While Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure may fall victim to its cute exterior and little girl protagonist, gamers who are quick to dismiss the title based on its looks alone are going to miss out on one the PSP’s best recently-released adventure titles.
The game definitely provides a deceptive surface, starring a 10-year old girl named Parin on a quest to rid her world of phantoms. However, much like last year’s portable drill fest, Drill Dozer, underneath the hood lies a title with a large number of items to unearth and collect, battle intensive game play and clever boss battles.
The story involves Parin, who lives in a small mining town with her grandfather, encountering a young girl being tormented by a stray dog. After Parin chases the dog away, she discovers the girl is actually a monster, beings which are invisible to adults in the world of Gurumin.
Befriending the monster, Parin is allowed to enter a crack in a wall behind her home and visit Monster Village. However, while inside, evil spirits known as Phantoms invade the village and abduct most of the inhabitants. Eager to help, Parin learns of the Legendary Drill, a weapon powerful enough to destroy the spirits. Once the drill is in hand, Parin drops the good girl act and hands out the pain through a number of upgradeable attacks and projectile moves.
What evolves from the story’s introduction is a very enjoyable platforming title with a mix of RPG elements in upgrading and outfitting Parin and the drill. By smashing the environment and enemies to bits, players can pick up a number of coins and items as well as junk that can be later turned into more items. Laying waste to everything that isn’t a wall allows players to unearth the game’s 90 different items through five total difficulty levels.
By attacking enemies, players will build up a meter that strengthens up the power of the Legendary Drill. Much like some Zelda titles, a full meter allows the drill to shoot energy projectiles at enemies while allowing for maximum damage to be dealt. Players will have to keep Parin out of danger, though, as being hit by enemies not only reduces hit points but the drill’s power meter.
Gurumin looks great on the PSP, featuring a vivid anime style that presents great facial expressions that reflect the current situation and livens up the game’s cut scenes. Even smaller details include a number of great lighting effects that flow from the motion of the drill and emphasize the animations in the title. The differing environments also provide a fair amount of detail, making Gurumin a title that is pleasant to look at while whacking away the phantom denizens.
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