I’d like to think Yacht Club Games played a vital part in rejuvenating the indie gaming scene as we know it today. The company’s 2014 success of Shovel Knight still speaks volumes after all this time, inspiring a number of spin-offs and releases by other companies. Now it returns with its latest opus, the Zelda-like Mina the Hollower, and word has it that the company is relying big-time on its success to thrive forward. I certainly hope it finds it, because, boy, this game is a masterpiece.
The game has everything going for it, but its big element is combat. You can choose from different weapons and power them up accordingly, as well as the ability to dig around underground. You can also turn on modifiers to make the game that much easier – or more difficult. You’ll probably need all the help you can get, especially when it comes to the game’s wild bosses. Best of all, Mina the Hollower has a hell of a quest, with hours’ of playtime and plenty of secondary tasks to take on.
The visuals are stylish, reminding us of the days of Game Boy Color yore. Its use of colors and backdrops simply do not miss. Plus the soundtrack, created by Jake Kaufman with an assist from the legendary Yuzo Koshiro, is well worth the listen.
Honestly, Mina the Hollower deserves to be placed on the same mantle as Shovel Knight. You shouldn’t dare miss it.
Mina the Hollower Has That Spark To It
In this wholly original indie adventure, you guide Mina – an inventor that leads a group called Hollowers – as she ventures around the Tenebrous Isle in an effort to reactivate legendary generators. See, without these, trouble brews, so she needs to fix them quickly. Of course, there are plenty of monsters that get in her way, because they like things dark, I suppose? But that’s just part of the adventure.
The game features a vast open world to explore, and one with very little guidance. Now, that can either serve as a benefit or a hindrance, depending on your style of play. If you’re one of those people that need a finger to point you in the right direction, there may be mild frustration. But I think the exploration side of the game pays off big time. Not only do you (eventually) find your objective, but also some great secondary missions and characters. It pays to look around.
Tenebrous Isle is sparkling with personality, and Yacht Club Games pours it out at every turn. It’s great who you run into here – friend and foe alike – and the intricate design of the world should definitely be studied. Plus there is a hidden manual, in case you need some tips.
Is the game difficult? Well, a bit, yeah. But you can turn on modifiers to help Mina out, similar to Shovel Knight’s cheat codes. You can play however you wish, so don’t feel like you’re missing out if you need some help.
The game’s combat system is excellent, as you can choose from different weapons and techniques to master how you want to play. Prefer decisive strikes? Grab the Blackstrike Maul. Want to hit old-school style like Castlevania? The Nightstar is your new best friend. Plus you can level up abilities and use trinkets as you go on, so make sure you don’t miss a battle.
Mina can also dig underground. A useful ability, to say the least. It not only gets you into hidden areas, but you can use it to launch yourself across gaps and avoid devastating boss strikes. It’s an incredible technique.
And the overall quest is staggering, lasting well over 25 hours – and that’s just based on what we’ve discovered thus far. There could be even more, especially if DLC is added.
Mina the Hollower is just a lot of fun. Its modifiers truly make it a game for everyone, even with the overly large map. And its combat and other abilities really open up what this perky little inventor can do. We dig it, even without the traditional shovel.
Mina the Hollower Stands Worlds Apart With Presentation
Upon first glance at Mina the Hollower, you’ll instantly recognize the Game Boy Color style of palette. It’s a great choice, since Yacht Club Games knows this territory insanely well. The map design is gorgeous, and the characters really stand out, both good and evil alike. I was really impressed with some of the bosses, including a monster house that literallylives up to its name. There are neat little scrolling effects here and there too. Pay attention to this vivid world. And watch out for secrets!
On top of that, the sound design is top notch. Along with great old-school style sound effects, the soundtrack comes alive thanks to Shovel Knight composer Jake Kaufman. This is amongst his best work to date, and he gets some great assistance from the legend himself, Yuzo Koshiro. If you get a chance to download the soundtrack, definitely do it.
It may look too retro to some (I’ll bet a few are wondering why a 16-bit approach wasn’t used instead), but it fits Mina the Hollower like a battle-worn glove. I do hope we see more games get inspired by something like this, just as Shovel Knightdid before it.
Mina the Hollower Is Yacht Club Games’ Magnum Opus
I know it’s been well over a decade since Yacht Club Games struck gold with Shovel Knight. But hot damn, Mina the Hollower was worth the wait. It’s a fantastic, deep adventure with something for everyone, and a staggering amount of content to discover. Its combat system has plenty going for it, and the presentation is amongst the best we’ve seen from an indie game.
Again, I hope folks pick up on this and recognize that Yacht Club is hardly a one-trick pony. It’s a wonderful studio that inspires at every turn, even if we have to wait years to see their efforts. Sometimes it’s best to just let a developer cook. Never know when it’ll be a nice porterhouse, like Mina.
GAMERHUB RATING: FIVE (OUT OF FIVE) JOYSTICKS
Many thanks to Yacht Club Games for the review codes! Mina the Hollower releases on May 29th for Xbox, PlayStation,Nintendo Switch and PC/Steam! It also works great on Steam Deck!
Need more video game perfection? Check out our review of Forza Horizon 6!
