DESCRIPTION

Gurumin is a whimsical action role-playing game starring an indomitable girl named Parin. As the only child in a rural mining town, Parin discovers that she can see monsters — monsters that are otherwise invisible to adults. Parin is soon invited to enter the mysterious world of Monster Village, hidden behind a crack in the wall near her home, which kicks off an unusual quest. It seems the friendly monsters have been invaded by evil phantoms, and the only way to save the village is to find and wield a powerful mining weapon known as the "legendary drill." What follows is a story-driven adventure featuring a colorful cast of quirky characters, voice-over dialogue by professional actors, and an assortment of dungeons filled with puzzles to solve and enemies to battle.

To save her monster friends, Parin must scale mountains, travel across ancient ruins, journey through forests, and even venture inside a volcano, all while encountering 48 different enemy types. The legendary drill is the only weapon Parin has against the forces of evil, but she can enhance its power by finding fire, ice, and lightning parts. Her clothing and headgear can also be upgraded during her travels, with each piece of equipment offering different statistics and damage resistances. Also featured are a number of mini-games, from a soccer variant to a version of Whac-A-Mole. Gurumin was designed specifically for PSP by veteran Japanese game developer Nihon Falcom, best known in the U.S. for its Ys series and 2005's The Legend of Heroes. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide