Mina the Hollower Review: Masterpiece Marred by Dickish Difficulty

I’ve played games that were funded via Kickstarter. A lot of which I’ve wound up really enjoying like Gravity Circuit and Bloodstained, despite the latter having some pretty big issues in my opinion. Crowdfunding in general seems like a pretty cool way to try to get independent projects off the ground. Or at least it is so long as it’s not a blatant fucking scam.

Despite the various successful crowdfunded projects, there’s just as many, if not more, that are complete and utter failures. From the ones that underdelivered, to those that never came out, to whatever Mighty No. 9 was, there’s story upon story of failed crowdfunded projects across a variety of different platforms. It’s a little sad, but also pretty funny given how wild some of them get. Hell, some people have made entire careers documenting this kind of thing.

Because of the drama surrounding a lot of these projects, I don’t personally donate to any crowdfunding campaigns. Even if the game looks good, I just can’t bring myself to take that risk. Except for two instances. The first was the Save Death Battle Kickstarter because I was a big fan and everyone in the fandom was rallying behind it, and the second is today’s subject, Mina the Hollower.

As for why I backed it, well it’s because of its developer. Yacht Club Games were one of the first major crowdfunding success stories with Shovel Knight. A platformer that took elements from Mega Man, Ducktales and a bunch of other classics and mixed them all together with its own unique flair. And it was fucking great.

Shovel Knight is one of my favourite games. To the point I’ve bought it across multiple platforms over the years. I know I have a problem, but Shovel Knight is one of those games that has console exclusive content on every platform. So am I really that dumb for multi-dipping with it? Yes, but fuck you it’s my money and I’ll do what I want with it.

Point is I’m a fan of Yacht Club’s work, and when I saw they were working on a brand-new game I figured I might as well take the risk and back it. Their previous Kickstarter went great, so I had no reason to believe the next one wouldn’t go the same. Which it didn’t, for the most part. I didn’t keep up with it too much, but they were frequent with the updates.

Really the only negative I had with the Kickstarter was the last-minute delay the game received a few months back. It was supposed to release on Halloween of last year but was then pushed back for further polish. Which sucked, but I’d rather the game release in an actual finished state. I had already paid for it, so all I really cared about was whether I enjoyed the final product.

Luckily, I did. I really enjoyed my time with Mina the Hollower. Which is great because at times it doesn’t feel like it wants me too. But we’ll get to that later. I don’t want to get too negative too early, so let’s talk about the thing that first caught my attention with this game in the original Kickstarter, the aesthetic.

Yacht Club Games is a studio that prides itself on replicating the look and feel of classic video games. Mainly 8-bit titles from the NES. One look at Shovel Knight and the Yacht Club published Cyber Shadow is proof of that. But Mina the Hollower changes things up by adopting a look based not on the NES but on the Gameboy Colour.

This is something I’m noticing a lot more in the indie throwback scene. Since classic retro styled games are a dime a dozen now, a lot of them are basing their visual styles on emulating specific console aesthetics. One example is Pipistrello and the Cursed Yoyo and it’s GBA inspired look. Very underrated game by the way, and very similar to Mina the Hollower actually. Might be worth a look at some point but let’s try to stay on subject.

So this idea isn’t anything new. But basing its visuals on the Gameboy Colour does help Mina stand out. Mainly because the GBC is a system that doesn’t get a lot of love out there. Not that people hate it or anything because it does have fans, but it is the neglected middle child of the Gameboy family. Being an awkward update sandwhiched between the groundbreaking original Gameboy, and the far more impressive Advance.

But the GBC did have an aesthetic that was wholly its own. The unique colour palette it offered gives games on the Gameboy Colour a charm all their own. A charm Mina the Hollower captures brilliantly. Link’s Awakening is the most immediately noticeable inspiration. The DX version in particular was a clear influence on the games style.

