Despite only being released on PC and the PSP, Gurumin feels like Falcom's take on the classic PS2 title, in all the right ways.
Gurumin's got this nostalgic charm to it through appealing to your kiddy side that just likes cutesy, heartwarming games. The graphics aren't revolutionary, but they get the job done while giving off this PS2 storybook feel. The character and enemy designs are all pretty adorable and definitely remind me of the cartoony feel that the PS2/GC era accomplished with most mascot platformers. The combat's pretty simple to pick up; you can learn most of the special moves within minutes, and chaining together moves (alongside a rhythm meter shown at the top for critical hits, which I found super interesting) to tear down enemies and bosses is super satisfying. And speaking of rhythm, the soundtrack slaps harder than you'd expect any kiddy game would need to, but it's Falcom after all; haven't heard any bad soundtracks from them yet.
But of course, it's a PS2 game, so expect some jank and questionable design choices. You'll constantly be switching headgear/drill types to account for obstacles and enemies, as well as the need to charge your drill to knock off armor for junk, so combat's not super fast paced; keep this mind and reframe Gurumin as a chill dungeoneering adventure for your childlike wonder and you'll get through this just fine. There is a bit of platforming involved and the camera doesn't always give you the best angle to precisely platform and dodge attacks; fortunately free cam saves the day again. And expect some dumb hitbox/hurtbox detection and edge collision, as is par for the course for this generation of games. I think my biggest gripe is that some of the dungeons are more or less earlier dungeons, just mirrored and reversed with additional enemies and obstacles, and it did feel like a bit of padding near the end. Fortunately, taking my time with the game and vibing to the funky beats of the soundtrack helped a ton here.
Overall, Gurumin's not an exceptional work in Falcom's stacked library, but compared to many similar works in the early 2000s, I'd say it does more than make its case. You'll have a good time just doing a few dungeons at a time and bopping cartoon blobs with your drill while banging to the beats, and while the story's nothing mindblowing, it's surprisingly poignant in how it tackles its themes of growing up. I really liked Gurumin despite it not living up to the standards of Ys or Trails, but then again, Gurumin doesn't have to be those; it's a game that appealed to a more simpler, younger me, and I think approaching with less cynicism here's just an important lesson to keep in mind with the things I enjoy. Give this a shot if you're looking for a deeper cut from earlier Falcom or just want an ode to your childhood, I think there's a lot to be garnered here if you're willing to take the time.
Gurumin's got this nostalgic charm to it through appealing to your kiddy side that just likes cutesy, heartwarming games. The graphics aren't revolutionary, but they get the job done while giving off this PS2 storybook feel. The character and enemy designs are all pretty adorable and definitely remind me of the cartoony feel that the PS2/GC era accomplished with most mascot platformers. The combat's pretty simple to pick up; you can learn most of the special moves within minutes, and chaining together moves (alongside a rhythm meter shown at the top for critical hits, which I found super interesting) to tear down enemies and bosses is super satisfying. And speaking of rhythm, the soundtrack slaps harder than you'd expect any kiddy game would need to, but it's Falcom after all; haven't heard any bad soundtracks from them yet.
But of course, it's a PS2 game, so expect some jank and questionable design choices. You'll constantly be switching headgear/drill types to account for obstacles and enemies, as well as the need to charge your drill to knock off armor for junk, so combat's not super fast paced; keep this mind and reframe Gurumin as a chill dungeoneering adventure for your childlike wonder and you'll get through this just fine. There is a bit of platforming involved and the camera doesn't always give you the best angle to precisely platform and dodge attacks; fortunately free cam saves the day again. And expect some dumb hitbox/hurtbox detection and edge collision, as is par for the course for this generation of games. I think my biggest gripe is that some of the dungeons are more or less earlier dungeons, just mirrored and reversed with additional enemies and obstacles, and it did feel like a bit of padding near the end. Fortunately, taking my time with the game and vibing to the funky beats of the soundtrack helped a ton here.
Overall, Gurumin's not an exceptional work in Falcom's stacked library, but compared to many similar works in the early 2000s, I'd say it does more than make its case. You'll have a good time just doing a few dungeons at a time and bopping cartoon blobs with your drill while banging to the beats, and while the story's nothing mindblowing, it's surprisingly poignant in how it tackles its themes of growing up. I really liked Gurumin despite it not living up to the standards of Ys or Trails, but then again, Gurumin doesn't have to be those; it's a game that appealed to a more simpler, younger me, and I think approaching with less cynicism here's just an important lesson to keep in mind with the things I enjoy. Give this a shot if you're looking for a deeper cut from earlier Falcom or just want an ode to your childhood, I think there's a lot to be garnered here if you're willing to take the time.