Rafael Silva
Content Creator
After putting Shovel Knight on the map, Yacht Club Games returns with Mina the Hollower, an action-adventure game that trades the familiar knight for a mouse-like inventor in a gothic world. Between its exploration and challenging combat, there's a lot to enjoy here, even if some aspects of the adventure work better than others.
Strange sights and hidden secrets
Exploring Tenebrous Isle
The story takes Mina to Tenebrous Isle, where the failure of a protective barrier has left it vulnerable to a mysterious curse. Playing as a mouse-like inventor armed with her trusty whip, you set out to investigate what happened and find a way to save the island's inhabitants.
Mina the Hollower doesn't give you a map or quest markers to follow. Instead, you can get hints about where to look and what to do next by talking with the game's NPCs. The game is filled with unique and interesting characters that can lead you to hidden treasures, secret areas, and even optional bosses.
Exploring Tenebrous Isle is made all the more enjoyable by its distinctive visual style. The gothic setting comes through in its eerie environments and unusual creatures, while the detailed pixel art gives each area its own character. The soundtrack completes the atmosphere, with catchy chiptune music that retains the game's playful side despite the darker setting.
Whip, burrow, and fight
Nightstar whip combat in action
Combat in Mina the Hollower revolves around learning enemy patterns and finding openings to attack using your whip, Nightstar, as well as other weapons and Sidearms found throughout your journey.
As you progress through the story, you'll collect Bones to spend on upgrades, find stronger equipment, and gather Trinkets that let you adjust your setup to suit your needs, turning what could be a simple game into a surprisingly deep RPG.
And we haven't even got to the best part: the burrowing ability. You can use it to avoid incoming attacks, navigate hazards, and leap back out when it's safe to strike. This mechanic alone makes encounters significantly more interesting.
The problem is that some parts of the game work against this freedom to experiment and try new things. It's no secret that Mina the Hollower is a hard game, but it's particularly brutal early on, when you have very little health and almost no healing. You might keep dying to a boss, having to run all the way back while risking the loss of your Bones.
This makes every encounter matter, but it also makes experimenting with different weapons and equipment feel less appealing when there's so much to lose. Optional gameplay modifiers let you adjust certain aspects of the difficulty if you find the default challenge too punishing. Still, there's a fine line between making mistakes costly and making them frustrating.
Verdict
Mina the Hollower is a great adventure that understands what makes classic action-adventure games so enjoyable. Its world is full of secrets, the pixel art is packed with character, and the combat has a distinctive and fun twist. The difficulty can be frustrating, particularly in the early hours, when the game is at its most punishing. Things become more manageable as you progress, but that rough start could be enough to put some players off before they get to experience the best the game has to offer.
Still, if you can push through that initial difficulty, Mina the Hollower is well worth your time, especially if you enjoy challenging adventures and love exploring worlds that reward your curiosity.
Mina the Hollower Review
9/10
Mina the Hollower is a memorable adventure that captures the charm of classic games while adding enough of its own ideas to stand out. The difficulty takes some getting used to, but once you settle into its rhythm, it's hard not to get caught up in the journey.
9
Pros
Detailed pixel art gives every area distinct personality
Burrowing mechanic adds real depth to combat and exploration
Varied weapons, Sidearms, and Trinkets create genuine build flexibility
Pattern-based boss fights are satisfying once you crack them
Secrets and optional bosses reward thorough exploration
Cons
Punishing difficulty in the early hours with almost no healing
Losing Bones on death discourages experimenting with new gear
Limited health pool at the start makes mistakes very costly
Rough opening hours may push some players away too soon