The Plucky Squire begins in a children’s storybook. The game introduces players to the magical Land of Mojo, a world with a cartoonish storybook. The protagonist, Jot is a silent hero armed with a sword that resembles a fountain pen nib. Along with his friends Violet, the painter princess and Thrash, the heavy-metal troll Jot goes on a quest to thwart the evil sorcerer, Humgrump, while being guided by a wise old mentor, Moonbeard.
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The Plucky Squire tells the story of Jot and his battle to thwart Humgrump, an evil wizard who rewrites the story to finally claim victory. The stakes are high as Jot must save his world and also ensure that a young boy named Sam continues his dream of becoming a children’s writer.
The storyline cleverly parallels the narrative mechanics of Toy Story, where characters realize they exist within a fictional world. This self-awareness is embodied by Jot’s friend, Violet, who, like Buzz Lightyear, struggles with the realization that they are characters in a book.
The concept for The Plucky Squire was born from lead designer James Turner’s experience reading storybooks to his son. He imagined what it would be like if characters could literally leap off the pages.
This concept evolved into a game where the protagonist could navigate both the 2D world of the book and the 3D world beyond its pages.
James Turner, a former Pokémon art director brought his rich artistic experience to this project. Having worked on major titles such as Pokémon Sword and Shield, Turner had long harbored a desire to create something original.
One of the most features of The Plucky Squire is its ability to shift between a 2D storybook environment and a 3D real-world setting. Players move through the 2D story world, but can jump into the real-world 3D environment where objects like watercolors and stationery become towering obstacles.
The 2D segments often feature traditional RPG elements, but once the player jumps into the 3D realm, the mechanics change entirely. Objects in the real world such as bottles and speakers, act as massive structures for Jot to navigate.
The Plucky Squire plays heavily with meta-narratives and fourth-wall-breaking moments. In one sequence, Jot acknowledges the player’s involvement in his quest.
The plot is around Humgrump’s desire to rewrite the story so he can finally win, which introduces an additional level of narrative depth.
Jot is also fighting to ensure that Sam, the child who owns the storybook, doesn’t lose interest in writing. If Humgrump wins, Sam would likely abandon his dream of becoming a children’s writer.
The Plucky Squire reinvents itself by blending genres and mechanics. The game’s puzzles shift depending on whether Jot is in the 2D or 3D world.
In the 2D segments, players encounter a variety of word puzzles, where changing specific words in the story alters the physical world. For example, switching the word “tall” with “crumbled” can change a tall pillar into a fragile one, allowing the player to solve puzzles creatively.
In the 3D world, the gameplay leans more toward platforming and light combat. While the combat mechanics are relatively simple, the game keeps players engaged by incorporating different genres into its boss fights, which can range from rhythm games to shoot-’em-ups.
Designed by James Turner, who has experience in game art, The Plucky Squire features a combination of beautiful hand-drawn illustrations and vibrant 3D environments. The switch between the 2D world inside the book and the 3D world outside it is visually stunning.
Jot’s combat style and abilities draw clear inspiration from classic Zelda mechanics. Armed with his sword, Jot can perform basic attacks including a slash attack, a boomerang-style throw and a charged spin attack reminiscent of the moves from Nintendo’s franchise.
The Plucky Squire doesn’t offer a large collection of items or tools that change gameplay dynamics. While Jot’s abilities are effective, they don’t evolve much throughout the game.
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The Plucky Squire’s unique feature lies in its ability to transition between 2D and 3D gameplay. Players can leap off the storybook pages into the real world beyond the book.
These transitions can sometimes feel more like novelty sequences than fully fleshed-out mechanics, with 3D exploration feeling more like a brief diversion than a huge gameplay component.
The gameplay centers around the idea of a living storybook. As Jot progresses through the narrative, he runs along the artwork on the pages, which serve as the game’s “overworld.” As players move through the game, they encounter puzzles and challenges designed around this concept.
Reaching the edges of each page often leads to new areas, from dungeons and boss fights to perspective-shifting 2D platforming sequences.
The Plucky Squire dips its toes into meta-narrative and fourth-wall-breaking moments. One aspect is Jot’s ability to leap from the book into the 3D real world. This opens up the opportunity to explore the space around the storybook such as a desk covered with notes, toys and other real-world objects.
While the main characters Jot, Violet and Thrash are charming in their own right, the game doesn’t delve much into their backstories or personalities. Most NPCs encountered throughout the game are limited to short, one-note interactions.
There are a few interesting moments such as when players reach Queen Chroma’s village, which features caricatures of famous artists like Salvador Dalí, Frida Kahlo and René Magritte.
These characters provide lighthearted dialogue and fun interactions, but they don’t add much to the overall narrative depth.
While the action in The Plucky Squire is functional and responsive, it can feel relatively basic. Combat is serviceable but not particularly challenging or varied. For instance, boss fights often boil down to simple mechanics that can be easily mastered after a few tries.
The Plucky Squire’s puzzles are generally not difficult and rely on familiar mechanics that don’t evolve over time.
Moonbeard’s sidekick, Minibeard, is always available to provide hints, but the game often doesn’t give players the chance to get stuck in the first place.
Violet, Thrash and even the narrator frequently spell out what needs to be done to progress, leaving little room for players to solve puzzles on their own. This constant tutorializing detracts from the overall sense of accomplishment.
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