Skip to main content
NexTool
Private beta · Windows release status
AI-GameFriend

AI strategy second opinions for serious strategy gamers.

Use sample scenarios, manual strategy briefs, and Decision Duel to compare your plan with AI advice. Experimental integrations are clearly marked.

Try Start · Research tools (internal review, unavailable)

New here? Read the complete guide →

Playing a real strategy game right now? Start with a five-minute strategy second opinion.

Civ VICK3HOI4EU4Total War: WHDominions 6

3 free turn plans per day — no download, no API key.

Web briefs: no key needed (3 per day). Desktop private beta: bring your own key.
Discord: https://discord.gg/dmbmG9zN
How It Works

Playing in 4 Steps

Web strategy briefs need no key. Each mode is labeled by what it can actually do.

1

Pick a game

Choose a strategy advisor: Civ VI, CK3, HOI4, EU4, Total War: WH or Dominions 6

2

Describe your position

Type the current situation and your options in your own words

3

Get a brief

Receive a structured strategy second opinion (3 free per day on the web)

4

Decide yourself

You choose which advice to follow and make the moves in your game

Supported Games

Chess, freeform modes, manual advisors, and gated STS Watch.

We're honest about what works today so you know exactly what to expect.

In the desktop app (private beta; no public download)9 games

Chess

Basic chess mode where configured

Tales for Bards to Sing

AI-powered interactive fiction. Play solo or with up to 4 friends. The AI remembers choices within the story session.

Risk

Chat-based

Settlers of Catan

Chat-based

Go

Chat-based

Checkers

Chat-based

Battleship

Chat-based

Connect Four

Chat-based

Tic-Tac-Toe

Chat-based
Experimental / setup required3 games

Slay the Spire Watch

Experimental; requires CommunicationMod and Pan live retest

Battle for Wesnoth

Experimental bridge setup

Pokemon (Competitive)

Experimental Pokemon Showdown setup
Advisor only — manual situation entry6 games

Civilization VI

Manual situation entry

Dominions 6

Manual situation entry

Europa Universalis IV

Manual situation entry

Crusader Kings III

Manual situation entry

Hearts of Iron IV

Manual situation entry

Total War: Warhammer III

Manual situation entry
Advice Styles

Six ways to pressure-test a plan

Each style changes how the model frames strategy. Same task, different advice lens.

Aggressive

Military rushes, dominance through force

Diplomatic

Alliances, trades, cultural victories

Economic

Resource optimization, tech advantage

Turtler

Defensive walls, retaliates only when attacked

Chaotic

Random betrayals, unpredictable decisions

Baseline

Plain

Minimal persona flavor for comparing advice styles.

Songs of the Bards

An original fantasy adventure

Lead a five-chapter adventure at your own table. Written play is free; optional live AI uses your account allowance.

Research status

Research tools stay under internal review

Research and benchmark tools are not publicly available.

Arena Mode

Experimental chess comparison

Experimental chess spectator mode for comparing models where configured. Other games stay gated until their adapters are verified.

Clearly labeled

Comparison surfaces stay experimental until verified

Status labeled

Other adapters stay gated until they pass their own release checks.

Commentary

Template-based play-by-play; LLM commentary configurable in Arena setup

Experimental; not part of any public release.

Pricing

AI-GameFriend desktop is in private beta and is not sold. Web strategy briefs are free within a daily limit.

Free

$0
  • Free web strategy briefs (3 per day)
  • Free Three Turns exercise
  • Desktop app: private beta, not sold
Information for existing Founder's Pass purchasers

Estimated API Costs (desktop app)

In the desktop app (private beta) you pay your own AI provider; web strategy briefs are free within the daily limit. Costs vary by model, prompt size, and mode.

Strategy Brief

1 brief

$0.01-0.15

Decision Duel

1 comparison

$0.01-0.15

Manual Advisor

1 session

$0.01-0.30

Experimental STS

gated

TBD

Chess Match

30-60 turns

$0.05-0.15

Board Game

50-150 turns

$0.30-1.00

Built for strategy players who want a second opinion.

Ready to Play?

There is no public Windows download yet. Start with a free web strategy brief.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is AI-GameFriend?

AI-GameFriend connects LLM AI models to honest game surfaces: basic chess where configured, manual strategy advisors, freeform chat games, and experiments clearly marked by status.

What does 'Bring Your Own Key' (BYOK) mean?

In the desktop app (private beta): you paste your own AI API key (from Anthropic, OpenAI, xAI, or Google). AI-GameFriend is the interface layer for supported modes. Manual advisors use the situation you type; wired games show their own status. You control which AI you use and pay your own API costs directly. Web strategy briefs need no key.

How much does the AI cost per game?

Web strategy briefs are free within the daily limit. In the desktop app (private beta) it depends on the mode and model. Manual Strategy Brief and Decision Duel sessions are usually small API calls. Longer configured modes can cost more, and the app should show cost tracking where available.

Which games are supported?

In the desktop app (private beta): chess has a full legal board UI. Risk, Catan, Go, Checkers, Battleship, Connect Four, and Tic-Tac-Toe are freeform/chat modes where you describe the board. Grand strategy advisors use manual situation entry; they are also on the web, where strategy briefs need no key. Slay the Spire Watch is experimental and gated until live retest passes.

What is Baseline mode?

Baseline mode uses minimal persona flavor so you can compare advice styles without treating a model as a verified autonomous player.

What is Arena mode?

Arena mode is an experimental chess spectator mode for comparing models where configured. Check the desktop release page for the current availability and verification status.

What's the Founder's Pass?

The previous Founder's Pass promotion is unavailable for new purchases on this page. Existing purchases retain their applicable terms. Contact support with your receipt for access or purchase questions.

Also from NexTool

Free Financial Tools

Mortgage Calculator
Monthly payments, amortization, rates
Compound Interest
Grow your savings over time
Budget Planner
50/30/20 rule, expense tracking
Retirement Calculator
FIRE planning, 401k projections

Get Free Financial Guides

Guides and updates about NexTool calculators.

No spam, ever Unsubscribe anytime Free guides included