Join us in an early look at an adventure game that literally jumps out of the page in The Plucky Squire Preview!
I had the absolute pleasure of playing the first 4 chapters of The Plucky Squire recently, entering my journey with a level of anticipation I’ve rarely felt before. I was an avid reader as a child, thanks to the countless second-hand books that my grandparents gave me. I experienced pure magic whenever I immersed myself in a world outside my own. The Plucky Squire perfectly captures that magic, drawing me into its world with endless style and charm. Thanks to Devolver Digital and All Possible Futures we can give you an early look at our The Plucky Squire Preview!
Our adorable little hero.
The Plucky Squire Preview – Story
In a magical tale that literally leaps from the page, The Plucky Squire is wholly, bubbly and whimsical. Owing to the mixture of bright and lively archetypal characters, hilariously meta-filled writing throughout, and an immersive world both inside and outside of the eponymous storybook. You begin your journey as Jot, the lovable and adventurous hero of a children’s tale. As you turn each page, a charming narrator regales the player with world building and backstory. After a short tutorial Jot is ejected from his own story into another plane of existence by the ever-villainous Humgrump, an evil wizard that endeavours to be rid of his destined defeat foretold in the storybook. What follows is a funny and creative story that appeals to all ages, meshing a light-heartened and approachable story with smart writing that older gamers can appreciate.
Ooh I don’t have this card yet!
In my several hours of playtime there were so many unique interactions I experienced in and around the world of Mojo. Even minigames and events had me pointing at the screen and chuckling when I came across them. Throwaway bits that poked fun at the concept of dimension hopping itself and playful antics that are strongly centered around The Plucky Squire’s principal gimmick. This preview has me endlessly anticipating what else All Possible Futures has in store for the rest of the game.
The Plucky Squire Preview – Gameplay
The Plucky Squire starts off as a serviceable Zelda-like adventure game, but quickly expands its horizons after exiting the book for the first time. Something I noticed when playing is that the game does not shy away from the medium it’s a part of, switching genres for fleeting moments as it blurs the lines between the second and third dimensions frequently. It’s not afraid to be whacky and extravagant, most evident in the puzzles involving wordplay.
Enemies perish with comical onomatopoeia!
Existing inside the storybook alongside Jot are words plastered around describing the world as you come across it. Early on, you find a GIANT bug blocking your path forward. With the power of meta-narrative, you can find other adjectives from elsewhere in the book, such as TINY, DARK, and SCATTERED and change your surroundings in real time. This creative mechanic doubles as a bit of a gag, instead of opening a gate with the descriptor OPEN, you can instead make the gate tower over you by making it HUGE. It’s so much fun finding the different combinations of words to warp reality in comical ways and feels even more satisfying when it solves a puzzle right in front of you.
It’s so fun to mess around with different word combos.
At certain times in the game, you’ll face various minigames that Jot takes part in. Whether you’re in a shooting gallery popping mosquitos or boxing a honey badger in the style of Punch-Out, these epic events are another major highlight of the wackiness All Possible Futures have baked into the game. Exploring the 3D space is just as detailed and impressive. Residing in a young child’s bedroom, the area you traverse is littered with letter blocks, pencils, paper clips and more. Jot can climb up tall towers by entering doodles taped around the world, similar to The Link Between Worlds.
Combining 2D and 3D like no other!
With such an emphasis on breaking boundaries, it surprised me how straightforward the puzzle solving was in The Plucky Squire. Many riddles has only a single way of being solved, leaving the 3D space feeling somewhat underemployed. Similarly, combat in both dimensions feels intentionally basic and never offers up much of a challenge. I’ll admit that this never felt like much of an issue, with these in-between bouts feeling more like a means to an end, filling in the space between the real meat of the game.
The Plucky Squire Preview – Visuals and Audio
The Plucky Squire manages to blend the worlds of 2D and 3D seamlessly. Immediately evident in the fact that the literal book Jot exists in can be seen as an object in the “real world”. All Possible Futures has crafted a visual feast, overflowing with life and character. Turning the pages of “The Plucky Squire” can have you roaming a field filled with lush grass and trees one moment, to spelunking in a cave as a silhouette the next. The Plucky Squire is teed up to be one of the best-looking games this year! Coupled with a fanciful, adventurous soundtrack and a grand narrator, it’s a surefire GOTY contender.
Mini games never cease to inspire awe.
The Plucky Squire Preview – Conclusion
My excitement coming out of this preview has only grown fiercer. With a wonderfully colourful world, clever writing, and creative puzzles, The Plucky Squire has left a lasting impression. I believe it will be one of the best games you’ll play not only this year, but in your lifetime. So grab your bookmarks and prepare to enter the world of Mojo when the full game drops in only a couple of weeks. Just don’t forget to not judge a book by it’s cover, even though that’s kind of what this preview is doing…
Feel your pain Jot.
A review code was kindly provided by Devolver Digital for the purpose of The Plucky Squire preview. You can check out our other reviews here and if you haven’t already, be sure to join the Qualbert Discord to find out about the latest game and review updates!
