In-Depth Analysis of Promise Mascot Agency

Kaizen Game Works first caught my attention with their 2020 release, Paradise Killer—a narrative adventure brimming with exploration and engaging prose, richly populated by an array of vibrant characters. Initially, I thought their new game, Promise Mascot Agency, didn’t seem to have much in common with Paradise Killer. But after diving into its captivating world for nearly twenty hours, I’ve come to realize that Kaizen Game Works is a studio that should never be judged too quickly. Promise Mascot Agency might resist being pinned down by traditional labels, but I strongly encourage anyone seeking something refreshingly unique—or simply a quality game—to give it a try.

In this game, you step into the shoes of Michi, known in yakuza circles as The Janitor. He’s botched a job so badly that his mobster family has declared him dead and banished him to Kaso-Machi, a small town in Japan’s Kyushu province. This place supposedly carries a curse that dooms any male yakuza who visits. Michi’s mission? Revive a struggling mascot agency and use its profits to settle his enormous debt. Mascots, it turns out, are quirky, lively beings that employers hire to jazz up events and attract attention. It’s up to you—and your sidekick Pinky, a mascot resembling a severed pinky finger— to elevate Promise Mascot Agency to the pinnacle of success in Japan. Along the way, you’ll unravel the town’s myriad secrets and stories.

Normally, this is where I’d start comparing the game I’m reviewing to other well-known titles. But Promise Mascot Agency is in a league of its own. It’s a narrative adventure that lets you explore a compact open world, completing tasks for the townsfolk, recruiting fresh mascots, and assisting them in chasing their goals. Much of the gameplay involves zipping around town in a clunky, old truck, getting familiar with the citizens. You stay inside your vehicle—it’s designed so you don’t have to worry about fall damage or crashing. As you upgrade the truck, you’ll be jumping and boosting around hills and even into the water, deepening your connection to the town of Kaso-Machi. The game fully embraces its quirky nature, making the characters surprisingly relatable. Whether it’s Trororo, a mascot coated in yam with an unusual dream of promoting Adult Videos, or Miss Wambui, a dedicated human exchange teacher who can’t bear to leave her students or the charming countryside, Promise Mascot Agency is teeming with memorable personalities. The writing shines, enhancing the creative design of all the mascots. By the end, I’m hankering for merchandise featuring To-Fu, Neko Roll, and Koke-Maru.

When you send mascots out on jobs, there’s a chance things might go awry. At this point, the game shifts into a card-battler minigame where you’ll need the townspeople of Kaso-Machi as Support Heroes to save the day. This could involve anything from misplaced boxes to faulty vending machines or fanatic fans derailing a mascot’s event. You have sixty seconds to diminish the health bar of the troublemaker object by strategically playing cards, each with its own stats and actions. You start with just two action points per battle, but chaining cards can boost your actions, letting you play costlier cards or draw new ones. Initially, solving these problems can be tricky, but by helping and chatting with your Support Heroes, you can strengthen them. As the game progresses, you’ll start to see how everything ties together. Your profits soar as you enhance the Promise Mascot Agency, and the town blossoms alongside it. What might initially appear dark and moody reveals itself to be delightfully heartwarming. As I learned the town’s ins and outs, the exploration felt immensely rewarding.

It’s the finer details where Promise Mascot Agency really excels. Although not every line is voice-acted, the cutscenes and mascot introductions are fully voiced, bringing each character vividly to life. I particularly appreciate how, when making choices as Michi, you see the intent or emotion behind his dialogue rather than the exact words. I’d love to see this approach more often in narrative-driven games; it balances freedom of choice for the player with flexibility for the game’s writers. Just like Paradise Killer, Promise Mascot Agency evokes the same enthralling emotions, which is the highest praise I can offer. Kaizen Game Works has truly embraced its identity, creating what I believe is an even better game than before. The soundtrack, featuring artist Alpha Chrome Yayo, adds a perfect layer with its unique blend of lo-fi, Japanese City Pop, and ‘90s arcade vibes—ideal for Kaso-Machi.

Unfortunately, the Nintendo Switch version is not without flaws. Inconsistencies in framerate, slow rendering of assets, lengthy loading times, and pop-in issues when navigating the open world can detract from the experience. If you have access to another platform, it might be best to avoid the Switch version. Although the game nods to a retro era, it doesn’t mean you want those visuals or performance issues. I experienced two software crashes, and the last act was plagued by more frequent stuttering and minor glitches.

Even though I appreciated the freedom to tackle tasks and chapter progression at my own pace, I ended up breezing through the final chapters after maxing out the agency’s efficiency. Promise Mascot Agency doesn’t rigorously gate progress, but my advice to future players is to balance your focus. Don’t neglect the main storyline and make sure to engage with your mascots whenever they prompt a ‘life satisfaction review’. Completing all reviews in one go, as I did towards the game’s conclusion, isn’t ideal. This is partly due to the overwhelming amount of interconnected systems early on. Take your time, chat with Pinky during your drives, and interact with interesting characters you encounter.

Promise Mascot Agency is reminiscent of a beloved cult game from the PS2 and GameCube era. It’s made with love and dedication, presenting a fun narrative, delightful characters, and an intricately crafted world. In a gaming industry that’s becoming increasingly cautious, Promise Mascot Agency feels remarkably refreshing. But more than that, it embodies confidence: confidence in its bizarre universe and its unconventional gameplay paired with a story centered on realizing dreams. The joy the creators had in crafting this world and its inhabitants is palpable. Promise Mascot Agency offers an experience quite unlike any other. Just explore it on your platform of choice for the best experience, and let it leave a lasting impression on your gaming journey.