19) Promise Mascot Agency (2025)

Promise Mascot Agency, the second game from developer Kaizen Game Works, is one of those games that if I describe it, you'll immediately know whether or not it's for you. You play as Michi, a yakuza lieutenant known as "The Janitor", who is disgraced when an assignment goes wrong. Instead of killing him outright, he's banished to a small town that's cursed to kill yakuza men and put in charge of a failing mascot agency turned love motel. It's up to you to recruit mascots, turn the business and the town around while getting to the bottom of the curse, and ultimately gain back the money that was lost. You accomplish this by driving around the town in your rundown truck, making friends, and solving mysteries.

If you read that fever dream of a plot synopsis, you may wonder what kind of game this is exactly. The developer describes it as "the world's first (and best) open world mascot management crime drama." While that description is certainly true, it hardly begins to describe the wonderful hodgepodge of game mechanics under the hood. The majority of your time will be driving around in an impressively large open world. You see, despite playing as Michi, you never directly control him. Instead, all of your exploration is via his truck. If you think that might be limiting, fret not, as the truck is fully upgradeable via tracking down spirit foxes. Doing so enhances the truck, making it faster, seaworthy, and even capable of flight.

The rest of the game is a combination of visual novel style storytelling and mascot management. In this world, mascots are living creatures and treated much like humans. They get hired for promotional events and, of course, mascot competitions. As you progress through the game, you'll recruit a group of down and out mascots, giving them another chance to prove their worth. After recruiting them and negotiating their benefits, you can put them to work and slowly get to know them. Mascot competitions, being one of your primary ways to increase your reputation and earn money, play out mostly off screen. That is, until something comical causes a problem. Then, it's up to you to send support to help the mascot through whatever wacky problem has arisen. This is done via a small card game, because of course it is.

As odd as the premise and the combination of gamestyles may sound, it all works incredibly well. Every part of the game feels polished and complete, with nothing feeling tacked on. The story, though silly, is incredibly charming and engaging. It's equal parts yakuza crime drama and underdog "we have to put on a show to save the camp" vibes. The characters are fully voiced acted in Japanese. While an English dub may have worked, I feel the subbed nature only adds to the charm. This is helped, in no small part, by the amazing voice talent. Takaya Kuroda, who voices Kazuma Kiryu in the Yakuza games, fittingly provides the voice of Michi.

In addition to the main plot, you can get to know the oddballs you pick up along the way, learning more about them and, at times, playing therapist. Even the weirdest and least likable among the mascots opens up and, with your help, grows and becomes better. Whether it's helping them build confidence, find their true calling, or even turning them away from less savory paths, it really feels as though you're not just helping them financially, but to grow personally as well. We also get to learn more about Michi in these interactions, learning why he joined the yakuza and why he's as fiercely loyal as he is. We also get an exploration of his sexuality, or more specifically, his lack thereof. Michi is a great example of asexuality, presenting it not as a problem he or others must overcome or come to terms with, but instead as just a fact of his life. He doesn't feel the need to defend or justify himself, and it doesn't change who he is.

Promise Mascot Agency is such a hard game to describe. It's the kind of game that if someone walks in while you're playing, they will undoubtedly have questions. All of which can be summed up either with a more baffling answer, or with a shrug and a simple "because". It's a game that lives and dies by it's charm and wit, which thankfully it has in spades. I think of any game I've covered thus far, I probably had the most fun with Promise Mascot Agency, due in large part to the fact that you play on its terms and by its rules. If you've read this far, do yourself a favor and play the game. You'll be glad you did.