Review of Promise Mascot Agency

Kaizen Game Works first caught my attention with Paradise Killer, a 2020 narrative gem that blended exploration with captivating prose, immersing players in a beautifully strange world populated by vibrant characters. Now, it seems initially that their latest creation, Promise Mascot Agency, is quite the departure from its predecessor. However, after dedicating nearly twenty hours to its charming universe, it’s evident that Kaizen Game Works is a studio full of surprises. While Promise Mascot Agency resists simple categorization, I’d enthusiastically recommend it to anyone seeking something truly unique, as well as to fellow enthusiasts of quality gaming experiences.

In Promise Mascot Agency, you step into the shoes of Michi, or as he’s known among the yakuza, The Janitor. Following a botched job, he’s considered dead by his criminal family and exiled to a town believed to spell doom for any male yakuza who dares visit. This quaint rural destination, Kaso-Machi, located in Japan’s Kyushu, becomes Michi’s unexpected refuge. Here, he’s tasked with reviving a struggling mascot agency to settle an enormous debt. So, what’s a mascot agency, you ask? Well, mascots, those quirky living characters in every conceivable form, need jobs too—to help promote events and attract attention for their employers. Michi, alongside Pinky, an assistant who resembles a severed pinky finger, faces the challenge of turning the Promise Mascot Agency into Japan’s premier mascot hub. All the while, you’ll delve into the intriguing secrets and tales of Kaso-Machi’s residents.

Now, usually, I’d compare the game I’m reviewing to some other well-known titles. However, Promise Mascot Agency is an outlier, defying easy comparisons. It’s a narrative adventure, inviting you to explore a tightly knit open world. You’ll complete community tasks, recruit new mascots, and spruce up Kaso-Machi while helping mascots realize their dreams. Much of your time involves zooming around town in a rickety truck, engaging with the villagers. While you never leave the vehicle, concerns about crashes and fall damage are nonexistent. Upgrading your ride with new tricks like jumps and boosts makes navigating hills and even diving into water part of the whimsical experience. The game’s ample absurdity surprisingly grounds its characters, making them endearingly relatable. From the yam-draped Trororo, with his singular mission of adult video promotion, to humans like Miss Wambui, an English teacher who clings to this charming town out of love for her students and the picturesque countryside, the writing shines brightly. The creativity in character design and storytelling leads you to wish, just like the game suggests, for merchandise of characters like To-Fu, Neko Roll, and Koke-Maru.

When sending mascots out on jobs, you may face hiccups that morph the game into a card-battler minigame. Here, you’ll call upon Kaso-Machi’s citizens as Support Heroes, solving issues ranging from misplaced boxes to unruly fans disrupting mascot events. You have 60 seconds to deplete a problem’s health bar using strategically selected cards. Initially complex, you can upgrade Support Heroes by helping them through side quests and conversations, revealing interconnected systems. As the Promise Mascot Agency expands, so too does Kaso-Machi’s economy and your ties to the town become the heartbeat of this journey. Though the aesthetics may appear somber, the experience is deeply wholesome. Discovering the town and its routes turns into a delightful adventure.

What sets Promise Mascot Agency apart are the little details. While extensive voice acting is limited, cutscenes and mascot introductions are delivered with full voice work, injecting personality into each character you meet. I especially appreciate that Michi’s responses are guided not by specific dialogue but by the intention or emotion behind the choice. It’s something other narrative games could learn from, as it provides both choice freedom for players and narrative flexibility for writers. Michi might be [supportive], [reassuring], or [direct], and it feels wonderfully seamless. By the end of my time with Promise Mascot Agency, I found it evoking the same warm feelings as Paradise Killer—high praise indeed. Kaizen Game Works has truly embraced their creative spirit, and Promise Mascot Agency exceeds its predecessor’s impact. Oh, and let’s not forget the soundtrack—Alpha Crome Yayo’s mix of lo-fi, ’90s arcade vibes, and Japanese City Pop perfectly underscores Kaso-Machi’s aura, serving as the perfect musical backdrop.

The only downside is that the Nintendo Switch version can be a bit frustrating. Issues like inconsistent frame rates, slow rendering of assets, and detailed textures popping in while driving around make it hard to recommend this platform if alternatives exist. Although it doesn’t ruin the experience, playing on a different console might be preferable. Though the nostalgic homage to another era is clear, technical hiccups shouldn’t hold back the game’s potential. I encountered two software crashes and experienced more frequent performance drops during the final act.

Moreover, while having the freedom to tackle chapters and quests at your own pace is liberating, I found myself zipping through the final chapters after maxing out my agency’s efficiency early on. While progression isn’t technically gated, I recommend players consistently engage with main quests and mascot interactions. Holding off on such “life satisfaction reviews” till the end, as I did, may not suit everyone. The abundance of initial systems can be overwhelming, so take your time, heed Pinky’s advice on your travels, and seize the opportunities to chat with notable characters along the way.

Promise Mascot Agency feels akin to a beloved cult game from the PS2 and GameCube era, which I say with utmost affection. Its delightful storytelling, lovable cast, and wonderfully crafted world stem from sincere passion. In an industry growing cautious, Promise Mascot Agency stands out as refreshingly bold, confident in its unique blend of offbeat world-building and compelling gameplay. As I played, I felt the creators’ joy in crafting this universe, making it a genuinely memorable experience. If you open your heart to it—and perhaps choose a different platform—it promises an adventure you’ll cherish.