The Plucky Squire has been grabbing the attention of many critics within the gaming scene, and it might be worth yours, too. This game was initially revealed in 2022, slated for 2023 with Publisher Devolver Digital. What was shown of The Plucky Squire during that time turned many heads. Maybe it’s because gamers like myself haven’t searched in the right places, but The Plucky Squire feels like the answer to a call. Now, gamers are anticipating its open-ended 2024 release.
What makes The Plucky Squire so interesting?
The Plucky Squire is a bright-colored action adventure title that isn’t in the Zelda, Kirby, or Mario franchise. Maybe most surprising, is that it’s going to be multiplatform. It’s been difficult to spot titles that look particularly zany and commit to not taking themselves too seriously, lately. AAA gaming has felt dominated by projects like God of War: Ragnarok and The Last of Us: Part 2. Although they’re great in their own right, many of these single player releases feel restricted to one tone. Including variety in atmosphere and play style may allow audiences to appreciate these releases even more.
Some have looked towards indie gaming for a break. Often, in the indie gaming space, players can find more niche titles that offer unstifled creativity. Games like Undertale, Stardew Valley, and Hollow Knight are all success stories representative of the way indie gaming can innovate and inspire change. There is no telling what the legacy of The Plucky Squire will be, but critics seem to regard it as a similar breath of fresh air. This game is developed by All Possible Futures. The studio was co-founded in 2019 by industry veterans James Turner and Jonathan Biddle. Turner may be most recognizable as the art director of Pokemon Sword and Shield. Biddle most recently designed The Swords of Ditto, which informs much of The Plucky Squire’s 2D art style.
In The Plucky Squire, players will control Jot as he fights off Humgrump for control of the storybook world they inhabit. Humgrump seems intent on making the world boring and homogeneous, but Jot’s actions appear to inspire creativity. It appears that Jot’s success may influence the life of this book’s owner. In this regard, The Plucky Squire feels like the direct extension of its developers’ creativity.
Why is everyone so excited about it?
Much of the game plays like a classic third-person action-adventure title. Many critics note a general vibe of inspiration from The Legend of Zelda series. In addition, one of The Plucky Squire‘s core gameplay elements is something players of The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds may be familiar with. Here, Jot exits the boundaries of his 2D world and solves puzzles in 3D. When he’s done, he picks up where he left off. The scope of this gimmick appears to be wider than that of its contemporary. A Link Between Worlds still restricted gameplay to a two-dimensional perspective. In the Plucky Squire, 3D gameplay can be see toying with its camera angle, too. From descriptions, gameplay thoughtful and varied. In addition to a polished combat loop, there will be plenty of minigames and shake-ups to the format.
Maybe most notable is the way that so many critics are voicing sheer optimism when it comes to this game’s release. Zion Grassl and Alana Hagues at Nintendo Life have pointed out the ability to prod at the boundaries of what gameplay allows. This leads to a continuous sense of discovery that is rewarded with collectible items. Craig Reid at Pure Xbox has discussed the way that gameplay flows satisfyingly between dimension and artstyles. Furthermore, Ralph P. at Skill Up talks about the ambition and cleverness within the overall game design. In discussion, he makes the apt comparison of this game to Toy Story with the way Jot and the rest of his storybook world appear to function independently of their owner. Players who have gone hands on voice enthusiasm about finding solutions to puzzles that require thoughtfulness to approach. Others are big fans of the hack-and-slash style combat employed.
It seems like this enthusiasm is warranted. Devolver Digital has a strong track record when it comes to publishing, with standout releases like Enter the Gungeon and Cult of the Lamb. In addition, There appears to be an expectation for quality with developers like Turner and Biddle front and center. Although it seems like it may be longer before more of the game’s specifics are revealed, The Plucky Squire is pulling in more and more attention.