All of the games major areas’ have their own distinct palette to give them a distinct visual look. Combine that with its cast of cute and oddball characters, and the game has a colourful look in more ways than one. But the game isn’t just colourful. It also uses a lot of shadows which not only helps the colours pop, but also gives the game a darker, almost gothic horror tone.

Because while The Legend of Zelda Link’s Awakening was one of the inspirations, it was also clearly inspired by Castlevania. The result is a very colourful and vibrant game, with a gothic horror slant that gives it a very unique style. It really does feel like a mix of the whimsy of Zelda with the dark gothic horror of Castlevania.

I’ll admit that it’s a weird combination that doesn’t always come together. There are a few moments where the tone feels just a little bit off, but often times it uses the tonal clash to its advantage. Creating some weird and often uncomfortable moments that are equal parts creepy as they are funny.

Now obviously this game could not run on an actual Gameboy Colour. It might be stylistically based on the GBC, but it still uses plenty of modern flourishes and visual effects that system couldn’t do. There’s some really impressive animation and sprite work, not just in how detailed everything looks but just the scale of it. There are some massive sprites in this game from the large imposing bosses to big sweeping backdrops, and even some pseudo 3D effects in places that give the game a grander feel.

It’s a great looking game. A nice mix of old style and new flair that mixes together beautifully. If I had any gripe on the visuals it’s that I wish the game had more character portraits to allow more expressive interactions, along with some portraits not always looking the best, but that’s a pretty minor complaint in the grand scheme of things. I don’t have a lot to complain about when it comes to how the game looks.

Or sounds for that matter. The music was composed by Jake Kaufman and Yuzo Koshiro, two absolute legends who give the game an atmospheric but still catchy as all hell soundtrack. You can definitely hear the Castlevania influence in the music because it’s got a similar vibe to the best music of that series.

Now I will say the music isn’t nearly as punchy as either composer’s other works. Compared to Shovel Knight’s and, well honestly anything else Koshiro has worked on, the music doesn’t immediately grab you. Shovel Knights soundtrack blew the doors off on the first chord and never stopped. Mina’s, by comparison, takes a little bit to really sink in.

I wouldn’t call it understated since it certainly isn’t. It just leans far more into atmospherics. There’s more ambient sounds and down beat tracks which is fitting for this kind of adventure game. But when the songs do kick in they go all out, and the more ambient sounds help add to the games atmosphere while allowing for more variety.

Sound effects are also excellent and add to the retro charm the game is going for. I especially love Mina’s little squeaks. Those are just adorable. All that is to say the presentation is immaculate. There really are no issues when it comes to how the game looks and sounds. Sure it takes a lot from other games, including Yacht Club’s own Shovel Knight, but it still adds its own touches, and there’s nothing wrong with taking from the best.

From a first glance it’s easy to conclude the game is a Zelda-like. It’s a top-down action adventure where you explore a big open world, fight enemies, solve puzzles and complete dungeons. It’s not hard to see the Zelda in its DNA. But honestly, aside from the basic stuff I mentioned, it isn’t really like Zelda at all.

For one the game has a larger focus on platforming. Which isn’t too out of the ordinary for Zelda to be fair. Link’s Awakening had a bit of platforming in it. Although thankfully you don’t need to equip an item to jump in this like you did in that game.

Which is good because you’ll be jumping a lot. Because while Link’s Awakening had some platforming it was very light. You only ever did it on occasion. Mina has a much bigger focus on it, to the point where it can be argued to be an actual platformer. I wouldn’t personally make it, but I wouldn’t disagree if you did.

But aside from jumping, Mina has another movement option that helps with her mobility, Burrowing. By holding the jump button Mina will burrow under the earth. This is the main gameplay gimmick of Mina the Hollower in the same way that Shovel Knights was pogoing off enemy’s heads.

The game has you make frequent use of this. Not just for the obvious like going under things, but also to make quick movements across the map. Since Mina moves faster under ground it makes for a more efficient way of getting where you need to go, or to make a quick getaway in a fight.

