Mina The Hollower proves you can teach an old rat new tricks.

I am terrible at Mina The Hollower. I'm not afraid to admit that I turned on damage reduction support after the first two boss fights purely to have a better time. But considering I've never really come across as many of the games that inspired this retro masterpiece, nor have I fallen in love with Shovel Knight like millions of other people, I'm doing pretty well.

My first console was the original PlayStation, so many classic titles like Link's Awakening and Castlevania were outdated when I first picked up a controller. With the exception of less powerful portable platforms like the Game Boy (and later the Game Boy Advance), most developers moved into 3D and began experimenting.

So I have absolutely no nostalgia for the game Mina The Hollower is trying to pay homage to. But that didn't stop me from loving how this game expands on so many aesthetic and mechanical ideas to provide a gameplay experience unlike any other. It's a deep, fascinating and challenging adventure.

Why Hollow Mina is more than just a retro love letter

At first glance, Mina the Hollower looks like dozens of other pixel art retro adventure titles released over the past decade. But in developer Yacht Club Games' defense, it could be argued that this is a trend that Shovel Knight helped start. But after just a few minutes, you'll realize that Yacht Club not only pays homage to the beloved isometric perspective, but also utilizes a variety of classic mechanics to make them feel new again.

Combat is instantly responsive, as Mina can not only attack enemies with weapons such as flails, swords, and spears, but can duck underground to dodge incoming attacks or leap onto enemies' heads to avoid lethal attacks. I was amazed at the level of subtle movement required to conquer basic enemies and even early boss encounters. If you refuse to learn and improve your skills, you will have to keep trying again.

The need to memorize the timing and scope of animations is reminiscent of Dark Souls. I know it's a cliché comparison, but it seems like every enemy type has its own set of moves that you need to remember and consider in order to survive. If you don't, you'll be sent back to the start of the fight or to the platforming gauntlet, even if you've used a few assists like me.

Supporting will not unlock any trophies and achievements, so keep this in mind if you want to build your digital collection and make it to the end of the game.

Yacht Club says that very few developers make games like Mina anymore, and even if they do, they tend to ignore how the aesthetics and mechanics have evolved. The goal is to recreate the past perfectly, often without taking into account that modern gamers want more freedom in terms of what games they should play and how they fit their particular style.

One of the things that bothers me most about Mina is that from a distance, it looks like a game that could have been released decades ago. But dig deeper and you'll see a more sophisticated interpretation of pixel art and a profound understanding of how layered gameplay mechanics can emerge even when presented with the most raw visual elements.

Are you struggling with a hollow mina? Don't be afraid to use assists

The Dark Souls comparison I made early on also applies to world design. After completing the tutorial and exploring the town of Ossex, you can head in any direction you like. Still, there's a chance you'll accidentally bump into an impassable obstacle, a doorway that requires a one-time key, or something else that could cause you to hit your head. But when you finally start making progress, all these dead ends fall into place beautifully.

The world of Mina is completely open, and after an hour of aimless exploration, I defeated enemies and opened a doorway that eventually led to the town of Ossex in a completely logical way. This world is self-imposed and will only set limits that you can pass with effort and perseverance. If you have a problem, just go out, do some work and come back later. It feels like a retro take on a modern action RPG with a top-down pixel art aesthetic.

This is the world map of Mina the Hollower.

If you like cleverly placed secret passages, this game has tons of them.

I haven't yet dived into any of the main six dungeons, but the large areas surrounding them all are so large that you could spend hours getting lost on your own. Throughout Mina's long development, I naively believed it would be a frenzied retro love letter that completely went over my head due to its lack of nostalgia. But the folks at Yacht Club have done such a great job of modernizing this classic formula to pursue a wider audience that I fell deeply in love with it.

Reviews don't lie. This game is something special. Mina is also a cute mouse, if you're into that sort of thing.