue, only the silent, deadly dance of light.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems: The Elegant Brutality of Laser Chess

At its core, Khet 2.0 is a masterclass in elegant abstract design. The rules can be taught in minutes, yet the strategic possibilities are vast. Each turn consists of a single action: either move one piece one square (orthogonally or diagonally) or rotate it 90 degrees. After this action, the player must fire the laser from their Sphinx. The laser travels in a straight line along the board’s rows and columns until it hits something. If it strikes the non-mirrored side of any piece (except the Sphinx), that piece is eliminated—even if it’s your own. The goal is to hit the opponent’s Pharaoh.

What makes this system profound is the interplay of movement and reflection. Pieces have specific mirror orientations: Pyramids have a single diagonal mirror, Scarabs have mirrors on both sides (and can swap places with adjacent Pyramids or Anubis pieces), Anubis is immune to laser hits from the front (but vulnerable from sides or rear), and the Sphinx is the fixed laser source that can be rotated to aim along either the row or column. This creates a constantly shifting puzzle where every move reconfigures the laser’s potential path. Experienced players engage in “geometric warfare,” setting up “mirror walls” to deflect beams across the board while probing for weaknesses in the opponent’s defense. The game often rewards defensive fortification—a well-protected Pharaoh behind layers of mirrors can be nearly impenetrable—but aggressive tactics can force mistakes.

The Khet 2.0 edition refined the original (Khet 1.0) by replacing the four Obelisks (ablative armor that could be stacked) with two Anubis pieces. This change simplified setup and added a new tactical layer: Anubis acts as a one-way shield, forcing opponents to attack from the side or rear. More significantly, the laser emitter moved from the board’s edge into the Sphinx piece itself, which can be rotated each turn. This small shift dramatically increased strategic flexibility—instead of being constrained to firing along your home row, you can now aim across the board immediately, opening up more direct attack lines from the start.

The digital version includes all standard setups: Classic (balanced beginner layout), Imhotep (more aggressive), and Dynasty (defensive). Unfortunately, it lacks the ability to create and save custom configurations—a missed opportunity noted by reviewers. The AI spans five difficulty levels, from a forgiving “Easy” that helps newcomers learn the laser pathways to a brutal “Expert” that calculates optimal moves with ruthless efficiency. While the AI is competent (developed with input from chess engine expert Don Dailey for the mobile versions), some Steam users find even the highest settings too predictable after extensive play.

The game also offers local “pass-and-play” and online multiplayer. However, the online scene appears largely moribund; Steam reviews frequently cite long wait times or an inability to find matches, a common fate for niche digital board games without matchmaking infrastructure. The inclusion of the Eye of Horus Beam Splitter DLC ($3.99) adds a new piece that splits a laser into two beams, multiplying tactical complexity but requiring careful integration.

World-Building, Art & Sound: A 3D Playground of Reflective Surfaces

Khet 2.0‘s presentation is functional and stylish, if not groundbreaking. The board is a raised, rectangular grid with an Egyptian-patterned texture. Pieces are rendered as 3D models with distinct silhouettes: Pyramids are, well, pyramidal; Scarabs are beetle-shaped; Anubis resembles a jackal-headed guard; the Sphinx is a crouching lioness. The perspective is fixed at a diagonal angle (as per Moby specs), but the game allows camera rotation and zoom—a feature praised by reviewers for helping track laser paths that might otherwise be obscured by pieces.

The laser effects are the star. When fired, a bright red (or blue for the opponent) beam shoots forth, bouncing sharply at 90-degree angles off mirrored surfaces. Hits result in a satisfying “pop” and an explosion of particles as the piece vanishes. This visual feedback is crucial; without it, the game would lose much of its visceral appeal. The sound design complements the action: a hum builds as the laser is charged, a sharp pew accompanies the shot, and a resonant crash signals a hit. The minimalist soundtrack by Steve Scott (credited in the Moby entry) is unobtrusive, consisting of ambient,Egyptian-inspired melodies that never distract from the mental calculations.

