There’s no doubt that, more than any generation before it, the indie scene has given us an avalanche of games of every kind imaginable… and then ones that would qualify as being beyond those traditional limits as well. Genre-bending has become such old hat for some developers, that they seem to be determined to just create experiences that defy tight or simple descriptions, typically by throwing the gaming equivalent of the kitchen sink at you. Of course, if you’re going off the traditional genre rails already, why not make the story itself as weird as you like? Such inspiration appears to be what Promise Mascot Agency was born from, and there’s no denying that it’s unique.

What awaits you here is a mix of open-world exploration, some stunt and racing elements, business building simulation, a sprinkle of strategic deckbuilding, and a whole lot of WTF moments loosely thrown into one experience. The story is truly too weird and elaborate to even attempt to describe, but the short version is that you’ll play as a shamed former Yakuza trying to redeem himself by building a business in a former love hotel, with the help of a mascot (who looks like a giant thumb) named Pinky. And did I mention the fact that she’s pretty “spirited” and has choice things to say to just about anyone you encounter?

In terms of the issues, the one I’d start with is that while I appreciate the developer’s attempts to establish the game’s story, it takes entirely too long to really get to playing the game in any meaningful way. That leads into another issue, and that’s the fact that early on everything is so open-ended that it can be a challenge to fully understand what you should be doing. Sure, Pinkie will give you some tips, but with so many elements of gameplay going on in very different styles and directions, it can be challenging to figure out what roads to go down initially. Throw in controls that can be a bit on the wonky side when it comes to controlling your beat-up truck, and the game has some challenges.

All that said, I can confirm that once I was able to get into the swing of things it was hard not to have some fun with it. In particular, the weird characters you’ll meet (not limited to the mascots) and the news footage you’ll see when one of your mascots gets into trouble out on assignment, absolutely give everything silly flavor. I can see where appreciation for the game’s sense of humor may not be universal, but given the fact that it is unapologetically weird in its own specific way, I at least give it credit for. Is it a cohesive and technically sound gameplay experience? Not at all. But can it be fun for the right audience? Without a question.