The Plucky Squire

79%
Game Brain Score Based on 542 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
The Plucky Squire Game Cover
The Plucky Squire is a game oozing with charm and positivity, and the clever word and book based puzzles will keep you gripped from start to finish.
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"The Plucky Squire" is a single-player action-adventure game with a wholesome story about storybook characters exploring a 3D world. The game features stellar visuals, amazing music, and humor that will make you laugh, despite its occasional bugs. However, be prepared for lots of grinding as you jump between 2D and 3D realms to save your friends.

  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

79%
Audience ScoreBased on 542 reviews
story86 positive mentions
stability24 negative mentions
  • The art style and sound design are brilliant, creating a visually stunning experience.
  • The game features a unique mechanic of switching between 2D and 3D gameplay, which adds creativity to puzzles.
  • The characters are charming and the writing includes humorous moments that enhance the overall experience.
  • The gameplay is overly simplistic and lacks depth, making it feel more like a children's game.
  • The game frequently interrupts the player with dialogue and hints, which disrupts the flow and immersion.
  • There are numerous bugs and glitches that can lead to frustrating soft locks and crashes.
  • story285 mentions

    The story of "The Plucky Squire" is characterized as charming and whimsical, often appealing to a younger audience with its simple narrative and engaging characters. While some players appreciate the creative blend of 2D and 3D storytelling, others find the plot predictable and the dialogue tedious, leading to a mixed reception regarding its depth and pacing. Overall, the game is seen as a delightful, albeit straightforward, adventure that excels in art style and presentation but may lack complexity for older gamers.

    • “The story, art, and music are all top-notch and come together to create a beautiful game that makes you feel like a little kid again.”
    • “The story is incredibly engaging, and I can tell the game was made with care - from the stunning art to the interesting puzzles and fun mini-games that are in each chapter.”
    • “The storybook art direction is wonderfully whimsical, and you can feel the passion that went into making this game.”
    • “The story is very basic; the art style is stiller.”
    • “The problem with this game is that the story isn't interesting at all.”
    • “The most frustrating thing is how the game constantly takes control away for all these minor conversations and story beats.”
  • gameplay277 mentions

    The gameplay of "The Plucky Squire" is characterized by its charming art style and innovative mechanics, particularly the ability to switch between 2D and 3D environments, which adds a unique twist to puzzle-solving. However, many players find the gameplay overly simplistic and repetitive, with a lack of depth and challenge, often feeling hand-held through puzzles and mechanics that could have been explored more creatively. While the game offers a variety of mini-games and some engaging moments, technical issues and a linear structure detract from the overall experience, leaving it feeling more suited for a younger audience.

    • “The gameplay is fun and intuitive, the graphics are gorgeous with the nice lighting and the structure of pages, book covers or other surfaces being so nice and detailed.”
    • “Its innovative mechanics, seamlessly blending 2D and 3D environments, keep the gameplay exciting and unpredictable.”
    • “The ability to switch between 2D and 3D perspectives adds a layer of depth and creativity to the gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is overly simplistic and lacks any sort of challenge.”
    • “The gameplay stops you constantly to show more text and tedious story narrative.”
    • “The game doesn’t trust the player to figure things out, constantly hand-holding through every new mechanic.”
  • graphics164 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning and charming art style, effectively blending 2D and 3D elements to create a visually delightful experience reminiscent of a storybook. Many reviewers highlight the vibrant colors and attention to detail, making the visuals a standout feature, even if the gameplay itself may not always match the same level of engagement. Overall, the aesthetic appeal is a significant draw, often compensating for gameplay shortcomings.

