Once, there was a tiny adventurer called Jot who resided in the land of Mojo. He is an avid writer and gallant hero, and he is the hero of our story, “The Plucky Squire,” a charming little trip into a fictional world brought to us by All Possible Futures and publisher Devolver Digital. I had a chance to preview the first few chapters of Jot’s journey on Steam, and I can confidently report that it was an absolute joy that I didn’t want to end.

The Plucky Squire has been one of my most anticipated games of the year, thanks to the incredible gameplay trailers and teasers we’ve witnessed since its first announcement, and it lives up to the hype. In the opening, I was welcomed into a lovely little storybook.

With the introduction from a very charismatic and very well-voiced narrator, I stepped into The Plucky Squire’s pages in the cute little shoes of Jot, otherwise known as the Plucky Squire himself. While he’s a passionate writer, he’s also a courageous defender, a good thing, too, as the nefarious Humgrump is threatening to mess with the world of Mojo. Everyone is relying on Jot to save the land.

The colourful cartoony art style is adorable and incredibly animated. Playing in a 2D top-down perspective, it feels like you’re actually within a storybook, moving from area to area, page by page, through various lands such as forests, swamps, and a Shakespeare-inspired township inhabited by thespian snails who enjoy reciting the iconic playwright.

Like most adventures, it all begins with an excellent old fetch quest. The hip and happening Wizard Moonbeard needs beeswax to keep his vinyl in tip-top shape so the magical DJ can play the track. The seemingly mundane task quickly evolves into something much more thrilling.

On the way to finding the beeswax, I learned the basics of sword combat; it’s simple and easy to pick up but incredibly satisfying swiping through the smaller critters. When I finally reached my destination, I came upon a vicious honey badger going in for the sweet stash, and we couldn’t have that.

Jot unexpectedly became incredibly swole, and, reminiscent of the smash hit 1987 classic title, Punch-Out!!, I took on the role of the Mike Tyson of the game and donned my boxing gloves in a no-holds-barred boxing match.

After returning the beeswax, the story’s real villain made themselves known, the bitter sorcerer, Humgrump. Joined by his friends, a pink-haired witch named Violet and punk-rock mountain troll Thrash, Jot explores the pages ahead and beyond.

The variety of gameplay, from sword combat, some archery, some platforming, and incredibly clever fill-in-the-blank puzzles, where manipulating words to alter the environment is required, already makes for a great 2D adventure title. The Plucky Squire does not stop there. It plucks Jot out of the pages and brings him onto a beautifully rendered 3D, realistic-looking child’s desk covered with toys, obstacles, and plenty of enemies. Jumping between the book and the “real world” to solve puzzles is innovative and well done; it feels natural, and the transition from 2D to 3D is flawless.

The Plucky Squire has plucked at my heartstrings, bringing positive childhood joy back to a generally dark and gritty world of video games. With its charming visuals, upbeat music, and excellent gameplay, it’s shaping to be a fresh and exciting experience. From the preview, I very swiftly realised it’s the kind of adventure I don’t want to put down.

Written by: Yasmin Noble