The Plucky Squire

Developer: All Possible Futures
Release: Sep 17th 2024
Platforms:
Adventure
Creative
Charming
Family-friendly
Pacing
Simplistic
The Plucky Squire Poster

The Plucky Squire Review

The Plucky Squire is widely praised for its creative and charming blend of 2D and 3D gameplay, combining exploration, puzzles, and platforming into a unique experience. Players appreciate the seamless transitions between art styles and the storybook theme, which adds a distinctive narrative layer. The game’s art style and music receive strong commendations for their captivating and delightful qualities. Many find it to be an engaging, joyful, and family-friendly adventure that’s accessible to younger audiences and casual players.

However, some players feel the game’s pacing is slowed down by lengthy, unskippable dialogues and frequent cutscenes, which interrupt the flow. The difficulty level is often described as too easy or inconsistent, with simplistic combat and puzzles that lack depth. Optimization issues and repetitive enemy encounters also detract from the experience for more seasoned gamers. Overall, it’s seen as a polished, heartfelt game with room for improvement in challenge and pacing.

Highlights

The game’s innovative mix of 2D and 3D art styles and the seamless transitions between them are highly praised. Players love the engaging puzzles and platforming mechanics that respect player intelligence. The charming storybook narrative and delightful music enhance the immersive experience. The art style is described as captivating and beautifully crafted, making it visually appealing. Many reviewers recommend it as a fun, family-friendly adventure that stands out for its creativity and joyful gameplay.

Criticisms

Common criticisms focus on the slow pacing due to long, unskippable dialogues and frequent cutscenes that disrupt gameplay flow. The difficulty is often seen as too easy or uneven, with combat and puzzles lacking complexity. Some players find enemy encounters repetitive and frustrating, especially in challenge modes. Optimization issues, including performance drops on certain devices, and occasional bugs also impact enjoyment. Additionally, the story is viewed by some as generic, and the game’s artwork rewards are considered underwhelming.

Pros

  • Innovative blend of 2D and 3D art styles creates a unique visual experience.
  • Engaging puzzles that challenge the player’s intelligence and creativity.
  • Charming storybook narrative adds depth and personality to the game.
  • Delightful and fitting musical score enhances the immersive atmosphere.
  • Seamless transitions between gameplay styles keep the experience fresh.
  • Family-friendly content suitable for younger players and casual gamers.
  • Beautifully crafted art style praised as captivating and visually appealing.

Cons

  • Long, unskippable dialogues and cutscenes disrupt pacing and flow.
  • Difficulty is inconsistent, often too easy for experienced players.
  • Combat system is simplistic and lacks depth or challenge.
  • Enemy encounters can be repetitive and frustrating in some sections.
  • Optimization issues cause performance problems on certain devices.
  • Story feels generic and less engaging for some players.
  • Artwork rewards are underwhelming and uninspired.

Rating Criteria

Story
Difficulty
Graphics
Duration
Stability
Worth the Price
Capsule image

Storybook characters discover a three-dimensional world outside the pages of their book and must jump between 2D & 3D realms to save their friends in this charming action-adventure.

Release Date Sep 17th 2024
Publisher Devolver Digital
Developer All Possible Futures
Platforms

User Reviews

Very Positive (861)
83% Positive 17% Negative

Online Reviews

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Metacritic
83