Mina also jumps farther when coming out of the ground. Something a lot of the games platforming will make you use. So it’s something you’ll want to master as soon as possible. Luckily that’s easy to do. Since Burrowing is such an integral feature it’s something you’ll come to naturally learn as you play the game. Mind you there’s a few hitches with it that you will need to work with.

One is that you can only stay underground for a short time. Mina will pop out after only a few seconds. Nothing too bad, but since Mina can only Burrow after a jump, that means there’s also a slight delay when going into one. Nothing too bad in platforming, but during combat it is something you need to keep in mind.

You have to learn enemy patterns and anticipate their attacks if you want to efficiently use Burrowing in a fight. It can feel a bit stiff, but so does the control in general. Ground movement is fairly smooth, as is the jumping, but things like going into a Burrow, attacking and healing have a small delay to them.

While this sounds like it makes the game a pain in the ass to play, it doesn’t. The game is designed around this. This is where the games Castlevania influence comes in. Specifically classic Castlevania. And if you know anything about that, you know about its notoriously stiff controls. The slower attacks, the stiff jump you couldn’t control, if you played any of the older Castlevanias, you know they weren’t the smoothest playing games.

But that stiff control was by design. The idea being to force the player to play deliberately. To make carefully planned out moves in order to defeat the games various challenges. Mina is very much in the same boat. This is a game that’s less about twitch reflexes and more about strategy. About playing smarter and not harder.

The combat is very fun once you get into the game’s rhythm. Zipping around with a well-timed burrow and keeping the offence up with your attacks is immensely satisfying once you learn how to do so efficiently. Mina herself also has a variety of weapons that change up how you approach combat.

She has a whip taken right out of Castlevania, a pair of quick short-range daggers, a slow but powerful hammer, a shield that can parry attacks, and a combination arm cannon and club called the Battery Buster that can swap between long range and short-range attacks. Each of these have their own playstyles and it’s up to you to decide which is the best for you.

I personally stuck with the whip because of its range, but I found the daggers useful too due to their fast attacks. The others I didn’t use much. The hammer was far too slow for me, the Battery Buster is fun, but I couldn’t get used to swapping between its forms, and the shield seemed good, but I never got used to it.

The game gives you a choice of one weapon to use at the start with the others being unlockable. But you can only choose between the whip, daggers and hammer at the start. Which is a mistake in my opinion. Those are the easiest to learn, but that’s the problem, they are the easy weapons. The shield and Battery Buster are much trickier and require more practice. Something that the game should let you do early on.

I understand these kinds of games need something for the player to discover later on. It encourages exploration and helps keep the gameplay interesting. But if you’re going to give me the opportunity to pick my starting weapon, give me all the options available. These are your basic combat tools; they should be readily available from the start. Granted you can get these weapons early on, but only if you know what you’re doing. Which you won’t when first starting out.

But the weapons do at least provide ample amounts of player expression. Each offering a unique playstyle that allows you to play how you want to. In short, just pick which ever is your poison and rock out to it. Although I recommend trying to learn at least two weapons. Since some weapons are better than others in specific situations.

Although your basic weapons are not your only combat tools. You also have the Side Arms which are basically just the Sub-Weapons from Castlevania. That’s not even much of an exaggeration. Hell, the Axe and the Dagger in this are functionally the same as the Axe and Cross in Castlevania. There are more original ones, but if you aren’t reminded of Castlevania by some of these, well you probably haven’t played Castlevania then. Which you should, Castlevania is awesome.

The way the Side Arms are handled does have a bit of an issue though. The Side Arms aren’t solely used for combat. There are some that are used as navigation tools to help reach areas’ Mina can’t normally. This is nothing new for Zelda style games. I mean you have the Hookshot in Zelda which is a prime example of that.

