The Plucky Squire Review: A Loving Zelda Tribute From 2D to 3D

A children’s storybook sets the stage for the dimension-warping journey of , an animated interactive fable which plays out like an extended, adorable tribute to . All Possible Futures’ debut contains remarkable moments that illustrate its colorful, all-ages adventure, centered on a protagonist who can leap off the page into the «real» world beyond. It’s a fitting companion to publisher Devolver Digital’s previous -ish roguelite – whose veteran development team even includes members of All Possible Futures – but its comparatively reduced scope and challenge can cause this literary action-adventure to fall a bit flat at times.

stars Jot, a mute hero whose sword is prominently shaped like a fountain pen nib. A guardian celebrity of the magical Land of Mojo, Jot drafts his escapades for posterity alongside lifelong buddies Violet and Thrash, a painter princess and drumstick-wielding heavy metal mountain troll, respectively. The three link up to foil the plans of malevolent sorcerer Humgrump and ally with the benevolent Moonbeard, a Merlin-like mentor sporting wraparound shades.

A brand new game, The Plucky Squire, will be coming to the PlayStation 5, and more, and it looks like it's straight out of Andy's room in Toy Story.

If names are any indication, ’s world and narrative echo the stuff of silly Saturday morning cartoons, where good triumphs over evil, alliterative puns prevail, and villains best beware. As a game of roughly ten hours, its generally low difficulty can risk compromising any dramatic intentions, even when things get slightly darker and more satisfyingly meta. Its unabashed good-times charm and vibrant presentation are unmistakably effective and creative, even if I wish its most experimental aspects were expanded upon a little further.

Jot’s basic moveset comes straight out of the classic games, with a sword that can slash at enemies, be flung like a boomerang and retrieved, then charged up for a recognizable spin attack. Unlike the games, though,