Promise Mascot Agency is great on Steam Deck and PS5, but what about Nintendo Switch?

This week, Kaizen Game Works’ “Promise Mascot Agency” is set to debut on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. In anticipation of its release and to bring you a comprehensive review, I’ve been testing this open-world narrative adventure mascot management simulator across various platforms and devices. My objective was to evaluate how the game performs under different conditions, including suggested Steam Deck settings, and more. Since the game has received several updates across platforms, the following observations and impressions are based on the latest patches as of this moment for PS5, Steam, and Nintendo Switch.

In my opinion, Paradise Killer by Kaizen Game Works was captivating, but Promise Mascot Agency has left me astonished as I delved deeper into its world. I’ve invested over 32 hours playing across different platforms, and I find myself constantly returning to the game for more – cruising around, gathering collectibles, and simply enjoying the atmosphere. The visually striking art style is amplified by the outstanding soundtrack and voice acting in Promise Mascot Agency. If you happen to come across the demo, do give it a try; it’s definitely worth your time. This article will steer clear of story spoilers but may include screenshots from later stages for the PC version.

Promise Mascot Agency Nintendo Switch port performance impressions

Given that Promise Mascot Agency hasn’t released a demo for Nintendo Switch yet, since the game is designed exclusively for current-gen systems like PlayStation and Xbox, I thought it would be best to review this version first, considering many players might be eager to know how the open world plays on Nintendo’s hybrid console. Having tried the Steam release before receiving the Nintendo Switch code, I initially had concerns due to some performance issues on PC, such as choppy in-engine cut-scenes or camera ghosting (possibly due to post-processing). However, the overall experience was better than anticipated. It runs at 30fps instead of 60 on PlayStation 5, but during gameplay, I found these frame rates didn’t bother me.

In the Switch edition, you’ll find touchscreen functionality for menus, which I really enjoy in games. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have video capture support, but screenshots are still possible. I’m hoping future updates will enhance the performance of in-game cut-scenes. At the moment, the performance issues in those scenes and the occasional pop-in for vegetation and certain objects while driving are the main drawbacks of the Switch version. Despite these issues, I managed to play around six hours without much trouble. Compared to the PS5 version, the Switch edition is a noticeable downgrade in terms of water quality, textures, and overall environment density. However, it exceeded my expectations. I’m crossing my fingers for an upgrade or patch for the Nintendo Switch 2 that would allow for a higher frame rate and improved visuals on-the-go.

Promise Mascot Agency PC graphics options

The Promise Mascot Agency PC version offers an automatic detection feature tailored to your system’s hardware and graphics settings (customizable as well as low, medium, high, and ultra). This feature automatically adjusts various visual aspects like textures, shadows, anti-aliasing, post-processing, effects, foliage density, view distance, world detail, fog effects (on/off), sky quality, and water quality (low/high). Moreover, you can individually customize these settings across a few levels. Additionally, the game provides its own hardware auto-detection options. The menu also displays CPU and GPU usage statistics at the bottom for your convenience.

Promise Mascot Agency PC options

The Promise Mascot Agency offers various customizable settings for your viewing experience. You can independently alter screen modes (fullscreen, windowed, or borderless), screen resolution (ranging from 720p to 4K), and upscaling technology (no upscaling, FSR 1.0, or XeSS). The upscaling quality mode can be set to automatic, ultra quality, quality, balanced, performance, or ultra performance. Additionally, you have the option to adjust sharpening percentage (only for FSR), frame rate target (30fps, 60fps, 90fps, 120fps, or uncapped), toggle frame rate smoothing and v-sync, set field of view, and control motion blur level (from 0 to 100). Furthermore, it provides some useful accessibility and control options as shown in the provided screenshots.

