PAX West Spotlight: Mina the Hollower
By Rae
If someone had told me that I would be able to play a game that combined my loves of Castlevania, Legend of Zelda, and Redwall this year, I’m not sure if I would have bought it. Lucky for me, that’s exactly what I got when I tried out the demo for Yacht Club Games’ Mina the Hollower – a difficult, top-down exploration and combat game that combines the difficulty of a metroidvania experience with the exploration and mechanics of classic adventure games like Zelda.
Despite being an adorable mouse, Mina is also a weapon-whipping, burrowing, fearsome warrior on a journey to rescue a cursed island. Described as “Victorian gothic horror,” the game definitely has some creepy vibes to it, as you explore the dark corners of the world and fight against gruesome creatures.
The game was described to me as Souls-like in the sense that you don’t really need to fight enemies along the way if you don’t want to, but lacking good stealth skills I still tried – and often failed. The difficulty level is definitely a bit on the higher end – which can be a good challenge for those who like tougher battles such as those in games like Momodora: Reverie Under the Moonlight, where timing is everything and dodging matters as much as hitting back.
The art style of Mina is gorgeous, featuring an updated pixel art style that will remind players of the days of oldschool Nintendo games, guiding Link, or Simon, or whichever hero you choose to be, through a labyrinth of paths and secrets.
I expect Mina the Hollower will be a lot of fun for gamers who are fans of the classics, and looking for a new experience. The game is intuitive, fun, challenging, and all-around enjoyable to try to get better at if you’re having a rough time (guilty).
You can play the Mina the Hollower demo at the Yacht Club Games booth all weekend! Not at PAX? Wishlist it now to keep track of when it’s on its way to the store!