Promise Mascot Company‘s unique reveal trailer contained the phrases “From the creators of Paradise Killer,” and that is all that wanted to be stated to know I used to be on board. Paradise Killer was a recreation of immaculate vibes and eccentricity, so I hoped that, on the naked minimal, Promise Mascot Company could be related in that regard.
Fortunately, Promise Mascot Company is much more zany than developer Kaizen Sport Works’ first recreation. I imply, look, the idea alone is loopy sufficient: A disgraced Yakuza should make amends for a merger deal gone awry, and to take action, he has to run a mascot company out of a dinky love lodge in a city cursed to kill any Yakuza that enter. That is actually simply the tip of the iceberg.
Kaso-Machi, the Cursed City of Promise Mascot Company
The city of Kaso-Machi, Japan is one which’s means behind within the instances. It is extremely matted and forgotten. As such, Kaso-Machi is so woefully dilapidated that its infrastructure and tradition are principally caught within the 80s.
That is the setting of Promise Mascot Company, and the place the participant character, Michi, turns that ol’ love lodge I discussed right into a mascot company. It is his final hope after a Yakuza enterprise deal goes unhealthy, and he must make some huge cash, and quick. With the assistance of fine enterprise choices and, in fact, mascots, you would possibly simply have the ability to break even.
Mascots are usually not individuals in cartoonish fits on this world — they’re actual, residing beings. We’re launched to Pinky, a literal sentient severed finger, however alongside the best way, we’ll meet so many extra wild and inventive characters. Mascots take the type of just about something: a bit of crying tofu, a sentient burial mound, and even a split-open unagi eel with a crown.
Mascots are the spine of what you are promoting, and you are not capable of generate profits with out their assist. You are ranging from absolutely the backside, thoughts you, so you may should persuade these mascots to hitch up by providing interesting contracts. The higher the contract (i.e. a bigger share for the roles they full, or paid break day), the happier they’re.
Managing Mascots in Promise Mascot Company
However what are these mascots doing, anyway? Because the city of Kaso-Machi slowly rises up from the ashes as you full new jobs and errands for its inhabitants, alternatives pop up for mascots to characterize completely different manufacturers. The principle solution to generate profits is by having these mascots characterize sure retailers and locales round city.
And that is all the place the enterprise administration facet of Promise Mascot Company is available in. Giving mascots offers so that you just’re capable of take a big sufficient portion to pay your payments, all of the whereas reinvesting cash into the city and enterprise, creates a fascinating gameplay loop that continuously introduces new mechanics.
Often, issuing out new jobs to mascots is a passive exercise. Choose the job that matches what sort of mascot is required (some are creepy, some are cute, and so on), and after a number of in-game hours, it is best to see some cash coming in. Sadly, it is not at all times that clean as these mascots are likely to run into hassle throughout the job.
Coming to a mascot’s support is an important a part of Promise Mascot Company. It is as much as you if you wish to assist them, however do not anticipate more money from the job in case you allow them to fail. Do you have to support them, a cutscene will play. A mascot would possibly get caught in a door, or, befitting the sport’s total playful tone, stalkers would possibly harass and bizarre your mascots out on the job.
This brings forth a bit of minigame that includes playing cards. I do know, most individuals both love or hate card mechanics, nevertheless it’s a reasonably easy and quick facet of Promise Mascot Company‘s gameplay. These playing cards, or “Mascot Help Heroes” as they’re known as, have values that take a sure variety of factors off a life bar.
Playing cards have power, so you want to be sure you do not run out of power and totally deplete that life bar. Some playing cards give extra power, some draw extra playing cards, or some even do each. It is tough at first since your playing cards aren’t highly effective to start out, nevertheless it turns into a tad uninteresting to play after your playing cards improve into rather more highly effective ones.
It is also only a bit annoying to have a number of mascots in want of emergency on the similar time, taking your consideration away from no matter it was you have been doing within the city of Kaso-Machi. You may mitigate this by giving mascots assist gadgets on the job, however generally it is inevitable, and you will have to divert your consideration to this considerably repetitive mechanic.
Bringing Life Again to Kaso-Machi, One Mile at a Time
Fortunately, failure or not, you generate profits. Investing this money in your company buffs your mascots’ power ranges and permits you to pull in a bit of additional dough. In the meantime, placing that cash again into the city opens up new alternatives by renovating touristy areas, thereby opening up potential for much more jobs along with your mascots.
Seeing the city of Kaso-Machi slowly however absolutely revive itself is a gratifying gaming expertise. The city begins out quiet, damaged, and has trash in every single place. Cleansing up trash, investing within the city, and progressing the story creates a busier and extra vigorous city, as if it have been recovering from a near-fatal sickness.
