Promise Mascot Agency

Release Date: April 10, 2025

Adventure, TPP, sandbox, RPG elements, humorous, indie games, simulation elements, singleplayer

7.9

OpenCritic

100%

Steam

Rate It!

A third person adventure game with RPG and simulation elements. Promise Mascot Agency provides us with an open world and features voices from personalities such as Shuhei Yoshida, SWERY or Takaya Kuroda (Kazuma Kiryu in the Like a Dragon series). The game is about running the titular mascot agency, controlling a former Yakuza lieutenant named Michi.

Gameplay
Story
Cast of actors

Promise Mascot Agency is an adventure game with RPG and simulation elements, in which we run the titular mascot agency. The game was developed by the independent studio Kaizen Game Works, which has the game Paradise Killer in its portfolio.

Gameplay

In Promise Mascot Agency we watch events from a third-person perspective (TPP).

Main goal of the game

The game provides us with an open world, which we traverse behind the wheel of a car. The main element of the gameplay is managing the titular agency, which involves the need to hire mascots and take care of them when they work for us.

Mascots and their recruitment

The matter is complicated by the fact that in the city of Kaso-Machi, we can only find mascots who were unable to find work anywhere else. As it turns out, they are not unemployed without reason. Each of them has a unique personality, but also not necessarily positive traits.

This does not change the fact that before being hired in our agency, mascots engage in hard negotiations about the terms of cooperation. While some require cash to agree to our proposal, others may demand fame or a specific item.

Solving problems

Hiring individual mascots is just the tip of the iceberg. We send our subordinates on missions to gain experience and earn money for us. They can get into trouble and we may need to help them. Problem solving is presented here in the form of card duels played in turn-based mode.

We need helpers for that, such as Pinky, the mascot who has been accompanying us since the beginning of the adventure, the local superhero known as Captain Sign, or Mama-San, the owner of the local bar. Each of them was equipped with unique abilities, which come in handy in certain situations.

Development of mascots

All of this is worth the effort, because as we progress, we develop our mascots using various perks. Thanks to this, over time they are getting better at handling responsibilities, and as a result - they are earning more money for us.

Story

Promise Mascot Agency takes us to an alternative version of Japan, where mascots are living creatures sharing the world with humans. The main character of the game is a former Yakuza lieutenant named Michi. After he was disgraced, the protagonist was banished by his clan and sent to the city of Kaso-Machi. His task is to transform a bankrupt mascot agency into a profitable business, and consequently - to pay off his gigantic debt.

It's not easy, because at first glance, not much is happening in Kaso-Machi, and on top of that, the town has been cursed. As if that wasn't enough, behind Michi's exile lies a conspiracy that he must unravel.

Cast of actors

In Promise Mascot Agency we can hear a number of well-known personalities who embody specific characters. The game features, among others: Takaya Kuroda (voice actor who lent his voice to Kazuma Kiryu in the Like a Dragon series) playing Michio, Ayano Shibuya (Purah in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom) appearing as Pinky, Shuhei Yoshida (former head of the indie games department at Sony Interactive Entertainment) playing MonoGue, and Hidetaka Suehiro (developer using the pseudonym SWERY) appearing as Kannushi-kun.

Videos and Screens

[1:23] Promise Mascot Agency - Release Date Trailer

7.9

OpenCritic Rating

Game is Recomended by 79% of Critics. There are 28 Critic Reviews.

OpenCritic

SteamDeckHQ: 4 / 5 by Noah Kupetsky

Promise Mascot Agency is a great game with loads of charm that can feel repetitive the longer you play. The story and characters are fantastic, making the gorgeous town of Kaso-Machi more enjoyable to travel around and discover. The gameplay is enjoyable, and I like the open-world collecting mixed with business management, but it gets a little too repetitive as your agency grows, discouraging me from sending mascots on more jobs. Still, I had a blast playing the game, and it's definitely worth experiencing. It also runs really well on the Steam Deck, which is a nice touch. It definitely has some wiggle room to enhance the experience, but once done, it's the best way to enjoy the game!

Full Review

Push Square: 8 / 10 by Stephen Tailby

Despite its disparate elements you've probably seen before, you've never played a game quite like Promise Mascot Agency, a game that smashes together a crime drama story, management sim mechanics, and open world exploration. While there are some rough edges and repetitive aspects, this hangs together thanks to an engrossing story, compelling progression, and unusual but likeable characters. Greater than the sum of its parts, this unique game has cult hit written all over it.

Full Review

RPG Fan: 90 / 100 by Tom Naylor

Promise Mascot Agency is a genre-busting, no-holds-barred, utterly gonzo adventure and is certain to be a new favourite for many.

Full Review

100%