But in Zelda these items are ones you carry around with you. Once you pick them up, they become permanent fixtures of your arsenal. That’s not the case in Mina the Hollower. The Side Arms work by Castlevania rules where you can only acquire them by picking them up, and if you lose one either by swapping it with another Side Arm or, far more likely, dying then you need to go back and pick them up again.

While there are instances where they provide you with a necessary Side Arm in the right location, there are more instances where they don’t. There will be moments where you will need to backtrack to get the Side Arm you require to pass a certain section. Although there is a feature that makes this much easier that you can unlock.

The game does account for this by having a bigger focus on environmental puzzles, rather than the item-based puzzles found in Zelda. One thing Mina can do with a Burrow is pick up and throw items, and the game has a lot of puzzles that use this idea. For example, Mina might not have bombs like Link, but she can pick up exploding items and throw them at the necessary wall.

It’s also worth noting that many of the platforming sections that require Side Arms are entirely optional. If you just want to do the main quests you don’t need to worry about this. But this is a Zelda style game. You want to do the optional stuff to get all the upgrades. So you will more than likely run into this issue at some point.

Thing is though, this is the only part where the mix of Zelda and Castlevania doesn’t quite come together. The rest of the time it’s like chocolate and caramel. Two things that work great individually, but together they create something greater.

Speaking of which those individual elements are handled expertly. The combat is punchy and satisfying. It can be quite challenging (a bit too challenging but we’ll get to that) but when you learn the enemy patterns and are able to take these guys down it feels great.

There’s a good variety in the enemies, and the different arenas and levels you fight in force you to tackle them in different ways. The bosses are also a big highlight. Each offering a unique fight that provide some of the games more enjoyable challenges.

The exploration and adventure elements though are the better part of the game in my opinions. Mina’s world is just really fun to explore. I wouldn’t call it large though. In terms of actual square inch, it is a fairly decent sized map, but its scope comes not from its size but from its density.

This game world is packed. There’s so much to see and do in this game that it can be overwhelming at first on what to do. There are secrets and optional challenges everywhere that make looking around every nook and cranny rewarding. Especially since the rewards you get for finding these are usually great.

There are a lot of collectibles in this game, and much like how Zelda makes every item and upgrade you find feel substantial, Mina the Hollower does the same thing. Sometimes you’ll simply find Bones which is this games currency, or a Bone Gem which do the same thing. You may be wondering what the point of that is, but I’ll go over that shortly.

But you’ll also find some more substantial items. You can find weapons which can either unlock that weapon or grant a new ability to it if you already have them, upgrades to your health and Joule (which is used for Side Arms), and Trinkets. The latter of which are equippable items that change Mina’s abilities.

Sometimes it’s just a simple stat boost, but other times it’s something crazier like being able to dive into walls or slowing down time with a well-timed jump dodge. The Trinkets are one of the more fun aspects of the game to experiment with, and there are a lot to find, so you’ll want to keep your eyes out for these.

And I do mean keep your eyes open. Because Mina the Hollower doesn’t have a map. You’re going to have to rely on your own observations and instincts to not only find these collectables but just to find the way forward. Which is something I admire about it. I’m so used to using maps in games to find my way around that I find it difficult to remember the actual level design at times.

Now you do have a map to some degree, but it’s more of a general map to show the locations of the major areas, and you don’t have access to it all the time. You can only view it in a specific location, so for all intents and purposes you are mapless throughout the game. While this can lead to issues in figuring out how to get to certain areas, the world of Mina the Hollower is so well designed that this issue doesn’t crop up as often as you would think.

Every major area has their own distinct colour palette, so it’s easy to tell where you are, and the level design is done in a way that you’ll be naturally guided on which direction to go without it feeling too handholdy. Combine that with a decent fast travel system, which is more like three different fast travel systems that interlink, and I never found navigating to be all that difficult.

Even if you do get lost though, which can happen on occasion, that’s part of the charm. Getting lost in Zelda is part of the fun in those games. It creates a greater incentive to explore the world since you need to find where to go next. It’s why I don’t like objective markers in Metroidvania games, it just sucks the fun out of the genre.

