This very anticipated title is a remarkable action-adventure game that successfully blends old-school design philosophies with modern gameplay sensibilities. Developed by Yacht Club Games, the studio best known for Shovel Knight, it demonstrates a clear understanding of what made classic top-down adventures memorable while introducing enough new ideas to stand on its own. Rather than feeling like a simple nostalgia project, the game uses its retro inspirations as a foundation for a rich and engaging experience that feels surprisingly fresh. And one of the reasons why I say this was very anticipated, is because the team decided to delay its release in order to add new and fun features, like the built-in cheats which also serves as accessibility options. And this alone is more than enough to display how passionate the developers behind this project were while creating this.
One of the most distinctive features is the ability to burrow underground. What initially seems like a clever movement mechanic quickly becomes the core of the entire experience, influencing exploration, combat, puzzle-solving, and even boss encounters. It is an easy skill to learn, but a hard one to master, especially because you are quickly introduced to several different ways to enhance the game's mechanics, in the form of trinkets. Particularly, when it comes to the burrow ability, I like to use a trinket that can make you invincible after burrowing, for a brief period of time. Traversing the world feels consistently engaging because the burrowing mechanic is integrated into nearly every aspect of the design. It allows the developers to create obstacles, secrets, and combat scenarios that would not be possible in a traditional top-down adventure game, giving this game its own identity despite obvious influences from classic titles.
The exploration is surprisingly organic, at first you feel overwhelmed with options, and I got lost more often than not, especially in the beginning. But you'll quickly notice how nicely integrated the world is, similar to something like the modern Souls-like titles, which the map actually feels real, and not just places put together. One thing that made me notice this the most was a side-quest which you need to participate on a race to the very middle of the map, on several different areas. And since you have very limited time to perform this, you'll naturally start to notice the high level quality of the level design. In my opinion this is very incredible, because this is not something that is easy to achieve, and the developers made it feel very easy and simple, this is just one of the several displays of their level of creativity.
As for the visuals, the game is stunning, even if you are not particularly drawn by its style, it is undeniable how polished it looks. The pixel art embraces a Game Boy Color-inspired aesthetic while pushing far beyond the technical limitations of that hardware. Character animations are expressive, environments are filled with detail, and the dark gothic atmosphere remains compelling from beginning to end. There are several subtle little animations that makes all the difference, for example, whenever Mina attacks, she wrinkle's her eyebrows, and these little details happen everywhere. The OST complements the visuals perfectly, the quality of the songs are to the same level as classics such as both Zelda and Castlevania franchises, and this says a lot since these franchises have the best OSTs in gaming history. My favorites are the ones from the last levels: Theory of Everything (Mirror's End) and The Brilliant Truth (Radiant Manor).
The combat is another major strength, encounters are fast, demanding, and often require careful timing and positioning. Some may compare it to Souls-like titles, but particularly I don't really agree, it is actually the other way around. Souls-like titles were inspired by old exploration, level-design (especially from early Zelda titles) and a more harsh progression, with fewer checkpoints in general. But while the game borrows elements from these oldschool game designs, it never loses sight of its adventure game roots. I can't think of another game that comes this close to replicating the feeling of first implementations of the open-world mechanics in gaming. The main reason why I say this is because it does not have any Metroidvania elements to it, you can explore and go about your journey in any particular way feel like it. You also have a big arsenal to choose from, with at least five different weapons, and each of them having at least 2 upgrades, those being not just for more damage, but also introducing new movesets and mechanics.
Even the regular enemies can be dangerous, bosses are challenging and memorable, and progression feels rewarding as you organically and gradually master Mina's abilities. The difficulty may surprise those expecting a more relaxed retro adventure, but the challenge generally feels fair and encourages learning rather than frustration. You have several different resources at your disposal, even Castlevania-style sub-weapons which you can use. And compared to other similar titles, this one really makes you use them, it is not just a gimmick, but a must. This encourages experimentation, and you'll have a frustrating time if you don't put some time on creating some strategies. They can make or break your experience, so don't sleep on them, even more so when you start to think about creating builds with your trinkets to enhance this even further.
Not to mention, it has the classic experience points and leveling up, which is so simple it that it really can't be considered an RPG just because of this. I myself never had to grind to be able to progress, it promote a very natural progression. But exploration is where the game truly excels, the world is interconnected, packed with optional content, hidden upgrades, shortcuts, and secrets that reward curiosity. Every new ability expands your options and opens previously inaccessible areas, creating a satisfying sense of discovery throughout the adventure. And even though I said it does not have any Metroidvania mechanics, you can approach this as if it was one, but I guarantee that there are multiple different ways of solving the same problems, it just requires experimentation.
The game trusts you to pay attention to their surroundings, which makes uncovering secrets feel genuinely earned rather than handed out automatically. The only downside I can think of about the exploration, is the lack of a proper map. Some can argue that this is by design, since earlier open-world games also didn't had one. But to be honest, I wouldn't be bothered by this since the game's world is one of the most organic ones that I've experienced. My recommendation is to use a web browser and find a community made map, which I admit that I've used one for some sections in the game. You'll also have an overview map available to check if you missed any collectibles, which I recommend you try and grab all of them, because it is a really satisfying experience.
The game is not without flaws, its difficulty can occasionally spike unexpectedly, particularly during certain boss fights and late-game sections. And for those I recommend you use the accessibility cheats if needed, no shame in that, just keep in mind that this will disable in-game achievements for that particular save slot. And again, you also have several different ways of dealing with problems like this, use and abuse of the overpowered combos you can create, plus the already mentioned five different weapons to chose from. Some people may also find the limited guidance and emphasis on exploration confusing at times, especially when trying to determine where to go next. Those accustomed to modern conveniences such as extensive quest markers or highly detailed maps may need time to adjust to the game's more traditional approach. For me this is a plus though, it is refreshing to have an experience with less sign-posting and hand-holding from time to time, it feels more peaceful.
Even with these shortcomings, this title stands as one of the strongest indie releases of 2026, and to me, this is already the best indie of the year. It successfully captures the spirit of classic adventure games while introducing mechanics and ideas that make it feel contemporary rather than derivative. The combination of excellent level design, rewarding exploration, satisfying combat, and beautiful presentation makes it easily a must-play if you like action-adventure games to any extent. It is both a love letter to gaming's past and a confident statement of how those ideas can still evolve today. This videogame is an exceptional adventure that rewards patience, skill, and curiosity, and it deserves a place among the best modern indie games. Without a doubt, I can safely say that Mina The Hollower sits among big classic indie titles such as Undertale, Shovel Knight and the like. And just a little quick note: it has a secret ending, with a totally crazy approach on how to achieve it, one of the most insane ones I've ever seen, but didn't had enough courage to try out myself.
