Have you ever been so absorbed in a book that it felt like the characters were real? Or been so enthralled by the world in a story that you wished you just hop right into its pages and visit it for yourself? Well, what if the characters were real and they could actually leave the confines of their pages? In The Plucky Squire from All Possible Futures and Devolver Digital, this dream becomes a reality.

In The Plucky Squire we follow Jot, a young sword-wielding adventurer, as well as his friends, the mage, Violet, and the goblin metal-warrior, Thrash. They battle their way through enemies to take on the main villain of the story, the evil magician Humgrump. Just when victory is at hand, Humgrump reveals the shocking truth – that they are all just characters in a storybook. Humgrump is sick of always being destined to lose, so he uses his magic to cast Jot out of the book once and for all. Jot is ejected into the real world, but fear not, for this is not the end for our hero. He soon realizes that he holds a special power; the power to switch between worlds and even manipulate the very book from whence he came.

The Plucky Squire is a delightful mix of 2D and 3D puzzle platforming, with some fighting along the way for good measure. Jot, being our protagonist, is the one who does the majority of the fighting, with Violet and Thrash only using their skills at occasional moments. Jot is armed with his trusty sword, which can be upgraded both in strength and skill. He has his basic attack and three special attacks: a spin attack, jump attack, and a sword throw attack. There’s not much depth to the combat, but that’s not what The Plucky Squire is really about. It’s a casual game that’s more about the adventure than any brutal combat.

Plus, there are also quite a few minigames that keep the gameplay feeling fresh. For example, at one point Jot obtains the Elven Bow, a mystical artifact protected by a powerful Elven warrior. It’s not a weapon that Jot can use throughout the rest of the game, which admittedly is a shame, but there are a couple of fun instances when Jot can use it in shooting gallery-styled sections. Once again, it’s not difficult to beat these levels by any means, but the muscular arms and camouflage paint that Jot adorns while in these sections make it all the more worthwhile.

Now everything I’ve discussed so far is regarding the 2D storybook sections. Remember, Jot can also leave the book using magic portals found on nearly every page, so he’s able to venture into the real world and tackle things in 3D. There are full platforming sections where Jot will have to bounce, jump, and even rocket around in order to get to his new objective. These sections are a blast, and undoubtedly my favorite parts of the game.

The level designs are wonderful, with the developer’s full creativity on display. Switching from 2D to 3D by popping in and out of paper surfaces like Post-It notes makes for some captivating gameplay. Some of the 3D levels reminded me a bit of It Takes Two, albeit on a smaller scale. These sections are full of inventive challenges, such as lighting all the candles (tea lights) for a character’s birthday.

What makes The Plucky Squire truly special is how it blends the 2D and 3D gameplay. While outside the book, Jot can manipulate it by lifting either side of the book, which will affect some of the things on the page, like heavy stones that you can slide around to break things or use to reach higher areas. He can also flip through the pages. Doing so allows Jot to travel back and forth from various points in the chapter to locate key items needed to progress, or even go back and level up his sword attacks before big boss battles. 

Being a storybook, there are many times when Jot will encounter an obstacle with the sentences of the tale appearing on the page beside it. Occasionally, Jot can remove one of the words from a sentence and switch it with another, thereby altering the properties of the obstruction, or even the environment on the page as a whole. Most of the time, the words are obvious and fairly near one another. Although, in later chapters, you’ll have to do a bit more hunting by switching the pages back and forth to find the right words to switch out, in order to achieve the desired result. It’s a great concept, but I have to admit that I found it a bit underwhelming in its execution. I understand it’s supposed to be a casual experience, but I would have loved to have had a bit more challenge to these puzzles.

Still, there’s no denying that The Plucky Squire is a bewitching game, largely due to its visuals. The storybook characters and lands are adorable, clean, and vibrant, much like what you’d see in any number of children’s picture books. Then there are the gorgeous graphics in the 3D sections. The 3D world looks real and lived-in, complete with scuff marks and scratches on the table, worn labels on the art supplies, and even plenty of spilled paint and ink. The juxtaposition between the clean 2D world and the messy but realistic 3D world is marvelous and further sells the fantasy of having the two worlds collide.

Even the sound design adds to the light-hearted, whimsical nature of the experience. The sound effects are well done, being mostly cartoonish sounding in the storybook and more realistic in the 3D world. Every chapter in the game has Jot and his friends visiting a new land, and each land has its own distinct theme. The forest section has more of your traditional fantasy-inspired melodies, while Trarrg Mountain features a heavy metal-infused soundtrack. Each land looks and sounds vastly different, keeping you eager to explore everything the land of Mojo has to offer.

I absolutely adored The Plucky Squire. It takes the simplicity of older 2D games and mixes it with the fun exploration found in more modern 3D puzzle platformers. My only complaint is that I found the puzzles to be a bit too devoid of challenge, as I would have loved to have seen more done with the page-turning, book-shifting concepts they introduced. Still, this is a game that is truly something unique and can be enjoyed by everyone, especially with all the accessibility options available.  Much like the recently released Astro Bot, it’s almost impossible to play The Plucky Squire and not smile at its charm. If you’re looking for a fun, lighthearted experience, or even just need something to lift your spirits, then look no further than The Plucky Squire.

 

Graphics: 9.0 The blending of adorable 2D storybook sections with highly detailed 3D environments makes The Plucky Squire a visual treat.	Gameplay: 7.0 The combat is fairly basic, yet serviceable, as is the platforming. There are some clever mechanics in manipulating the book and words within its pages, but it feels lacking in any challenge.
Sound: 8.0 The sound effects are well done and each area has its own delightful and unique soundtrack.	Fun Factor: 8.0 A casual gaming experience that’s high on charm and low on challenge.
Final Verdict: 8.0

The Plucky Squire is available now on PC, PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox Series X|S.

Reviewed on PC.

A copy of The Plucky Squire was provided by the publisher.