Promise Mascot Agency Review: Absurdly Fun

“If it’s not fun, why bother?” This quote from Reggie, which has aged like fine wine, perfectly describes the current landscape of video games. Today’s video games are many things, but most aren’t fun. Promise Macot Agency, on the other hand, is many things, but most importantly, it’s fun.

Promise Mascot Agency is a delightful and absurdist management sim that combines quirky gameplay mechanics, retro-tinted visuals, and a comedic take on the genre. It is an indie-adventure-role-playing-simulation-strategy game developed by Kaizen Game Works, The game is set in the cursed town of Kaso-Machi, where mascots are living creatures rather than humans in costumes.

Ten Years in the Joint to Ten-Billion-Yen

Promise Mascot Agency, you play as Michi, a Yakuza lieutenant exiled to this peculiar town after a botched deal. Having played the entire Yakuza series, I was profoundly surprised to hear Takaya Kuroda’s voice (the voice of Kiryu Kazuma from the Like A Dragon Series) as Michi. In some ways, the prologue closely resembles the turning point of the first Yakuza game where Kiryu ends up in the clink for 10 years for a crime he did not commit and yet takes the blame for his oath brother. Michi’s beginnings in the game take a similar turn when he takes the fall for a botched 10 billion yen deal.

Tasked with running a mascot agency to repay his debt, Michi must navigate the town’s eccentric characters, uncover conspiracies, and manage his team of mascots. The game balances absurdity with a thoughtful representation of a dying town, blending humor with a deeper narrative about community, corruption, and personal redemption.

A bulk of its narrative is delivered in the form of a persona-style visual novel with vibrant artwork and over-the-top satirical character tropes that ensure the game remains vibrant and cheerful despite the dark and sad realities of the society it tackles. I rarely found myself dozing off while playing through its campaign, even at late nights.

Welcome to Kaso-Machi

Like Kaizen Game Work’s previous title Paradise Killer, Promise Mascot Agency juggles genres. The gameplay is a mix of management simulation and open-world exploration. Players recruit mascots and meet new clients, each with unique personalities and abilities, and send them on jobs to earn money. The management sim features are engaging, with tasks ranging from hiring mascots to upgrading facilities. The visuals are inspired by retro aesthetics, creating a charming and nostalgic atmosphere that complements the game’s humor.

The city of Kaso-machi is filled with activities to do. You will be driving a truck with your trusty sidekick Pinky whom you can fire up as a missile to do most of these things as many of these activities become repetitive over time, and thus, it never gets dull. Be it cleaning the town, taking down election promotional banners, cleansing sinners, renovating the city, hiring contractors, or buying upgrades for your agency, there is enough material to keep you hooked.

The best, however, is the strategy card game that takes place if there is an incident with one of the mascots while they are posted on a job. Mascots can encounter potential hazards like getting stuck in a crooked footpath railing or a door, being chased by bees, being drenched by a faulty beer tap, or being chased by a stalker. This is where you come in to help with the support cards that you can get from a client or buy from a store.

Using these cards, you can help your mascot in danger and save money from the job at risk. It’s incredibly hilarious and strategic at the same time. As you progress, these cards can be upgraded to tackle high-payment jobs. The jobs in themselves are quite diverse, requiring certain types of mascots and stamina levels to accomplish the task at hand. That being said, these card games may tend to become frustrating if you have a very large number of incidents at hand. So, it is always better for the player to give help items and select the right mascot for the job to keep these things at bay.

As Relaxing as it Gets

What truly sets Promise Mascot Agency apart is its over-the-top comedic approach. The mascots themselves are hilariously bizarre, from Pinky, a severed pinky finger obsessed with Yakuza culture, to Salary Nyan, a depressed salaryman cat. My personal favorite was Trororo- a pink gummy bear who hates pixelated AVs and will do anything to fix that. Most of the in-game dialogues are snappy, and the situations are often laugh-out-loud funny, making the game a joy to play.

For fans of the Like A Dragon series, this game offers a familiar yet refreshing experience. The Yakuza-inspired themes, combined with the game’s humor and heartfelt moments, make it particularly appealing to this audience. It’s a fun and relaxing game that doesn’t take itself too seriously, providing a perfect escape into a world of absurdity and charm. If you’re looking for a unique and entertaining experience, Promise Mascot Agency is well worth your time.

Real Talk

Promise Mascot Agency is one of the most hilarious and engaging indie management sims ever. Despite its limited scope, it pushes ahead of its comfort and has hours of hilarious content engrained into its city of Kaso-machi. It is undoubtedly the most fun and relaxing game we have had this year.

FINAL SCORE: 90/100