So, the combat and exploration are both great individually. If you’re a fan of either Castlevania or Zelda, or preferably both, then this game should be right up your alley. But there’s a bit more to this game. See there’s actually a third series this takes inspiration from. One that I think is what ultimately ties everything together. That something is Dark Souls.

Yeah, Mina the Hollower is a Soulslike. Something I should have detected early on based on the games story. The premise is that Mina is summoned to fix six generators she built after a guy named Thorne tries to shut them down because they’re corrupting the land with their weird energy. So you got a dark gothic setting, and a weird energy corrupting everything. Very Dark Souls and/or Bloodborne like.

I haven’t talked about the story much because it’s not that big a factor in the game. It takes a back seat to the gameplay. That doesn’t mean it’s bad, it’s just not that big a focus. It’s a decent story with some fun moments and quirky characters, but it is a bit predictable.

Like with Shovel Knight it’s easy to see the big twist coming from a mile away, although I will say I did like how dark the ending was. I won’t spoil the ending obviously, but I will say that if you’re a Chrono Trigger fan there’s a part that will put a smile on your face. I won’t elaborate further though; you’ll have to play the game and see for yourself.

The Soulslike trappings only become more noticeable when you start playing the game. Whenever Mina dies, she returns to the last Burrough she visited, which acts as her home base where she can swap weapons and trinkets among other things, and loses a Spark. Think of these as a sort of extra life. She can recover sparks by killing the last enemy that killed her or by simply picking it up if she died via environmental hazards, but if she dies with all her sparks gone she loses all her Bones.

This is something you want to avoid. Because Bones aren’t just cash (which is metal as fuck now that I think about it) they also act as experience points. Because in keeping with other Soulslikes, Mina the Hollower is also an RPG. Or at least it has RPG elements. When you get enough Bones, you spend those to increase your Attack, Defence, Side Arms or pocket them as Bone Gems. Or just keep the Bones to spend later if you so choose.

This is also why Bone Gems exist. You don’t lose them on dying so they act as a nice safety net. You can even convert Gems into Bones if you want to get those levels faster. Something you will want because in another hallmark of Soulslikes, Mina the Hollower is hard.

When I said you have to play smarter and not harder, I meant it 100%. Enemies in this game can end you very quickly. They do a lot of damage, so it’s imperative that you learn those patterns and try to avoid taking it as much as possible. Mina does have a healing option like in other Soulslikes, but hers works a little differently.

The Plasma Vials she uses don’t just heal her up right away. She has to build up the plasma by attacking enemies first, or through pickups found in grass, and then she can heal up to the amount of plasma she has. So to heal effectively you can’t just turtle up. You need to play a mixture of offensively and defensively which creates a fun risk and reward system.

But this can be stressful in some of the tougher fights. Even with the patterns learned you can still have a hard time with these guys. That’s not even getting into dealing with mobs or the annoying flying enemies that exist just to piss you off. Then there’s the platforming which can get very demanding in the more elaborate sequences.

Point is, the game is not easy. You need to learn this game if you want to have any fun with it. Which isn’t the easiest thing because it isn’t the best when it comes to giving instructions. If you talk to NPCs, you will get some hints on some aspects of the game, but these hints aren’t always that clear. Some of them are vague enough that you can miss out on what they mean.

For example, you can walk into mirrors to access a different dimension. This is used both for progression, since the mirror world has one of the main dungeons, and to access one of the methods of fast travel. The game does give you a hint at this, but it isn’t entirely clear on it.

It’s a good thing I heard about this beforehand otherwise I don’t know if I would have figured it out. Now in the games defence, it doesn’t do this that much. It is often very clear what it wants you to do, and the game is good at teaching you without the need for prompts or tutorials. No yellow paint needed here. It doesn’t treat me like an idiot. I am an idiot; I just don’t like being reminded of that. The game isn’t hard to figure out, but it has its obtuse moments.

