GamesRadar+ VerdictThe Plucky Squire is an entrancing meta adventure that draws you into the story with endearing characters, varied minigames, smooth mechanics and ever-evolving loadout. It’s a little inconsistent with its hinting system considering how accessible it is, but the gripping narrative and smart interplay of 2D and 3D levels will have you amused right to the very end.Pros+Super accessible+Gripping and inoffensive narrative+Fun fourth-wall breaking mechanicsCons-Frustrating hidden paths stop progression-Easy to block yourself if you lose a word
GamesRadar+ Verdict
GamesRadar+ Verdict
The Plucky Squire is an entrancing meta adventure that draws you into the story with endearing characters, varied minigames, smooth mechanics and ever-evolving loadout. It’s a little inconsistent with its hinting system considering how accessible it is, but the gripping narrative and smart interplay of 2D and 3D levels will have you amused right to the very end.
The Plucky Squire is an entrancing meta adventure that draws you into the story with endearing characters, varied minigames, smooth mechanics and ever-evolving loadout. It’s a little inconsistent with its hinting system considering how accessible it is, but the gripping narrative and smart interplay of 2D and 3D levels will have you amused right to the very end.
Pros+Super accessible+Gripping and inoffensive narrative+Fun fourth-wall breaking mechanics
Super accessible
Gripping and inoffensive narrative
Fun fourth-wall breaking mechanics
Cons-Frustrating hidden paths stop progression-Easy to block yourself if you lose a word
Frustrating hidden paths stop progression
Easy to block yourself if you lose a word
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Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy.
From its cornerstone as a top-down adventuring game, The Plucky Squire is infused with plenty of puzzles, hack-‘n’-slash elements, rhythm-based minigames, and platforming segments. It even branches out into arcade style beat-‘em-ups, twin-stick shooter levels, and some turn-based tomfoolery with diplomacy tactics woven in. All this is worked into a clever mashup of 2D and 3D levels that throw brain teaser after brain teaser at you, willing you to check every angle and get a new perspective in the name of creative inspiration and, of course,friendship.
O’ muses, three
(Image credit: All Possible Futures)
Fast FactsRelease date: September 17, 2024Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo SwitchDeveloper: All Possible FuturesPublisher: Devolver Digital
Fast Facts
Release date: September 17, 2024Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo SwitchDeveloper: All Possible FuturesPublisher: Devolver Digital
Release date: September 17, 2024Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo SwitchDeveloper: All Possible FuturesPublisher: Devolver Digital
The Plucky Squire follows the noble adventures of Jot, a pen-nib-wielding writer tasked with saving the hyper-creative land of Mojo. Should the book he and his creative pals live in be ruined, it’ll no longer go on to inspire the child who owns it, and that would be a creative tragedy.
With the help of Violet, the painterly witch-in-training, and Thrash, the Rock Troll drummer, Jot must protect his homeland and thwart the plans of the evil Humgrump. Fed up with always losing the fight at the end of the story, Humgrump attempts to banish you from the land of Mojo. But in his hubris, he ends up granting you the ridiculous, fourth-wall-breaking powers necessary to take on the baddie… Oops.
Using your newfound metamagic, you’re able to manipulate the book and its pages: tipping it to shift heavy objects; stamping things to stop them dead; and retrieving helpful items from the outside world to help on your adventure.
Hopping in and out of the book through scattered portals you work your way through the story, tackling a series of word and logic puzzles in order to rewrite the narrative and advance on your enemy. You’ll even have to skip back through the book to collect words that, when swapped around, have the power to change the narrative to your advantage.
Between brewing up mushroom bombs to be used against Humgrump’s forces, the great Wizard Moonbeard will send out his little friend Minibeard (not the only Austin Powers reference) to expound helpful tips when you get stuck, and train you up when you bag a new move.
Get your Mojo back
(Image credit: All Possible Futures)
As you might expect from a book-focused story, The Plucky Squire is split into several chapters. Each one is based around a different character and set in a new Mojo biome, with every area steeped in interesting NPCs and themed minigames. It takes a little while to get into the good stuff, but between the puzzling and brawling there’s a fantastic build up of tension through an extremely well-paced narrative.
There’s always some deeply involved, head-scratching, 3D-upon-2D layered conundrum, or a heartstopping stealth segment before it all kicks off with a bout of fast-paced scrapping, bang-bang-shooty fun, or just bombarding enemy tanks with metamagic stamp bombs.
At first I was a bit unsure whether I’d connect with the characters since the story seemed geared more toward a younger audience. But as it progressed I found myself thoroughly invested in each of their personal narratives. Everyone in Mojo has their own passions and goals, and each one is endearing in their own way. The main crew in particular have a little Mojam dance they do when they get together and I can’t get over how cute they are.
(Image credit: All Possible Futures)
Despite the child-friendly narrative, the game assumes a certain level of intelligence when it comes to puzzles. Other than (a perhaps slight overuse of) cutscenes to show you where you’re going next, the game refuses to hold your hand unless you specifically ask Minibeard for help on a puzzle. Sometimes, though, Minibeard is nowhere to be seen. And while that’s not going to be an issue for puzzle game enthusiasts, anyone who’d been leaning on the character for help will end up getting stuck (not me, I never needed help…).
That’s not to say the game isn’t fun. There are some minor frustrations – like the ability to block yourself all too easily if you leave a word in the wrong place, though you can skip back through your save history in case that happens. Despite the odd snag, The Plucky Squire makes for a fascinating interplay of 2D and 3D puzzles, battles, and diverse minigames that make it a paragon of the genre.
The Plucky Squire makes for a fascinating interplay of 2D and 3D puzzles, battles, and diverse minigames.
The Plucky Squire makes for a fascinating interplay of 2D and 3D puzzles, battles, and diverse minigames.
The devs have applied a masterful set of mechanics that all feel smooth and fun to switch through when flip-flopping between dimensions. From dashing, slashing and rolling, to tilting, stamping and even rocketing around with a jetpack. On top of that, the difficulty of the combat and minigames always feels appropriate to the level of tension, while the minigames and boss battles all offer super varied gameplay styles to break up the main loop. And the cherry on the cake is a well paced and entertaining narrative, one that I’ve had loads of fun reading out the unique and very silly voices for with my family.
The only real issue, aside from some of the jokes being a big swing-and-a-miss, is that The Plucky Squire feels a little inconsistent with its hinting system, leaving those who need the help hanging. Still, it’s otherwise a super accessible game, with invincibility and one-hit-kill modes as well as an option that lets you skip minigames if you’re finding them too difficult.
It’s the perfect game for Gen X parents (any parents, really) looking to introduce their younger kids to gaming, with heaps of ’80s music and movie references to keep them amused while watching their kids play before they’re inevitably called upon to tackle a puzzle or two when Minibeard’s on break. Of course, it’s also great for big kids who just want to bliss out for a while on some creatively validating childhood nostalgia, complete with glow sticks and an epic trance DJ wizard.
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CATEGORIESPC GamingPS5Xbox Series XNintendo SwitchPlatformsPlayStationXboxNintendo
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More about the plucky squire
How to move the books in The Plucky Squire and get over the holeHow to open the gate in The Plucky Squire
How to move the books in The Plucky Squire and get over the hole
How to move the books in The Plucky Squire and get over the hole
How to open the gate in The Plucky Squire
How to open the gate in The Plucky Squire
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“Issues encountered during the initial launch are a genuine part of the game’s history”: Wuthering Waves producer on the road to 2.0 and the open-world action RPG’s biggest update yet
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