Key Takeaways
1. Unique Concept: Promise Mascot Agency combines elements of crime drama, visual novel, open-world exploration, and indie management simulation, featuring an exiled Yakuza and a talking thumb.
2. Storyline and Setting: Players follow Michi, an exiled Yakuza, as he navigates the mysterious town of Kaso-Machi filled with quirky mascots while unraveling his clan’s ambush.
3. Gameplay Mechanics: The game involves exploring the open world with an upgradeable vehicle, managing mascots with unique side stories, and forming friendships to earn rewards.
4. Positive Reception: Since its release on April 10th, the game has received an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating on Steam and a score of “77” on Metacritic.
5. Critiques: Some players find the gameplay systems shallow towards the end, the open world somewhat barren, and tasks with mascots repetitive, alongside frustrations with unwinnable card battles.
A game featuring an exiled Yakuza and his sidekick, a talking thumb, might sound quite strange, doesn’t it? This is just scratching the surface of Promise Mascot Agency, a quirky open-world narrative RPG that blends crime drama visual novel elements, open-world collecting, and indie management simulation all in one. As a special treat, Takaya Kuroda, the voice of Kiryu from the Yakuza franchise, provides his voice for the main character.
From the minds behind Paradise Killer
Crafted by Kaizen Game Works, the team behind Paradise Killer, Promise Mascot Agency follows Michi, a Yakuza member who has been exiled after his clan is ambushed. While he tries to unravel the mystery of what transpired, Michi ends up in Kaso-Machi, a bewitched Japanese town filled with many mysteries, including its quirky mascots.
Gameplay and exploration
The core gameplay loop involves traversing the open world in an upgradeable vehicle (the Kei Truck) while managing the town’s odd mascots. These include Trororo, a chatty cat with a fascination for adult films, and To-Fu, who cries non-stop. Your mission is to wander through the town, discover these mascots, and guide them along their journeys.
In addition to these mascots, players can form friendships with heroes who will reward you with Hero Cards for battles. Each mascot has its own distinct side story, allowing you to delve deeper into their backgrounds. As one Steam review puts it, “It’s like a business side-story from the Yakuza series transformed into a full game.”
Positive reception on Steam
The game launched on April 10th and has received an “Overwhelmingly Positive” rating based on 820 reviews on Steam. It also holds a score of “77” on Metacritic, derived from 17 critic reviews.
However, the game has faced some critiques, particularly that its systems tend to feel a bit shallow toward the end. User feedback on Steam appreciates the character development and narrative but notes that the open world can come across as somewhat barren. Additionally, the tasks you send mascots on can feel repetitive. Some reviews highlight frustrations with certain unwinnable card battles as well.
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