    • “The visuals are stunning!”
    • “The art style is gorgeous and well animated, accompanied by well-written dialogue that gives the feeling of being in a storybook while also fleshing out the book's world and inhabitants as living, breathing beings.”
    • “The incredible graphics and unique art style make every moment a visual treat, from the storybook world to the vibrant 3D settings.”
    • “The game also seems to be poorly optimized, with several moments of intense lag, and some strange graphical glitches at several points as well.”
    • “While it does explore the idea of interacting between a 2D and 3D world, I found the 3D art style to be more 'generic' than its incredibly stylish 2D counterpart, and so is true with the gameplay.”
    • “Game's cute, but they seem to have just utterly thrown game feel out the window in their dedication to the storybook aesthetic.”
  • music52 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its charm, catchiness, and ability to enhance the gameplay experience, while others criticize it as monotonous, generic, or poorly matched to the game's visuals and rhythm mechanics. Many players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to fit the game's various settings, but some feel it lacks the depth and excitement needed to elevate the overall experience. Overall, while the music has its highlights, it often falls short of expectations, leaving room for improvement.

    • “The music is incredible and matches the intensity of play.”
    • “The story, art, and music are all top notch and come together to create a beautiful game that makes you feel like a little kid again.”
    • “The game exudes charm, from the design of its characters to its backdrops and music.”
    • “The music is terrible and monotonous; even though every biome has a different leitmotiv, it's all so lifeless and corporate.”
    • “It's supposed to be a 'rhythm' mini-game, but the music doesn't match the timing, nor does there seem to be any particular beat to play on. It seems to be entirely reliant on visuals of when the object is in a specific spot on the page... until you get to the end of the sequence and the game expects you to volley the nut back and forth multiple times to do any damage. Except, the visuals don't match anything close to when you were supposed to hit the button!”
    • “The game looks so 'lively,' but the music can just make the whole experience boring or, at best, mediocre.”
  • stability28 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting a range of glitches, including noticeable stuttering, frame drops, and game-breaking bugs that can disrupt gameplay. While some users found the experience enjoyable despite these issues, others expressed frustration over frequent freezes and the need to restart the game. Overall, the game is considered creative and charming, but its optimization and stability require significant improvement.

    • “Now runs great on Steam Deck.”
    • “Runs great on the Steam Deck OLED, just a solid game.”
    • “Runs great on a ROG Ally too.”
    • “There’s noticeable stuttering, frame drops, and even game-breaking bugs, so be prepared to deal with some frustrating glitches.”
    • “Next, the glitches and bugs are so bad that they, several times throughout the game, cause the game to freeze completely or slow down so much that you have to reboot your game system and restart from your last save.”
    • “By the time this review is made, the game is worrisomely buggy (and I will update my review if this ever changes).”
  • grinding23 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and unengaging, with repetitive minigames, uninspired combat, and frequent interruptions for dialogue that disrupt the flow of gameplay. Many reviewers express frustration with the lack of meaningful progression and the feeling that tasks become monotonous rather than rewarding, leading to a diminished sense of enjoyment as the game progresses. Despite some innovative ideas, the execution often results in a tedious experience that detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “The tedious characters, uninteresting combat, and excessive hand-holding damage the fun.”
    • “Running around to whack anything that might give you currency, puzzles that are easily solved but take a tedious amount of time to complete, shallow combat exacerbated by the amount of fighting needed to progress, upgrades that never feel like upgrades.”
    • “The gameplay stops you constantly to show more text and tedious story narrative.”
  • humor21 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its clever writing and frequent laughs, featuring amusing references to famous artists and a playful tone that aligns well with its visuals. While some players noted that certain characters and mechanics could be underwhelming, the overall experience is described as fun and charming, with strong voice acting enhancing the comedic elements. However, a few reviewers expressed a desire for more sophisticated or witty jokes to appeal to a broader audience.

    • “You’ll notice hilarious nods to Monet, Dali, Escher, Warhol—and even contemporary ones like Basquiat and Banksy.”
    • “The humor is spot-on, and it's a pleasant experience, although it can get a bit frustrating at times due to the auto-save not tracking your progress properly.”
    • “The writing has me constantly giggling to myself because of a funny little gag.”
  • optimization19 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players experiencing noticeable stuttering, frame drops, and occasional game-breaking bugs, particularly in specific chapters. While some users reported smooth performance on platforms like the Steam Deck, others faced significant issues on PC, including input delays and memory consumption problems. Despite its beautiful visuals, the consensus is that the game is poorly optimized, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences for many.