The overall aesthetic strikes a balance between the tangible and the digital. Unlike the physical board game, where real lasers create an actual beam of light, the digital version simulates the effect. This removes the need for battery replacements and alignment tweaks but also loses some of the magic of a real laser cutting through air. Still, the 3D environment adds a layer of polish that the flat board game can’t match, and the ability to freely rotate the view is a clear advantage for planning multi-bounce shots.

Reception & Legacy: A Cult Classic with a Checkered Past

The physical Khet earned its stripes through prestigious awards and legal victories. It won the Mensa Select award (2006), was a Toy of the Year finalist (2007), and even scored a $1.6 million patent infringement settlement when MGA’s Laser Battle was ruled a copy. These accolades cemented its status as an innovative, high-quality abstract game.

The digital adaptation, while not award-winning, has carved out a loyal following. On Steam, it maintains a “Very Positive” rating (89% positive from 164 reviews as of early 2026), with players praising its faithful replication of the board game’s depth, the quality of the AI, and the convenience of digital play. The Dad’s Gaming Addiction review awarded it 8/10, calling it “the video game adaptation I’ve been waiting for” and noting its value ($9.99 vs. the $30+ physical version). Rock Paper Shotgun highlighted its compelling “chess-like” tension, where “one move could spell disaster at any time.”

Yet, the digital version has persistent flaws. Common criticisms in Steam reviews (as aggregated by Niklas Notes) include:
– Technical issues: Crashes and bugs (reported by ~6% of reviewers).
– Control problems: Some users struggle with piece rotation on trackpads or find the cursor selection finicky.
– Limited online multiplayer: The small player base leads to long matchmaking times, undermining the online feature.
– Graphics: A minority find the visuals dated or the default camera angle obstructive.
– Lack of customization: Inability to save custom setups frustrates veteran players.

The game’s legacy is twofold. First, it stands as one of the most successful digital translations of a niche board game, proving that even abstract, non-thematic games can find an audience on Steam. Its cross-platform support (Windows, Mac, Linux) and DRM-free option (outside of Steam features) are commendable. Second, it illustrates the challenges of sustaining a digital board game: without regular updates (the last major patch was in 2019) and a vibrant community, the online component withers. Meanwhile, the physical game lives on under the Laser Chess brand (ThinkFun, 2018), but the digital Khet 2.0 remains the only official PC version.

In the broader landscape, Khet—both physical and digital—has influenced educational tools (demonstrating optics) and inspired homages. Its laser-reflection mechanic is so distinct that it has become a genre of its own: “laser chess” variants appear on digital platforms like Board Game Arena, and academic papers have been written on optimal AI algorithms for Khet. The game’s simplicity and depth make it a favorite for teaching spatial reasoning and strategic foresight.

Conclusion: A Shining Example with a Few Scratches

Khet 2.0 is not a flawless gem, but it is a brilliantly cut one. Its core gameplay—a dance of mirrored surfaces and lethal beams—is as intellectually satisfying as any abstract strategy game ever crafted. The digital adaptation captures this essence admirably, offering a clean, accessible interface, competent AI, and the convenience of playing anytime without setting up a physical board. For fans of chess, checkers, or Hive, it provides a fresh challenge that feels both familiar and revolutionary.

However, its technical rough edges—buggy controls, a moribund online scene, and the absence of robust customization—prevent it from achieving true greatness. It is a game best enjoyed in local pass-and-play or against the AI, where its tactical elegance shines unimpeded. As a piece of gaming history, Khet 2.0 secures a place as a pioneering digital board game that honored an innovative design while introducing it to a new generation. It may not have the enduring online community of Chess.com or the production values of AAA titles, but for those willing to engage with its cerebral duel, Khet 2.0 offers a singular experience: the thrill of outmaneuvering an opponent not with force, but with the cunning deflection of a laser beam. In the end, that’s more than enough to earn it a spot in the pantheon of great abstract games—digital or otherwise.