The Plucky Squire (Devolver, multi-format)
CHARACTERS dealing with the realisation that they only exist in a fictional world has been a dramatic staple for over a century, from Pirandello’s Six Characters in Search of an Author to, erm, Buzz Lightyear.
The latest sees the star of a kids’ book burst from his papery prison in a family-friendly old-school adventure full of plucky charms. It’s an audacious debut from All Possible Futures (veterans of Pokemon, no less) that’s sure to have the British developer’s shelves groaning with awards.
Knight-in-training Jot always triumphs over Humgrump, but when both discover their happy endings are simply a storybook plot, the evil wizard attempts to rewrite its narrative. Things take a meta turn as Jot sets out to foil Humgrump’s evil plans by journeying through Mojo’s fantasy lands and literally leaping from its pages to roam the ‘real’ world of a kid’s bedroom.
With much noodle-scratching and the pluck of the squire-ish, Jot realises he doesn’t have to play things by the book.
The bulk of your time involves navigating a retro 2D adventure that channels early Zelda vibes, landing plucky strikes on enemies and solving puzzles. Proving the pen is mightier than the sword, Jot can also play around with the words on his pages to switch up the environment. Change ‘small’ lily pad to ‘large’ and you’ll be able to cross that river, or swap out ‘tall’ pillar to ‘crumbling’ so Jot can break it.
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But it’s when Jot discovers the world outside Mojo that things really get interesting. The first time our page boy leaps from his 2D fiction into the world beyond its paper is breathtaking, whisking players from Mojo’s hand-drawn setting to lush 3D in a single bound.
Once there, Jot navigates a 10-year-old’s bedroom, clambering through toys and diving in and out of scattered sketches to complete tasks.
Jot also becomes a literal page-turner, gaining powers which let our hero flip through The Plucky Squire’s chapters to return to previous scenes, slide objects and stamp items on its world. There’s a lot to learn, but thankfully hippy wizard Moonbeard is always on hand to lend a groovy hint.
Clearly made by veterans, boss battles often play out like mini-games that celebrate old school genres - channelling everything from boxing sim Punch Out and thumb-blistering arcade shooters to rhythm action and Columns-style block puzzles.
Plummy narration from British TV mainstay Philip Bretherton lends the whole affair a cosy Jackanory vibe, and though seasoned adventurers will find it a linear experience that keeps players on a tight leash, The Plucky Squire is perfect for its intended audience.
Between this and the recent Astro Bot, the beating heart of our hobby is being kept alive in the face of wallet-gouging games-as-a-service. A reality-hopping caper with enough existential angst to fire up young brain meat, you’ll be up all night to get plucky.
