Promise Mascot Agency review

• Available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Switch and PC
• Released on 10 April 2025
• Developed by Kaizen Game Works

Reviving a mascot agency to pay off a yakuza debt probably isn’t on most people’s bingo cards for 2025, but in Promise Mascot Agency, it makes perfect sense. This quirky open-world adventure from Kaizen Game Works (yep, the Paradise Killer folks) is weird, endearing, and totally its own thing – even if its repetitive gameplay might test your patience.

You play as Michi, an exiled former yakuza member looking to redeem himself by fixing up the rundown town of Kaso-Machi. The method? Turning the local mascot agency into a booming business. That means recruiting mascots, sending them off on jobs, and generally making the town a place worth visiting again. Oh, and there might be a curse involved too.

Forget on-foot exploration: you’ll be driving everywhere in a beat-up little truck that you’ll grow weirdly fond of. It’s your trusty companion as you roam around picking up trash (sometimes literally), discovering collectibles, and unlocking new ways to earn cash.

Early on, this might mean scouring for piles of coins or bashing garbage heaps. Later, you’ll have multiple agencies in different towns raking in passive income while you send money back to keep your old clan safe. It’s a bizarre loop, but surprisingly compelling.

At the heart of it all is the mascot management system. You’ll assign your cuddly crew to gigs based on stamina and personality, and occasionally step in to resolve mishaps via super-simple card battles. These start out amusing but quickly become more of a chore than a highlight. Thankfully, upgrades come thick and fast, making failure nearly impossible. Which, ironically, makes helping out feel a bit pointless.

Promise Mascot Agency thrives on its eccentric charm, from the outlandish characters to the cheerful chaos of managing mascots and exploring in your scrappy truck. But its repetitive structure and simplistic mechanics do wear thin after a while. If you’re here for the vibes, oddball humour and the thrill of building a mascot empire from the ground up, there’s a good time to be had. Just don’t expect a gameplay revolution.

Some players will bounce off it hard. Others will be completely smitten. Either way, it’s one of the most distinct games of the year – and that’s worth celebrating.