KOTAMON: My Sis Found A Super-Rare Card In Her Cereal Box, So I Became A Garbage Man To Find The Entire Collection And Earn $1,000,000 Review

Some games have simple premises. Others have complicated premises. And then there's KOTAMON, whose title alone feels like it was generated during a caffeine-fuelled fever dream. Yet somehow, beneath all the absurdity lies one of the most surprisingly compelling collecting games I've played this year.

At its core, KOTAMON is a game about digging through rubbish. Not in the metaphorical sense. You are literally a garbage man, combing through mountains of discarded junk in search of ultra-rare trading cards known as Kotámons. The goal is simple: complete the collection and become rich beyond your wildest dreams. The execution, however, is what makes it so difficult to put down. The game revolves around rummaging through piles of refuse, uncovering hidden valuables, restoring damaged cards, and slowly expanding your collection.

What initially appears to be little more than a joke quickly reveals itself as a surprisingly effective loot-driven obsession machine. Every bin, pile of trash, and forgotten cardboard box carries the possibility of containing something rare. That constant "just one more search" mentality becomes dangerously addictive. The hunt for missing cards taps into the same collector instincts that fuel Pokémon, sticker albums, loot boxes, and trading card games, but wraps them inside a deliberately ridiculous premise.

The card collection itself is where much of the personality shines. Many cards feature artwork from a variety of artists, and the game even provides ways to discover those creators through the collection menu, making the cards feel like miniature pieces of fan culture rather than simple collectibles. Players have also praised the sheer variety of references and artwork included throughout the sets.

Visually, KOTAMON has a wonderfully scrappy charm. The mix of 2D illustrations and 3D environments shouldn't work, but somehow it does. The aesthetic feels deliberately low-budget in the best possible way, evoking memories of oddball PlayStation 2 and GameCube-era games that were bursting with personality despite their rough edges. Community feedback has similarly highlighted the cohesive art direction and quirky presentation.

The progression loop is enjoyable for a long time, but it isn't perfect. As the collection grows, some of the repetitive actions begin to wear thin. Repairing damaged cards and cleaning them up can become a chore, particularly during the late game, where the excitement of finding new cards can occasionally be interrupted by busywork. Interestingly, the developers have already added optional automated cleaning and gluing systems using in-game currency, helping reduce some of that repetition.

Despite those shortcomings, KOTAMON succeeds because it understands what makes collection games fun. Every discovery matters. Every rare pull creates a small dopamine hit. Every completed set feels like an achievement. The game never pretends to be anything more than a cheerful, ridiculous trash-diving treasure hunt, and that honesty works in its favour.

The humour is equally important. The entire experience operates with a tongue firmly planted in cheek. From the absurd title to the eccentric characters and self-aware writing, the game embraces its weirdness wholeheartedly. It'll either win you over immediately or leave you wondering what on earth you're playing. For me, that's part of the appeal.

Pros

• Surprisingly addictive collection and scavenging loop

• Huge variety of cards and artwork to discover

• Charming, offbeat sense of humour

• Distinctive PS2-era indie aesthetic

• Constant sense of progression through collection completion

Cons

• Repetitive tasks become more noticeable later on

• Some progression systems could be deeper

• End-game grind occasionally outstays its welcome

• The premise will not appeal to everyone

KOTAMON is exactly the sort of bizarre indie game that could easily be dismissed based on its title alone. That would be a mistake. Underneath the absurd setup lies an entertaining scavenging simulator, a satisfying collector's paradise, and a game packed with enough personality to stand out in a crowded indie scene. It may be about rooting through rubbish, but hidden among the trash is a genuinely memorable little gem.

XPN Rating: 3.5 out of 5 (SILVER)

KOTAMON is available now!