Promise Mascot Agency Steam Deck impressions

According to the developers, Promise Mascot Agency is compatible with Steam Deck and can be played without any significant issues, even though Valve hasn’t officially rated it yet. I’ve personally tested it on both my Steam Deck LCD and OLED models. To ensure a smooth gameplay experience (30fps or above), I had to adjust some settings slightly. However, most users should be able to play it smoothly without any modifications. Interestingly, the game also displays correctly in 16:10 aspect ratio, despite the developers’ Steam post showing it as 16:9 on the Steam Deck.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to play Promise Mascot Agency at a locked 60fps or higher on Steam Deck. Upon launching the game for the first time, it automatically adjusts to a mix of medium and high settings with FSR 1.0 set to quality, along with frame rate smoothing and v-sync enabled. This setting allows the game to reach 60fps, but may struggle in open world areas, particularly those with heavy building or foliage density.

On a positive note, Promise Mascot Agency does offer full controller support, Steam Cloud support, and is compatible with the Steam Deck’s native 16:10 aspect ratio, as previously mentioned.

Promise Mascot Agency Steam Deck recommended settings

In summary, the developers have done an excellent job optimizing Promise Mascot Agency for Steam Deck, but there are some adjustments that could enhance its performance even more. If you prefer the default settings, I suggest capping the Steam Deck’s screen refresh rate at 40hz through the quick access menu to ensure a smoother experience overall. Additionally, I recommend using XeSS at Quality instead of FSR 1.0 at Quality for better visual results. I’ve tested this on my own Steam Decks and have been pleased with the outcome. If you want to leave some wiggle room for the hardware, consider using the medium preset, setting shadows to low, and maintaining a 40hz refresh rate on the screen while keeping XeSS at Quality.

After trying out Promise Mascot Agency on the Nintendo Switch OLED, Steam Deck OLED, Steam Deck LCD, and ROG Ally, it is clear that the Steam Deck OLED currently offers the most impressive handheld gaming experience.

Promise Mascot Agency PS5 impressions – DualSense features and more

Initially, I was thoroughly captivated by the way Promise Mascot Agency utilized the unique features of the DualSense controller during my demo experience. Not only was the presentation more visually appealing than on my handheld devices, but it piqued my interest enough to delve deeper into a comprehensive comparison. To my delight, I discovered that the full game surpasses its handheld counterparts significantly on PS5, as one would anticipate. The game runs smoothly with a 60fps target and boasts a more intricate world compared to its Switch release. Additionally, it displays beautifully on my 1440p monitor. I didn’t encounter significant ghosting issues like in the Switch version when swiftly panning the camera, although it appears that PS5 employs some post-processing techniques to maintain image stability.

The DualSense controller offers adaptable triggers (which can be adjusted or turned off), vibration feedback, and the light bar on the controller changes color when you accelerate while driving. I wondered if these features were available on PC as well, but it appears that the integration isn’t quite as seamless. However, when connected via cable, you will still receive support, and with Steam Input disabled in your testing on a Steam Deck through the docking station.

This version aims to maintain the original meaning while using more natural language and simplifying some of the technical terms for clarity.

As a gamer, I must say that the PS5 version of this game is top-notch, boasting a sleek design and offering an outstanding gaming experience. After spending a few hours playing on the console, I decided to check it out on the PlayStation Portal, and let me tell you, having the full DualSense immersion was just as expected from Promise Mascot Agency.

Promise Mascot Agency ROG Ally issues and potential Windows problems

As a gamer, I’ve encountered some performance issues with Promise Mascot Agency on my ROG Ally handheld. To my surprise, I didn’t notice any such stuttering on the Steam Deck. Despite tinkering with various settings, I experienced hitching while driving and during transitions, even at low settings with upscaling in 720p. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to enjoy a smooth gameplay experience on ROG Ally. My friend, James, reported similar shader-related stuttering on his desktop setup. I hope the developers can optimize shader compilation when launching the game, as it’s disappointing to see these issues in a game that heavily relies on driving around an open world. The performance eventually stabilized over time, but if you have the option, I would recommend playing this game on Steam Deck instead of ROG Ally due to the persistent hitching while driving. Although ROG Ally can deliver better visuals, a constantly choppy driving experience isn’t enjoyable at all.

On April 10th, the long-awaited launch of Promise Mascot Agency takes place on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Steam for PC users.

2025-04-07 16:28