The older we get, the more complicated life becomes. Books no longer have illustrations, puzzles have grown from 10 pieces to 10,000, and everything in the world seems to be demanding more and more of us. So it’s refreshing to see simple childhood positivity still come in a form that appeals to adults.
brave squire is a charming puzzle adventure game for all ages that revel in friendship and the wholesome power of picture books. Developed by independent studio All Maybe Futures, it’s not meant to issue a challenge or frustrate you looking for strategy guides or climbing leaderboards. It’s simply meant to be simple, straightforward fun—albeit with a metatextual twist.
brave squire Tell a story of adventure and art
Image source: Mashable screenshot
brave squire Follow the titular Squire Choate as he embarks on a journey to defend the land of Mojo from the evil wizard Humgrump. Under the guidance of DJ/wizard Moonbeard, Jot is accompanied by his two childhood friends: artist/apprentice witch Violet and drummer/mountain troll Thrash.
It seems like a fairly standard children’s story. That is, until Hemlump discovers that they are all picture book characters, and their narratives reveal that he will always fail. So, in an effort to escape his own story, the wizard breaks out of the book and spreads his minions across the cluttered desk of creative 10-year-old Sam.
Choate’s battle to defeat Humgrump wasn’t just about protecting Mojo, though. This is also to save the book of the same name brave squireso that its pages can continue to inspire the young children who own it.
Simple and direct squire fencing
Image source: Mashable screenshot
Like many good adventure games, brave squireGameplay consists of running around and hitting objects with your sword, whether they are enemies or leaves. Doing so will generate light bulbs, which you can use to purchase new attacks, weapon upgrades, and development artwork to fill your gallery.
Before the game was over, I ended up with a spare bulb, maxing out all of Joate’s attack skills by brutally attacking every bush I saw. Even so, I only really used half of these abilities, either throwing my sword or delivering traditional swipes at the cute, chubby goblins that wished to harm me.
send enemies to brave squire It’s a simple thing that doesn’t require much skill or perseverance, whether you’re in the top-down 2D world of the book or venturing into the 3D environment of Sam’s desk. I rarely had to turn my attention to factors like attack style or dodge, as reckless swinging of my sword was effective enough.
This is certainly a boon for tired office workers who just want to make decent progress in their limited game time.
Image source: Mashable screenshot
Even though the game has two difficulty options, I found its hardest setting to still be pretty easy, and I never felt like I was in any danger. Even if I take damage, I inevitably find a heart that replenishes my health within seconds by bashing some bushes or more enemies.
There are no real consequences if you die. If you’re in the book, you’ll see a page about Choate getting back on his feet before you return to the fight (usually enemies are still missing whatever health you cut away). If you’re outside the book, you’ll be put back in front of the obstacle that killed you so you can run again.
This makes the game easy and stress-free, the real point is brave squireIt’s puzzles rather than swordplay.
brave squire Intoxicated with mini games
Image source: Mashable screenshot
brave squire There’s a veritable hodgepodge of game ideas crammed into its short nine-hour runtime, but they never feel overwhelming or out of place. Instead, they entice players with the promise of new discovery and maintain an enjoyable gaming atmosphere.
Of course, the game does involve platforming, with Choate having to navigate both Mojo’s side-scrolling environment and the wooden block structure on Sam’s desk. Sometimes you also have to be sneaky to avoid enemies. However, some brave squireThe most interesting puzzles involve wordplay in storybook writing.
Image source: Mashable screenshot
Similar to the 2019 competition Baba is you, brave squire Lets you reshape Jot’s world and solve puzzles by swapping words on the page word for word. Creatures may grow from small to large, and obstacles change from metal to wood, depending on how you change the sentences describing them, allowing you to overcome the obstacles and continue Choate’s journey.
Choate also eventually gained the ability to manipulate the book from the outside, turning its pages, tilting it, or affecting the land of Mojo like an extradimensional god. This not only lets you move objects around, but also steal nouns and adjectives from completely different pages (although you can’t deviate from the current chapter).
Image source: Mashable screenshot
I could have happily spent most of my time jumping between pages and playing with words. However brave squire Further populated with a large number of mini-games. From boxing to rhythm games to side-scrolling shooters, brave squire Like a sample deck of all the arcade style games you know and love. Even in later chapters, the game keeps introducing new mini-games and mechanics, some of which are only used two or three times before being shelved in favor of the next shiny in-game trinket.
These mini-games do require some knowledge. You won’t get any instructions before you are thrown into the bubble matching game, for example, brave squire Trust that you can recognize the style of the game and know what to do. Even so, failure is forgiving enough and it doesn’t matter if you take the time to figure it out. brave squire Significant effort has also been made to make it accessible, with mini-games being skipped entirely via a prominent option in the game’s menu.
Image source: Mashable screenshot
Each mini-game is simple, and the few minutes of fun you spend playing each one should be enough to keep you satisfied. Even so, I’d still like to be able to revisit the mini-games from the main menu. The aforementioned element-themed bubble game targets my Neopets directly elf bubble Nostalgia.
brave squire Leaving the story but staying in it
Image source: Mashable screenshot
in addition brave squire Playing through a storybook setting through word puzzles, the game’s premise is completely captivating for its art style. The world of Mojo is drawn with thick lines and bold, bright colors that are reminiscent of children’s book illustrations, and this unique look contrasts with the more realistic and lineless art style used for elements outside of Jot’s books. This in-universe dissonance becomes even more apparent when these elements enter the book while still retaining their conflicting art styles.
brave squire is interested in its metatextual themes, even briefly acknowledging that it’s a game. However, unlike horror films such as Heartbeat Literary Society or cryptography, brave squire It’s never truly disturbing or digging in the game’s files, always retaining its harmless kid-friendly spirit.
Image source: Mashable screenshot
The knowledge of the nature of the universe also doesn’t deter Choate and his companions, who largely take it in stride, brave heroes who can jump into different dimensions and manipulate their world from the outside. Questions of existentialism, destiny, and the meaning of life really hover around the edges, as the characters in the story acknowledge that they are, in fact, characters—and most of them are just supporting characters.
In this regard, if Hengrupp was a more agreeable man, his refusal to give in to his written persona could easily be interpreted as inspirational.
Image source: Mashable screenshot
still, brave squire Sticking to a simple good versus evil script, briefly acknowledging deeper issues but making it clear that existential questions are not the focus. It’s a fun, light-hearted game about storybook characters escaping from the books, and we won’t look too closely at the not-so-sunny implications.
Reminiscing about the wonders of childhood
Image source: Mashable screenshot
brave squire It’s not a particularly challenging game, nor is it one that invites players to spend hours delving into its story. You don’t need to be a skilled gamer, or Mysterious IslandLevel puzzle solver.
What you really need is a willingness to simply enjoy healthy, childlike joy. brave squire It’s an obvious draw for adults who long to reminisce about the days of crayons and cardboard, before the world seemed so dark and complicated. References to childhood classics, e.g. doctor who and Lord of the Rings Sitting next to a shameless nod to the capitalist mechanisms that underpin children’s media, finding joy in the same way Choate’s friends continue to do so despite knowing the true nature of their world.
Not only are parents less likely to mind their children playing brave squirethey are likely to be the first to regain their positive mood after a long, hard day. The puzzles and combat may be relatively simple, but sometimes simplicity is just what we need. Since the game is only 9 hours long, it only takes a few after-get off work sessions to get through to the end.
brave squire Out now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch and PC.