    • “It runs smoothly.”
    • “Played through on Steam Deck with little to no performance qualms at default settings.”
    • “Beautifully realized and well-optimized, this game runs at over 120 fps despite auto-selecting my CPU’s integrated graphics instead of my dedicated card.”
    • “There’s noticeable stuttering, frame drops, and even game-breaking bugs, so be prepared to deal with some frustrating glitches.”
    • “The game also seems to be poorly optimized, with several moments of intense lag, and some strange graphical glitches at several points as well.”
    • “I was getting input delay; the game is not optimized at all for PC, and when tabbing out, I realized it was eating all my memory.”
  • emotional18 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by its heartwarming and wholesome storytelling, evoking nostalgia and joy reminiscent of childhood gaming experiences. Players appreciate the rich narrative and the genuine love infused into the art and characters, making it a touching adventure suitable for all ages. While some moments may feel tedious or forced, the overall sentiment is one of warmth and inspiration, with a strong emphasis on creativity and the impact of art.

    • “Heartwarming, story rich, this game is getting my vote for Game of the Year for sure.”
    • “The amount of love put into the art and the life and character given to the various artists is genuinely sweet and heartwarming.”
    • “Without giving away too much, it explores the effect art can have on us in childhood, and the importance of passing that on to the next generation, and it's presented in a very heartfelt way.”
  • atmosphere4 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by a whimsical and charming tone, enhanced by its music, creating a mostly chill experience. However, some players feel it leans too heavily on hand-holding, which may detract from the overall immersion for those seeking a more challenging environment.

    • “What really got me was the music and the atmosphere.”
    • “The characters are charming, and the whimsical tone adds to its playful atmosphere.”
    • “That's one of the reasons why I feel like the atmosphere of the game is truly a weak point.”
    • “It must be stressed that this is in no way meant to be a 'hard' game, but rather a comfy romp through a mostly chill atmosphere, and may also seem a tad too hand-holdy, so if that kind of thing doesn't seem like your thing, you may want to pass (though I'd still urge you to give it a go).”
  • character development3 mentions

    Character development in the game features charming storybook-style designs, with the main character remaining somewhat vague while secondary characters receive minimal backstory and development. However, the experience is hindered by excessive dialogue and handholding, which detracts from player agency and engagement with the characters.

    • “The storybook-style character design is cute and charming.”
    • “The main character is somewhat vague, while most secondary characters reveal some of their backstory and show a slight character development; nothing too complex, though.”
    • “The writing and character designs are cute, but the constant interruptions with needless dialogue and hand-holding explanations make it very difficult to take any initiative.”
    • “The main character is left somewhat vague, while most secondary characters do show some of their backstory and a slight character development; nothing too complex though.”
    • “The writing and character designs are cute and all, but the constant interruptions with needless dialogue and hand-holding explanations make it very difficult to do anything of your own initiative.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    The game offers around 8-10 hours of gameplay, but many users note that it has limited replayability beyond collecting items. While it is filled with content, the overall experience does not encourage multiple playthroughs due to its straightforward mechanics and easy difficulty.

    • “While the game is relatively short, it's packed with content and replayability.”
    • “8-10 hours of gameplay with little to no replayability.”
    • “The lack of replayability for anything other than collectibles is a significant flaw, along with some mechanics not being as utilized as you'd want.”
    • “The game is relatively short, which limits its replayability despite being packed with content.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has drawn criticism, as players feel misled by advertisements that promised a rich metroidvania experience with multiple playable characters, only to find the actual game lacking in depth and quality.

    • “I was looking forward to it so much, and the advertising made it seem like the exact kind of game I'd love... but it falls short in so many ways.”
    • “I saw the advertisement and expected a metroidvania/adventure game sort of like Supraland, with all three characters being playable and having different gimmicks.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

88% average critic score

Buy The Plucky Squire

Play time

10hMedian play time
7hAverage play time
8hMain story
9hCompletionist
3-10hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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