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The Plucky Squire |OT| What a novel game!

Magic Carpet

Gold Member
Started Chapter 3.
So, would this be a better game if they had done similar to Bastion or Stanley parable and had the narrator speak about what the player is doing?
Rather, the stop and read nature of the game is ok I guess.
 

TexMex

Member
Look, this is charming and has a very neat visual hook. But it was really boring and one of the longest feeling 10 hour games. It’s just pretty dull and I cannot believe how much dialogue there is in it. I spent half the game mashing X to play because every time you play for 5 minutes it goes right back to babbling. It isn’t horrible, and I got it on Plus, but I had been looking forward to it for a while so I found this pretty disappointing.

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DragoonKain

Neighbours from Hell
I beat it today. I enjoyed it. I just started skipping the dialogue, although in some instances it's important because it tells you what to do and you might not be able to figure it out right away without it telling you.

I didn't think the stealth sections at the end were as bad as the reviews stated. But maybe it's because I went in expecting them. The final boss was highly disappointing. Multiple stages and not one of them was traditional combat you used through 95% of the game. They were all gimmick rounds.

But I did like it. I don't think it's a great game though. My biggest issue with the game is it introduces cool tools to use to solve puzzles or traverse and some you only use once or twice. Like the jet pack. Wish it would've implemented these nifty things a lot more.
 
Man I on the struggle bus on this game. I. Chapter 2 and just kind of bored. There is no choice in the game. No exploration, puzzles. Etc. Does the game open up later?
 

Branded

Member
I don’t think I can play this game anymore.

Every 3 min, it takes my control away for some goddamn cutscene or dialog.

Infuriating.
Man I HATE that in games (both old and new) so I guess this isn't for me. Especially if they're unskippable.

Going through Darksiders Genesis now and even the small cutscenes that signify a transition between areas are annoying as hell.
 

StueyDuck

Member
unfortunately today i deleted it, yep got to ch4 like some have said and it's still pretty bland, it's a shame this game turned out to be a dud.

i was looking forward to it, i think possibly it could have had better marketing maybe to set better expectations. Maybe if i went in knowing it's just a straight forward linear game i would have enjoyed this more.

this unfortunately is one of those indie games where it's all style but no substance. It does look good i suppose so there's that at least.
 
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TexMex

Member
Man I on the struggle bus on this game. I. Chapter 2 and just kind of bored. There is no choice in the game. No exploration, puzzles. Etc. Does the game open up later?

Nothing I’d call “exploration” but puzzles yes for sure. I’m not even sure you’ve had time to see its main hook yet.
 
Even as someone who loves conversations in games or just random bits of dialog this game is hampered by it. Walk 10 steps, force stop for dialog to button mash through, walk another 10, dialog, walk through the page and smack a few tree and enemies, dialog! Never felt this much frustration from start and stop gameplay when I just want to be left alone to play the fucking game. The worst part being it's indie level of story telling where they find themselves far more cute and interesting then I ever will.

I know some love the 2D artwork, which is ok, for me the 3D worlds were the highlight that are sadly just closed off levels with very little interactivity. Playing between being in the book and real world was smart, but in the end I much rather they had picked one since neither one was done really well. Nothing in the game is. Wide as an ocean, deep as a puddle fits perfectly. You get variety, but almost everything has a shallow one note to it making it just interesting enough to want more.

Ultimately, and this is a me thing, I really wish they'd lean really hard into inspiration of Link to the Past instead of trying to fit so much chopped up pieced in it. Deeper combat, better maps, far less dialog, and keep elements already in to explore the world.
 

Tangerine

Member
I don’t think I can play this game anymore.

Every 3 min, it takes my control away for some goddamn cutscene or dialog.

Infuriating.
Sounds like totally inept game design like mighty number 9. The stopping constantly to read, interrupting game play.

Based on comments in here I'm not even going to buy it any more.
 
I am playing the game and I liked it so far. I got a funny bug recently that I wanted to share.
the bug was on chapter 6.I got in a cave that asked me to put a rock in a certain place. But I put it in a moving platform instead and the game got buggy. The rock got put where I wanted to go and I found myself incapable to get there, as I needed the rock to get where the rock was.
So I got back to the game main menu and used a precedend save to fix it. Nice of the devs to allow that, as if not I would have to play it from the beginning and I would not have done so as it is pretty slow.
 

taizuke

Member
I've been juggling between paying full price or just downloading it, but after reading some of the replies here i think is best to take advantage that is on Extra and play it that way. I was kinda leaning towards the latter anyway.
 
I've been juggling between paying full price or just downloading it, but after reading some of the replies here i think is best to take advantage that is on Extra and play it that way. I was kinda leaning towards the latter anyway.
That's the best way to go. It's not exactly the kind of game I think most are going to want to replay that often beyond maybe for achievements.
 

Dafegamer

Member
Progress tracker says I'm 43% through so I feel comfortable giving my opinion: it's a charming little game! The Plucky Squire takes inspiration from the likes of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds, Tearaway and even Scribblenauts. Needless to say it's bursting with creativity. I'm digging the various perspective shifts and vibrant art while unique, one-off gameplay segments keep things fresh.

