Who's a clever boy?

The son's company ran a one-day football tournament and his shop's team won! He was a really useful player when he was little. Like people would stop and watch him when we were out-and-about, and when he was in infants (under 7yo) the older juniors (11yo) let him play with them before school started. I honestly thought he could make a career of it but had no idea how to get him started - and he wasn't pushing for it, so it didn't happen. Now, I'm hoping he'll find a way to take it up again because, frankly, he needs the exercise.

I finished Plucky Squire, thanks in no small part to the ability to skip the mini games. I am very comfortable with this. I also think it's a game I want to introduce the grandbabies to in a few years - and hope that being young will give them the necessary reflexes to get through the mini games :D A few thoughts:

• I loved the art style - I know I've said it many, many times, but give me cartoony/stylised over realistic any time
• I loved the story-book feel to the whole thing, and the dire warnings of how dull life is without good stories (younger grandson is already protecting himself :D)
• I loved the story itself - not exactly unique but (as with Trek to Yomi) telling a familiar story in a new way, and doing it well, is a skill in itself
• I loved that all the companions had their part to play, even if I skipped over their individual battles
• And I loved all the characters with their little quirks and different skills
• I loved the LOTR reference at the end (I'm sure there were others but I've either forgotten them or didn't spot them), and the self-deprecating humour of the game as a whole
• I loved that 'story mode' really did mean 'focus on the story without having to struggle with annoying mini games'
• I loved that I could make Story Mode even easier by making myself invincible
• I enjoyed using light bulbs as currency
• I was less than enthusiastic about some of the mechanics - particularly throwing, or rather the lack of explanation about throwing
• I didn't like finding stuff out by accident - but whether that's about my brain or the game design, I'm not sure
• I don't think there's much replay value, unless you want the plat (there are separate trophies for completing the game in Story Mode and Adventure Mode) - or want to speed run it, or set up contests between family members or something
• Overall, I give it 8/10 - a solid little game that isn't too taxing but does have some puzzles that require real thought

My miniature tea shop is nearing completion! and the roof doesn't fit together properly... I'm not going to buy a kit like this again. But when it's sitting on a shelf, I can admire it from a distance and not see all the imperfections :D

I watched a couple of episodes of New Amsterdam. I've decided this is my go-to 'brain dead' programme, so a good way to round off the weekend.