Any game that shifts seamlessly from 2D to 3D has my attention, but The Plucky Squire‘s irresistible charm has my heart.
Picture this: a dimly lit room, the only glow coming from a monitor, where for 12 straight hours, you’d find a woman laughing out loud and shooting heart eyes at The Plucky Squire‘s captivating magic. That’s the kind of spell this game casts.
The Plucky Squire is the kind of playful experience where, whether you’re guiding Jot through the whimsical storybook world or navigating the “real” world outside it, it feels like you’ve just unwrapped a new toy.
No complicated progression systems, skill trees, or builds to stress over here – just cozy up and let the game whisk you away on a multi-dimensional adventure full of puzzles, minigames, and sheer loveliness.
Key Details
- Developer: All Possible Futures
- Platforms: Nintendo Switch/PC via Steam/Xbox/PlayStation
- Price: $29.99
- Review Copy Provided: Yes
Jot’s Story Is in Danger
This stunning land you’ll frequently loot for collectible lightbulbs is called Mojo, and it just so happens to be Jot’s home.
Before long, you learn that your neighbor is a DJ-ing wizard, and your two best pals are a metalhead troll named Thrash and a clumsy wizard-in-training called Violet. Together, you’re off to battle the wicked Humgrump – again, because, of course, it’s hardly your first rodeo.
But turns out, Humgrump is clever enough to realize he’s the problem in countless stories – and he’s not exactly thrilled about being the perpetual loser in all of them.
That’s why, just as our Plucky Squire is about to take a swing at the villain, he gets yanked right out of the storybook and into the 3D world of Sam’s desk – the kid author behind all your adventures.
Now it’s up to you – and Page, the dimension-hopping bookworm (literally a worm in book pages) – to find your way back, gather your allies, and figure out how to take down Humgrump once and for all.
The Plucky Squire isn’t aiming for originality with its plot – but it more than makes up for it with its clever twists and playful subversion of stereotypes.
Silly quirks, like Moonbeard, the DJ-ing wizard, breaking the fourth wall to wave at you, or Thrash celebrating death with a handhorn and some headbanging, will quickly win you over.
It’s all brought to life by Philip Bretherton’s brilliant narration – though I only wish there had been more of it throughout the game.
The Weight of Words
Just like Sam, Jot has a way with words – and this isn’t just a random lore fact the game throws at you; it’s Jot’s skillset. Sure, you’ll swing your sword and face off against a honey-obsessed bear in beat-em-up fashion, but most of your time in the storybook will be spent solving word puzzles.
Wait, don’t go! I promise it’s fun!
Since it’s a storybook, The Plucky Squire’s colorful pages come with phrases that describe the action.
Say you’re trying to reach a high exit but can’t quite make it. You see the phrase “The scattered books looked like a mess.”
Annoying, right? But if you manage to find the word “stacked” and use it to describe those books, you might just be able to reach that platform after all.
This may sound straightforward, but the puzzles become more complex as your abilities expand. You can flip back to earlier pages to snag a helpful word or even jump into 3D to tilt the pages and maneuver the objects within the book.
A Dimensional Problem
When The Plucky Squire invites you to dive into the 3D world to manipulate the book and tackle a puzzle, the game truly shines.
However, that’s not the only way the game utilizes 3D. In some of the longer chapters, you’ll find yourself spending a significant amount of time scaling large 3D houses, jetpacking between platforms to collect rocket pieces, or – my personal least favorite – lighting candles for a king inside a cup.
In my opinion, this is when The Plucky Squire falters. Many of these platforming puzzles keep you out of the Storybook for too long, which is undeniably the game’s most delightful aspect.
While there’s a legitimate plot reason for these segments, they feel less original, especially compared to what we’ve experienced in games like It Takes Two.
It’s not terrible by any means, but All Possible Futures has something incredibly engaging happening in the 2D world that the 3D segments just can’t quite match.
During my playthrough, I encountered a few bugs when flipping or stamping pages. Fortunately, the team has released two updates since then to address these issues.
Minigame and collectibles galore
Clever, world-shaping word puzzles and rough-around-the-edges 3D platforming are often interrupted by a delightful treat: minigames.
And let me tell you, The Plucky Squire has plenty of them. I already mentioned sucker-punching a honey-hungry bear, but there’s also the challenge of catching a floppy fish to save it from dying, a sidescrolling Galaxy Game, and so much more.
I wouldn’t want to spoil the fun of discovering these on your own, but just know they provide a breath of fresh air from the brain-scratching puzzle sections. They feel great to play and always offer enough variety to keep things interesting.
There are also collectibles scattered throughout the game – Art Scrolls that pull you out of the storybook’s 2D world and even the desk’s 3D realm.
These scrolls break the fourth wall to share little tidbits and secrets about the game’s development with you, the player.
You’ll discover how each character came to be, including how Pip the Mouse was originally intended to have an evil plotline that was ultimately scrapped. You’ll also learn how we were robbed of a Candyland and Dinoland. How dare you cut those out.
It’s always a joy to find these, not only because of the achievement, but because it’s impossible not to care about Jot and this beautiful hand-crafted world of his.
Final Score: 9/10
The Plucky Squire is all about clever ideas, innovative mechanics, vibrant worlds, memorable characters, and a simple yet captivating story. Its only downside is it leans too heavily on the 3D world, even when the Storybook is sidelined.
From start to finish, this game aims to tug at our heartstrings. You can tell it’s crafted with genuine love and care, with every little detail reflecting the developers’ passion for gaming – all of which oozes off the screen and plasters a smile on your face.
With the potential to become a massive franchise, let’s hope for a sequel that picks up after the ending – because The Plucky Squire definitely deserves all the love it gives us in its adventure.
**A Steam PC code was provided to Bonus Action for the purpose of this review.**
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