Speaking of art, the game pays homage to the likes of Monet, Van Gogh, Yayoi Kusama, Banksy, Basquiat and more. If you're an art lover (as I am) these references should amuse you. Presentation is strong throughout, it has a clear identity and sense of style. Overall a cool, chill experience, not blown away and it won't be winning any GOTY awards but I'm happy it exists and hope the devs find success with it.
Oh yeah I forgot about Tearaway, my favorite PSVITA game. Now that you mention it, the game really does have Tearaway vibes too.
 

Dafegamer

Member
Look, this is charming and has a very neat visual hook. But it was really boring and one of the longest feeling 10 hour games. It’s just pretty dull and I cannot believe how much dialogue there is in it. I spent half the game mashing X to play because every time you play for 5 minutes it goes right back to babbling. It isn’t horrible, and I got it on Plus, but I had been looking forward to it for a while so I found this pretty disappointing.

hdrZz28.jpeg
Seems like a very stark contrast compared to Astro Bot, as that game hardly has any interruptions and is pure gameplay through and through. I think I might wait a bit until I play this to avoid disappointment coming from Astro Bot
 

TexMex

Member
Seems like a very stark contrast compared to Astro Bot, as that game hardly has any interruptions and is pure gameplay through and through. I think I might wait a bit until I play this to avoid disappointment coming from Astro Bot

Think more A Link Between Worlds, if ALBW never shut up and had the most barren, boring level design possible.
 

Trilobit

Member
Started playing it, but had to call it quits. Felt more aimed at parents with children. If I had a five year old this could be cozy to play together,
 

ap_puff

Member
I've played up to chapter 7. It's not very good. The concept is novel, but it's just not very well done. It's like a 6/10 so far and if I didn't know that I'm over halfway through the game I'd probably be dropping it. I wish it was better because I was really excited for this based on trailers.
 

RoadHazard

Gold Member
Well, I finished it. Not really sure why, as I wasn't really having fun at any point. Felt like I had already invested to much time in it I guess, and it seemed like it would be a pretty short game.

But yeah, this is a fun concept executed poorly. It's a cute game, but SO damn slow and boring. You're CONSTANTLY being interrupted by pointless chatter every five steps, I don't think I've ever played a game with pacing this bad. I get that it's supposed to be a story book, but this is not the way. When you actually get to play, the gameplay is incredibly basic, easy, and boring. There are a few highlights, such as when you get to play an arcade shooter for a bit, but overall it's just hellishly tedious. The story is cute and the art is well done if a bit plain, and as mentioned the world-swapping mechanic is a cool concept in theory, but it never really becomes interesting or fun.

6/10, would have been 5/10 if not for those few good aspects I mentioned. A good game this is not.
 

TheDarkPhantom

Gold Member
Beat it last week and my mostly positive first impressions diminished over time. The game - despite it's creative concept and cool art - is quite basic and more often than not boring, that is one thing a game should *never* be. Had it not been free on PS+ and had I bought it (as I originally intended before it was announced we'd get it for free) I would have regretted the purchase.

I'd still recommend trying it if you have Extra and judging for yourself, maybe you'll get more out of it than I (and seemingly others) did. It's a shame because I had high hopes for this one when it was first shown but it ultimately didn't deliver due to myriad issues.
 
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I legitimately want a 3DS game with nothing but Pip sections. It will never happen, but I'm dead ass serious. Pump it up with stages, and my wallet will be ready. Hell, my American Express card will be ready. I'll buy it for top dollar 💰
 

Just_one

Member
Still waiting for them to fix the stamp bug on chapter 9.

Cant finish thebgame because of it, its a shame because i really love the game.

Fix that and the ability to collect the collectibles via chapter select and we are good to go!
 

Kenneth Haight

Gold Member
hearing the impressions of this I am really dissapointed as I was looking forward to it a lot.

I’ll still play it but it’s went from a must play to a “wait for a drought” game.
 

Chuck Berry

Gold Member
Platted and finished it this weekend and yeah, I echo all the complaints in here, which sucks because I was really digging it for the first couple hours....then it quickly devolved into one of the most banal and monotonous games Ive played in a long fucking time. By the fourth chapter the unskippable dialogue felt like pulling teeth and only got worse from there.

I really wish they had taken more inspiration from Zelda, Beyond Oasis, Crusader of Centy etc. or at the very least said up front it was made for a much younger audience. It was just too damn dumbfoundedly easy, aside from that bullshit
Snood ripoff boss

Simply a case where the concept was on the money, but the execution and design was just way the fuck off.

The best thing this game did was make me start replaying Link to the Past for the first time in 10 years.
 
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Dafegamer

Member
Given the overall reception of this game on GAF and Era, it's kinda insane that it almost has similarly good Critical acclaim as TLOZ Echoes of Wisdom based on reviews. Makes it seem like critics are more out of touch nowadays
 

ap_puff

Member
Forced myself to finish the game since I was already in chapter 8.

Gonna give it a 6/10. It's probably good for kids around age 5-7 though. It has a 10/10 concept and the execution is just... Not good.
 
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