You know that one kid that's nothing like their parents so you assume that they're adopted? That's one way to describe Gurumin, an awesome adventure game for the PSP that was published by Mastiff, a company that deals in hunting games. First created in Japan for the PC, we now have the delight of playing it here in America, although it seems like no one has ever heard of it.
When you first boot up the game, you might be instantly reminded of Kirby. The music is very similar, featuring really catchy, fast, and upbeat tunes. You play as Parin, a young girl that has moved into a mining town. From there you meet a whole bunch of crazy monsters and vow to protect them from the evil Phantoms who are insistent on being kleptomaniacs. How do you do this? By using an old drill left behind by a hero from the past. All of that sounds ridiculous, but it works.
There are three elements of gameplay in Gurumin, with the first being dungeon exploring. There are multiple locations to explore and unlock, and each has a set amount of bad guys to beat up and objects to break. You'll go throughout the levels platforming, solving puzzles, and beating the crap out of Phantoms. This is all made really interesting through gameplay element number two, which is upgrading and customization. Parin can learn an assortment of cool moves for her drill as well as different elements to equip. She can also play dress up with some unique items, such as cat ears, that give her an ability while equipped. Some items cut damage while others give you more money to find. These items can be upgraded as well for a price. The third gameplay element is puzzle solving with non-player characters. You'll be finding the monster's items while you play, so you'll have to find them and give them back, as well as solve simple mysteries in town.
Gurumin has some real charm. The characters are unique and interesting and the script is hilarious. The graphics are bright and fresh and cute, although the cute factor may put some people off. And there's the question for the week. Are cute, E rated games only for young kids? There are many people who insist that cartoon-like games are not for anyone over the age of 12, and any adult caught playing them should grow up. Then there are the other kind of people who play cute games and hide that fact from their friends in fear of ridicule. Let me know what you guys think. Do you play "cutsie" games? Are you afraid to let your friends know?
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