Promise Mascot Company additionally manages to face out in the best way it permits you to discover Kaso-Machi. You management Michi via his helpful Kei truck, a small and utilitarian car present in Japan. You are capable of discover just about each inch of the city with it, and because it seems, that is fairly the versatile machine. That is the meat and potatoes of the gameplay.
The Kei truck is supplied with boosters, and finally you could find upgrades that’ll flip it into a ship or perhaps a glider. It is simply the kind of wackiness you’d come to anticipate from Promise Mascot Company, and makes exploration fairly pleasing. Ultimately, you possibly can launch Pinky from the again of the truck like a missile to wash up trash and knock down boundaries.
The city can also be crammed with a daft quantity of collectibles and elective targets, however they do not really feel like a chore to finish. Extras are clearly marked on the map of Kaso-Machi and so, in case you’re driving round, you are certain to return throughout them naturally versus going out of your means.
These collectibles normally contribute to some form of gameplay mechanic, too — both by supplying you with cash or including to your company’s reputation — so it is not a waste to exit and discover them. Collectibles, mixed with managing your company, speaking and aiding townsfolk, and upgrading issues along with your funds, create a gameplay loop that assures there’s at all times one thing to do.
A Compelling Narrative Grips Gamers in Promise Mascot Company
Doing enterprise, creating wealth, and exploration are all very important parts of Promise Mascot Company. It is a recreation that additionally locations heavy emphasis on narrative and dialogue. There are a whole lot of characters right here, every well-written and with their very personal, distinctive personalities. I am not simply speaking in regards to the mascots, I imply the human characters, too.
There are many allies in Kaso-Machi who’re upset with the state of affairs. The city they grew up in is not thriving. The mayor is suspected of being corrupt, taking cash for his personal profit and never the city. The townsfolk wish to assist, they usually’ll all do it in their very own means. You may very doubtless get connected to those characters and their tales.
On the coronary heart of Promsie Mascot Company‘s story is a thriller, too. This makes for a compelling solution to maintain gamers centered on the story as an alternative of simply gathering as a lot cash as attainable. Mysteries like, why does the city curse any Yakuza who enter? What’s with the enormous tanuki statue within the lake? And why are there individuals spying on you, as if to sabotage what you are promoting?
Like Paradise Killer, there’s a really charming thriller at play right here that slowly comes collectively as you progress. And it is all wrapped on this retro-Japanese setting that respects the nation and understands its tradition properly. If the enterprise mechanics or exploration aren’t all that attention-grabbing, then on the very least, the thriller will maintain you going.
My solely grievance in regard to the story is that it desperately wants a chat log. There’s fairly a little bit of dialogue, and there isn’t any means to return and see what was stated. The narrative has a whole lot of shifting components, so it could assist to have one thing to refer again to.
I additionally briefly touched on the general aesthetic of Promise Mascot Company, however actually, phrases do not do it justice. The mix of graphics, music, and artwork design creates an entirely distinctive expertise in contrast to any I’ve performed.
The mascots and different characters are merely pleasant and exceedingly artistic. There are additionally a whole lot of menus in Promise Mascot Company, however the UI is designed in such an interesting means that it exhibits an excessive amount of thought was put into the presentation.
The graphics, then again, have this grainy, barely unsaturated filter to make Kaso-Machi look a bit extra antiquated and out-of-date. And the music, do not get me began on how good it’s. It has this spunky high quality to it, not too dissimilar from Persona 4, truly. The soundtrack serves as the right backdrop to exploring the city.
Promise Mascot Company Assessment | Remaining Ideas
One final situation: when you hit a sure level within the story, you may should proceed to deposit money to repay your debt. The timer can really feel a bit hectic and strict at first, making it tough to improve the city and company so you can also make more cash. Ultimately, you hit some extent the place you are raking the the dough, nevertheless it makes this comparatively chill recreation a bit worrying.
However for the way a lot I loved it, Promise Mascot Company is a tricky recreation to speak about. It is tough to place into phrases why it really works so properly. Mechanics are launched steadily in order to not overwhelm gamers, however in case you take a step again, you possibly can see there are a whole lot of completely different shifting components. That is what makes it such a fascinating recreation, although.
That is such an endearing title, and although it may possibly take care of extra critical topic issues, Promise Mascot Company fills me with pleasure. Enjoyable driving and exploration with an absolute masterclass soundtrack, mixed with the satisfaction of seeing what you are promoting and the city thrive, creates a gaming expertise that may stick with me for years to return.
Promise Mascot Company was reviewed over roughly 20 hours of gameplay on PC with a key supplied by the developer. All screenshots have been taken throughout the overview course of.