The biggest hurdle with the game though is actually getting started. This is not the easiest game to get into. Those first few hours are easily the hardest parts of the game. Not that the later parts are easy, not by a fucking longshot, but they are a lot more manageable because you’re more prepared. You’re levelled up with more weapons, trinkets, healing flasks and so on.

That’s the weird thing about this game. If you actually explore and upgrade yourself the game honestly isn’t that bad. In fact, I found that simply changing my weapon or trinket loadouts greatly helped in dealing with the games tougher parts. To the point where you can almost trivialise some of it. I will say this once again, play smarter not harder. That is seriously the best advice I can give you for this.

So you can make the game a lot easier, but that doesn’t change the fact that your initial playtime is going to be rough. The opening section isn’t so bad, but once you get to the open world proper, good luck. In fact, the open world element seems pointless to me. The idea is that the game is open enough that you can do the game in any order you want. In theory anyway..

The game has a clear intended order. Reading the newspapers will tell you what the game wants you to do next, and you should follow it. The enemies are balanced in such a way that the intended order scales with the levels you should be at. Try to do the other sections out of order and the enemies will be stronger, you’ll be underprepared, and you will get your face caved in. The open world is more a new game plus thing. I think it’s possible to do the game in any order, but you’re making the game way harder and it’s difficult enough as is.

My best advice when starting is, well first off use the whip since it’s the easiest weapon, but also take your time. Don’t rush to the first main area. Explore, find those upgrades and level up a bit. That’s what I did, on my second attempt anyway. My first attempt I just went in guns blazing and was so miserable that I started over again. Once I did and started to take my time I had way more fun. This game really teaches the importance of exploration and build experimentation.

That said, because you can make the game easier, it can make the difficulty feel a tad artificial. That may not be the right term, but what I mean is the game can sometimes feel hard for the sake of being hard. Which is not how Soulslikes handle their difficulty. They are hard to create an imposing and oppressive atmosphere that tie into the themes of the stories they tell. This feels like it’s hard just because it’s old school.

I wouldn’t mind it, in fact I welcome a decent challenge, but Mina the Hollower isn’t always fun hard. It’s just pain in the ass hard. The platforming can be very trial and error, enemy placement can be bullshit, flying enemies suck major dick, hitboxes on larger bosses are weird due to the perspective you view them at, there’s auto-scrolling segments that are just godawful especially those fucking towers which are just the worst.

I’m ranting now but here’s the thing, most of the game isn’t like that. Most of the game is fair with its challenges. It’s tough but it’s very enjoyable and there is a great satisfaction when you conquer a particularly tough section. But when the difficulty spikes, and it spikes far more than I would like, it can suck the fun out of the experience.

Which I hate because I genuinely like Mina the Hollower. I love its presentation with the GBC art style and kickass soundtrack, the story is decent for what it is, and the gameplay is superb. It’s a very well-made game with a lot of content on offer. I finished my first playthrough in about thirty hours and considering the game is only £18 that’s great value for money.

But my god when it’s frustrating it can completely sour the mood. I do think the discussion on the difficulty is overblown since you can make the game easier. I didn’t even cover the huge number of modifiers it has that let you customise the game to your liking. For as difficult as it is I can’t say the game isn’t accessible.

But I also can’t say I don’t see where detractors are coming from. The game might be a fair challenge 80% of the time, but that still means the other 20% is utter bullshit. It’s not hard to see how that would turn people off from the game, especially with how rough the opening hours are.

But I still enjoyed my time with Mina the Hollower. It was frustrating in places, but the good definitely outweighed the bad and I am looking forward to going back in for a 100% run. The fact I want to replay it despite the difficulty should tell you how much I liked it. I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone, but if what you read sounds interesting and you don’t mind the occasional difficulty spike this is a game I can easily recommend. It’s a flawed gem, but a gem all the same.