It’s been a few months since I first played the demo for Promise Mascot Agency, the new open-world management sim from Paradise Killer dev Kaizen Game Works, but I still remember asking myself in disbelief, what the hell is this game? And then quickly declaring, I love it.
Full disclosure: Promise Mascot Agency is effin’ weird. If you understandably don’t have the mental capacity to deal with a management sim that’s also partly a visual novel about an exiled Yakuza who invests in a love hotel turned Mascot Agency, with quests and characters that make Like a Dragon’s most unhinged moments seem banal by comparison, I would just turn away right now.
However, if you, like me, are a freak, maybe check it out! After all, almost everyone on Steam seems to really like it. With 98% positive reviews, it’s a bonafide hit on the platform, with users praising Kiryu actor Takaya Kuroda’s performance as the main character, clever writing, and most of all, chaotic good vibes.
That’s what I remember most from playing it too. The actual gameplay mechanics are nothing to write home about, although there are some really fun minigames, and while the story is as amusing as the wildest Yakuza sidequest, it’s really the lovingly crafted world that sells the package. There’s a ton of heart packed into this irresistibly charming little game, and there’s truly nothing else like it.
It’s important to note that it isn’t just weird for weird’s sake; it’s weird with intention, jam-packed with nods to Japanese folklore and mascots inspired by yokai. In fact, maybe Promise Mascot Agency isn’t actually weird at all; it’s just extremely and unabashedly Japanese, which can come across as bizarre and eccentric to Western-minded players. Actually, I can’t imagine it’s not just a little weird to Japanese gamers too, but I’d imagine they’re a little more used to this kind of stuff.
Anyway, forget about Blue Prince. Put the notepad away, turn off your brain, and indulge in the Japanese fever dream that is Promise Mascot Agency.
Or you can pick something from our list of the best JRPGs.
