The Plucky Squire Review

thesixthaxis.com:

I immediately liked The Plucky Squire. Not just because it’s utterly charming, beautifully presented, and exactly what you’d hope for from an indie game, but because within the first few moments, it also used my favourite non-expletive exclamation “Cracking!” It sets the tone for an adventure that’s perfectly written, unequivocally British and genuinely funny. And what a cracking game it is too.

Sam’s room is a normal child’s bedroom, stuffed with slightly too many things, and probably the wrong side of clutter. On the desk sits The Plucky Squire, a children’s book packed with bright colours and fun-filled characters. The key difference though, is that you can take control of The Plucky Squire, taking him on a Zelda-esque journey through the pages of the book. The edge of each page isn’t where this adventure stops though, and you can move from the 2D surface of the book out into the 3D ‘real’ world beyond, and then onto other 2D surfaces.

Jot is the titular Plucky Squire. He lives in the land of Mojo, a land of creativity, and one which looks and feels very much like the 2D Hyrule of Link’s smaller-scale adventures – and more specifically, the Zelda-inspired Swords of Ditto. As you move from 2D screen to 2D screen, the pages of the book turn, lending a sense of place and solidity to this literature-led fictional world.

The Zelda comparisons are never truer than during The Plucky Squire’s combat. Jot swings his sword with Link-like alacrity, battling Goblins, Slimes and charging bulls within minutes of setting out on his quest. He’s just as keen to chop down nearby tufts of grass, too, with the lightbulbs discovered within the currency you’ll use to upgrade your abilities, unlock new skills or add concept art to the in-game gallery. It’s definitely quicker to dispense these than Nintendo have ever been, as long as you’re keen on manicuring every lawn.

There’d be very little reason for the game to be set in a book unless All Possible Futures made the most of it, and they