Software:Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure

Gurumin
Developer(s)	Nihon Falcom
Publisher(s)	JP: Falcom KO: Midas Entertainment NA: Mastiff EU: 505 Game Street JP: Flyhigh Works (3DS)
Composer(s)	Hayato Sonoda Wataru Ishibashi Takahide Murayama
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo 3DS
Release	Microsoft Windows JP: December 25, 2004 KOR: September 23, 2005 WW: March 30, 2015 PlayStation Portable AS: June 27, 2006 JP: June 29, 2006 NA: February 12, 2007 EU: March 23, 2007 Nintendo 3DS NA: October 13, 2016 EU: October 27, 2016 JP: November 30, 2016
Genre(s)	Action RPG
Mode(s)	Single-player

Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure, known simply as Gurumin (ぐるみん) in Japan, is an action role-playing game developed by Nihon Falcom Corporation. It was originally released in Japan on December 25, 2004 for Microsoft Windows. A PlayStation Portable version was later released in Asia on June 27, 2006, in Japan on June 29, 2006, and North America on February 12, 2007, published by Mastiff. A Steam version was also later released on March 30, 2015. A Nintendo 3DS port, titled Gurumin 3D: A Monstrous Adventure (known as Gurumin 3D in Japan), was announced on June 16, 2016 for release in North America on October 13, 2016 and Europe on October 27, 2016. The Nintendo 3DS version was released in Japan in November 2016.

Gameplay

Gurumin is a 3D action RPG with heavy emphasis on action through real-time combat. Parin can acquire various headwear which have varying effects while equipped, such as protection from water damage, stronger attacks, or HP restoration. Each piece of headwear can be upgraded to increase their effects. Parin's drill has up to four power levels that are increased through combat or restoration points in levels and decreased by taking damage. The current level of her drill dictates damage that can be dealt and can change up and down frequently in each level. Various consumable items can be bought or found which are used during levels to restore HP or drill power.

Gurumin offers replayability by offering new difficulty levels upon completion of the game. The game starts with Beginner and Normal modes; Hard, Happy, and Crazy modes are opened up with completion of the previous difficulty level. While each difficulty alters the strength of the enemies, some also change other elements of the game, such as removing environmental hazards in Beginner mode, an altered game script in Happy mode (Japanese version only), and only allowing damaging of enemies through critical hits in Crazy mode.

In addition to headwear that gives characters various abilities and protection there is also a number of outfits that can be equipped. Matching the right outfit with the right hat could unlock additional abilities. These are acquired by purchasing from the (vending machine), completing the game at a set difficulty level, or through other means, such as playing on the right date when a special event happens.

Plot

A girl named Parin goes to live with her grandfather in Tiese Town after her parents are called overseas on an excavation trip. After being told that there are no other children in Tiese, she finds what looks like another girl who is being threatened by a dog. Parin rescues the girl and discovers that she is actually a monster (お化け, obake) which only children can see. To thank Parin, the monster takes her to a crack in the back wall of the town which is revealed to be a portal to the monster world. A group of monsters known as phantoms begin a series of attacks on Monster Village. Parin, who unearths a legendary drill, decides to fight against the phantoms and restore Monster Village.

Reception

Reception
Review scores Publication Score 3DS PC PSP Destructoid N/A 9/10 N/A Eurogamer N/A N/A 7/10 Famitsu N/A N/A 31/40 Game Informer N/A N/A 7/10 GamePro N/A N/A 3.75/5 GameSpot N/A N/A 8/10 GameSpy N/A N/A GameZone N/A N/A 8.5/10 IGN N/A N/A 8/10 PSM N/A N/A 8/10 The New York Times N/A N/A (favorable) Aggregate score Metacritic 72/100 N/A 78/100

The game received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. In Japan, Famitsu gave the PSP version a total of 31 out of 40. Subsequent reviews for the 3DS port have been "mixed or average."

Further reading

• Gifford, Kevin (January 2007). "Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure". Newtype USA 6 (1): 134–135. ISSN 1541-4817. 

External links

• Gurumin (Windows version) official site (in Japanese)
• Gurumin (PSP version) official site (in Japanese)
• Gurumin 3D official site (English)
• Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure at MobyGames