Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure - hands-on

Progression through Gurumin is semi-linear, and is determined by furniture, of all things. See, Parin's the only kid in a tiny mining town, and her only real friends are a bunch of cute monsters that live in a hidden village nearby. Gurumin 's story kicks off when said village is raided and destroyed by evil monsters who call themselves the Phantoms. Drill in hand, it's up to Parin to free her kidnapped friends and return their stolen stuff. Give the right item to the right friendly monster, and new areas of the map will open up for exploration.

Another benefit to freeing Parin's friends is that, later in the game, you'll be able to trap their essences in an urn and summon them to watch your back in the dungeons. Never mind that the friendly monsters range from a little breakdancing blue blob to what looks like a giant plush cat; we're sure they'll have their uses. The game also features around 19 different costumes, which grant Parin different abilities if she's willing to walk around looking ridiculous for a little while.

The action is all tied together by slick visuals, silly cutscenes and a charming, overcute aesthetic. Parin - whose pigtails bob around constantly, and who fidgets or dances while idle - is brilliantly animated, as are most of the huge bosses she encounters at the end of certain dungeons. The animation can get pretty choppy sometimes, but so far it's more of a mild distraction than it is a gameplay-affecting problem.

The game has a few other nagging issues, including long load times and short pauses when you destroy certain objects. Overall, though, Gurumin already looks like a step in the right direction for PSP action-RPGs, and considering its pedigree - it was developed by Nihon Falcom, creators of the landmark Ys - we've got high hopes for this one.