Tales of derring-do, heroes, villains, there’s something about a classic fairy tale that’s comforting and familiar. The good prospers, evil loses, and a new dawn rises. However it’s become commonplace nowadays for these classic tropes to be subverted, twisted by irony and cynicism. But what if subversion was a power to be wielded?
The evil Humgrump has learned that his world is a book, and that with his magic he can rearrange the words to create his own story. But who’s his story for? Does it inspire? Or is it subversion for its own sake?
The Plucky Squire
Developer: All Possible Futures
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Platforms: Windows PC (Reviewed), PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series
Release Date: September 17, 2024
Price: $29.99
The core gameplay of The Plucky Squire revolves around Jot, the titular hero and the world around him. That means the book in which he lives, and the desk of Sam, the boy who owns his book. There’s a combination of platforming, puzzle-solving, combat, and more than a handful of mini-games which we’ll discuss all in turn.
Platforming takes place in one of three formats. 2D stages where you’re actually jumping over hazards. Top-down stages where you’re fighting enemies and solving puzzles. Lastly 3D platforming where you often find yourself using Jot’s ability to travel between 3D and 2D to navigate Sam’s desk.
The platforming is solid, with enough difficulty that experienced players won’t get bored, but also easy enough for younger audiences. I say it often, but “All-Ages” difficulty is hard to get right, but The Plucky Squire manages it. Though I will admit I wish the levels were a bit harder, especially since the game offers a “Story Mode” at the start for an easier experience as an accessibility option.
Puzzle solving is where the game really shines. I got nostalgic for Scribblenauts when I started picking up words and experimenting with where to place them in sentences on the stage. You can swap two sentences to turn the “tiny” frog into a “huge” frog, and the “huge” bug into a “tiny bug”. This word swapping is how you solve these stages, but there’s other types of puzzles as well.
For better or worse, these puzzles can effectively be brute forced in a reasonable amount of time. It’s a better alternative than needing your hand held when you encounter a bit of friction, and in a way it fits the theme of playing a fairy tale hero: anything is possible if you don’t give up!
Similarly, platforming is equally forgiving, deaths don’t set you back very far and you recover health easily just by fighting enemies normally. Jot has a variety of attacks and his ranged sword throw will save you a lot of trouble.
I do have a minor complaint with the “stealth” portions, these are a very small part of the game and only appear a few times throughout an entire playthrough; but it bears mentioning that the enemies are very sensitive to noticing Jot. You even have to hold down the sneak button while standing still. Some patrolling enemies also have patterns that frequently keep them in the way, turning an obstacle into a minutes long test of patience. But thankfully these segments are few and far between, with most sections being enjoyable.
The art style is fantastic, cute, simple, and befitting a children’s storybook, or at least one from the 90s-2020s. If anything I think the overall style reminded me the most of Captain Underpants, strong lines, elegantly simple character design. It allows Jot and his friends to stand out in the world, especially when Jot leaves the page. He’s significantly different from anything else we see in the 3D world, especially compared to real life objects and creatures, but also to his fellow pagebound individuals like the elf lady who’s totally-not-a-Magic-the-Gathering card.
The music is bouncy and lighthearted, it’s got a sort of campy drama to it that keeps you immersed in the storybook world of The Plucky Squire. There’s nothing super catchy, but the music does the job and keeps things fun and lively.
What sets The Plucky Squire apart is the game’s heartfelt story. Beneath the fairy tale of knights and evil wizards is a deeper metanarrative about being the author of your own destiny. From the very beginning, the game establishes a theme of fate, defiance, bitterness, but also of kindness and tenacity. Following Jot’s adventure we learn that when we have the power to change fate, if we choose to do more of the same with it, have we really accomplished anything?
Ultimately, I loved my time with The Plucky Squire, the developers clearly have the fundamentals of platforming down and compensate for a lack of difficulty with its heartwarming story and cute characters (Moonbeard is my favorite). The feel-good story will capture both adults and children, as will the forgiving (but fun!) gameplay and puzzles. All Possible Futures does a fantastic job using the tropes of fairy tales to tell a sincere story of fate, heroism, and the responsibility to have faith in ourselves to change and grow.
