Promise Mascot Agency review: This may sound strange, but believe me.

      “Promise Mascot Agency is a delightfully unpredictable yakuza adventure filled with eccentricity.”

      **Pros**

      - Eccentric energy

      - Humorous writing

      - Numerous quirky mascots to encounter

      - Gameplay that keeps you guessing

      **Cons**

      - Simplistic card game mechanics

      - The open world can become repetitive

      Upon my arrival in Kaso-Machi, it feels as though I've entered a deserted town. The Japanese island, central to Promise Mascot Agency from Kaizen Game Works, is enveloped in a brown fog. It's unsettlingly silent, devoid of any pedestrians. I assume it’s completely deserted, but that’s not true. Instead, it has been brought down to poverty by a mayor indifferent to the plight of his citizens. For the next 15 hours, I take it upon myself to rectify that situation and revive a place stifled by corruption. This journey highlights the significance of community, a strength that surpasses any ruling authority.

      Additionally, my closest companions are a constantly weeping block of tofu and a cat with a penchant for adult content. To me, this encapsulates what gaming is all about.

      Promise Mascot Agency combines serious sociopolitical insights with playful absurdity to create an open-world experience that is both profound and so bizarre, it may sound unbelievable when recounted to friends. It’s akin to a playable anime, a detailed business simulator, a card-collecting game, and Forza Horizon rolled into one.

      Does this mix of concepts work flawlessly? Can its indie essence offset the monotony often found in open-world games? Just hop in the truck already; we need to set up dial-up internet in the sex hotel.

      **Running a business**

      Drawing clear inspiration from the Like a Dragon series, Promise Mascot Agency weaves a complex narrative of Yakuza conflict and political deceit amid whimsical video game antics. After a rival clan pilfers their funds, Michi, a feared cleaner known as “The Janitor,” is dispatched to Kaso-Machi to reclaim the lost money by seizing control of a mascot agency. It’s a perilous task for Michi, as the town curses men, causing gradual demise. Before I can fully grasp the criminal setup, I'm dropped off at an empty sex hotel managed by Pinky, a living finger, who is perpetually irate.

      If that description has you taken aback, just wait—there's more.

      Kaizen Game Works

      Promise Mascot Agency makes an immediate and striking impact in its initial act. I soon discover that my goal is to recruit costumed mascots from around the town and assign them to local businesses in need. A newly opened plastic model shop? That’s perfect for my surfer buddy. An adult video store is hosting a promotion? I’ve got just the right mascot for that. Everything is organized through an efficient job management system where I assign mascots to tasks based on their personality, motivation, and stamina. The better they perform and the more complex the task, the more money I earn to reinvest in the town and my agency.

      Sounds simple, right? Not quite. The true absurdity lies in how seriously Kaizen Game Works treats such a ridiculous premise. Each time I recruit a new mascot, I must negotiate their contract, deciding their pay, bonuses, and vacation time which makes them unavailable after several jobs. Balancing my earnings with a capricious cast of cartoonish personalities, who refuse to work for free, keeps me on my toes. I can opt to take advantage of them, but that would negatively impact their motivation. It's a business management simulation that parodies anime tropes.

      And let’s not forget, it’s also a card game where I must defeat minor obstacles and swarms of bees using support characters I collect. Sometimes, my mascots fumble their tasks and become distracted by various challenges, from angry spirits to precariously stacked boxes upended by their clumsy antics. When that happens, I have one minute to deplete the obstacle's health by playing from a hand of collectible hero cards with their own costs and damage abilities. While the card game element feels rather simplistic and lacks strategic depth, it contributes to the comedic visual chaos of the game.

      Players are continuously left guessing about what surprises lie ahead.

      Oh, I also need to spend my earnings on improving amenities at my sex hotel headquarters and boosting local businesses, leading to more job opportunities and ensuring my mascots stay well-hydrated. Additionally, I must forge social connections with my mascots to learn more about their stories. And let’s not forget the claw machine—each mascot has merchandise I can collect, which I need to retrieve from giant claw machines scattered across town to sell elsewhere for more income. That’s almost everything—oh, and subcontractors! I can eventually hire subcontractor mascots for remote jobs to earn passive income. Plus, there’s