A new game for the PSP...surprised? No, the system isn’t dead and I don’t believe Sony will be throwing the towel in any time soon. Instead, the handheld subordinate to Nintendo’s DS will be receiving a new adventure game by Japanese publisher Mastiff, and famed developers Nihon Falcom (of YS and Dragon Slayer fame). Gurumin is a monstrous tale in the spirit of classic storytelling and childhood adventure.

The main character in the game is named Parin, and she is a young girl who is sent to a mining town to live with her Grandfather while her parents are off excavating. While in the village, Parin notices that there are no other children, and I don’t think it has anything to do with a priest -- although I could be wrong. One day Parin happens upon a young girl being tormented by a stray dog, and befriends the young girl only to find that the young girl is actually a monster. And as it so happens, monsters residing in the town are invisible to the natural vision of adults. So Parin is then invited to Monster Village, where other monsters reside.

The crux of the story picks up its weight after Monster Village is savagely ransacked by Phantoms, who snatch and take the inhabits of the village with them. This leaves Parin in charge to save the remaining villagers and rescue those who were kidnaped. But the only way to do that is to recover the only weapon that can defeat the Phantoms; The Legendary Drill. Thus begins Parin’s fantastically dangerous journey through a colorful and cartoony world to reclaim the Drill, save the day, and rescue her friends. The game itself features RPG elements, interaction with NPCs, and a vast world that offers action, platforming and puzzle solving.

With the PSP literally getting its butt kicked by Nintendo’s DS, a brand of new and alternative games will do Sony’s handheld a world of good. The cartoon driven art-style and easy-going gameplay should appeal to a broader audience than the stiff-necked action games PSP owners have been receiving. Gurumin: A Monstrous Adventure will be available for the PSP in February of 2007.