Promise Mascot Agency

The story had potential, but the way it was told made it feel very corny. The washed-out filter and the low-quality 3d models can be a vibe, but they aren't especially exciting to look at. Unfortunately did not vibe with the 2d illustrations at all, they looked distinctly western style and did not fit in. The characters weren't very appealing either, Pinkie was amusing at times but mostly annoying and they got the legendary voice actor who voice Kiryuu in the actual Like a Dragon series to voice the main character, but because of his lines he comes off as a chump. The gameplay itself is traveling between the pretty big map and sending mascots you hire to jobs to earn money. Well, the map felt pretty empty, there were some things to do strewn about, but nothing felt really fun to do. You can't even explore at your leisure, because the in-game time flows automatically and you will be hit with bills you need to pay at eod everyday, so you need to be constantly sending mascots to work and earning money. Also the truck controls feel clunky.

It's like playing a Yakuza minigame but then it's the entire game.

I just started this game today and played 1.5 hrs, even at this point I cannot explain how unbelievably GOOD this is. It’s BEAUTIFUL in every single way, totally unhinged and joyful. Smooth as butter to play, so polished. And runs like a dream on steam deck fyi. I had a smile on my face the whole time, I just couldn’t help it, Can’t wait to play more. Just buy it, you’ll love it. Also Pinky is goated 🌟

it's just a good game tbh

Promise Mascot Agency is a wonderful game I wholeheartedly recommend, but it’s also the kind of game I think can be tough to convince others to take a chance on because of certain barriers. This isn’t meant as a mark against the quality of it, but there are things about its structure that are worth being upfront about. First, there’s a lot of reading, as well as dialogue that’s backed by a delightful Japanese voice cast, that’s not unlike something you would see in a visual novel. I can say confidently that you’re getting a great and wholesome story here, but I get that for some people it’s just not what they come to video games for. Second, one of the primary methods to advance the story is indeed managing your agency of mascots, but because this isn’t a simulation akin to Sim City or Theme Hospital, the gameplay leans more toward in service of progressing the story. There’s enough there to keep you engaged, but others might desire just a few more layers. But this game truly is worth making space in your life for if anything at all in the various trailers speaks to you. I would also encourage trying the demo to get a pretty fair shake of what you’ll be doing and the general vibe the developers crafted. For a quick sum, you’ll rely on a simple delivery truck as your method of traveling around the small Japanese countryside town of Kaso-Machi, which is full of charm, mystery, and classic video game map icons to interact with. If you’re adventurous enough, your truck will upgrade and have you moving around the map in a satisfying state of flow like a certain bounty hunter. Time exists here, so days passing by will matter as nightly bills are due and your employees take breaks and earn their pay share reviews. While taking a break from driving, gameplay revolves around navigating menus and selecting the best work for each of your mascots based on their skills. What follows is largely hands-off until a mascot gets into trouble and requires help. This amounts to a simple battle where cards representing the citizens of Kaso-Machi are used to deal damage to the particular source of trouble. Each card has its strengths in damage types and can be upgraded via quests and other methods. Upgraded cards become more important as your mascots take on higher level work. These were all fun distractions, and I think for most people that today are looking for video games that don’t ask too much of them will find something here to relax and enjoy. On that note, there is a story-related time pressure for earning money that appears after around the first few hours. However, I didn’t find the normal difficulty to be too demanding, but there is an option to lower this if it becomes a sticking point, so no real worries there. Likely what has me still thinking about this game today and probably long after is the world that the developers crafted here. The setting is rich in character, the cast are all interesting with problems that can be related to, the soundtrack is too good to be missed, and if you’re a fan of Yakuza/Like a Dragon and/or Persona, I think you’ll really appreciate Kaso-Machi because I have to believe this team are big fans, too. The UFO catcher and real-life photos of food were a nice touch, just saying. If there’s one last thing I can say, and why I want to recommend this game, it’s that I think it tells a story about an inspirational little town that really speaks to people who don’t want to accept this meaner, nastier version of the real world certain people are trying to cultivate. Kaso-Machi is a refreshing example of a diverse, complex community of people working together to change things that are both wrong and destructive. It’s the kind of hopeful story I’ve cherished among some of the greats, like Dragon Quest, and I think they’re even more important today. To Kaizen, I bought your previous game after finishing PMA, so consider me a returning customer. Also, Pinky belongs in the hall of great video game characters.

divertido, mas vc precisa gostar bastante de ler

it has that "one more thing/turn" magnet to it that make me keep playing lol.

This game is an absolute gem. It somehow manages to capture an 80s vibe despite being set in current times. The characters are colorful and well fleshed out, and the gameplay loop makes for a very fun couch game. My only gripe is that it's easy to put your savegame into an unwinnable state if player income is not high enough when the main story is advanced to the point where the ATM mechanic is brought in. Overall though, great game.

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This silly game had NO right to be as amazing as it was. the game play was addicting the story was engaging and had a surprisingly delicate touch with some sensitive issues. Bought this cause Kiryu's VA was in it stayed cause this was a legit fun game. Probably the most fun I've had with a game in 2026 so far