Indie Selects for July 2026: Gameplay That Will Make Summer time Pop

Mina The Hollower is a retro-inspired 2D top-down action-adventure recreation with a punishing, but charming world. Gamers tackle the position of Mina, a Hollower mouse, as she fights by means of hordes of enemies, traps, and managers to revive turbines and save a cursed island. It seems like a mixture of Castlevania within the type of traditional Zelda, with a sprinkle of Ghost ‘n Goblins, and a touch of Darkish Souls.

“All the pieces is earned in Mina the Hollower.” I discovered myself repeating this after numerous deaths to what seems like a forgiving world on the floor. It’s charming – however positively not simple, and truthfully, that tracks. It wasn’t till the ultimate stretch, when mousetraps confirmed up as an impediment, that it clicked: “oh yeah, I AM a mouse.” It’s simple to neglect, as a result of Mina can begin to really feel like a beast as you grasp traversal, unlock trinkets, sidearms, and weapon upgrades, however she’s nonetheless small in a world that’s thematically, overwhelmingly bigger than her. You’re imagined to really feel punished; you’re imagined to really feel like Mina – barring pitfalls and hazard deaths, in fact. Whereas the methodical fight, larger-than-life bosses, and even the pacing of therapeutic all reinforce numerous the soulslike comparisons, it’s this concept of world scale and immersion that’s usually forgotten when contemplating the elements of the style and one thing that I discover charming right here.

It seems like a misplaced ’80s–’90s gem – polished simply sufficient by Yacht Membership to maintain its spirit intact. Previous-school design (contact injury, heavy knockback, actual punishment) meets trendy QoL, so it by no means feels dated. The world is charmingly darkish, filled with lore, assorted biomes, and contemporary mechanics that preserve issues from getting stale. It’s powerful however honest with each failure nonetheless feeling like one thing you’ll be able to overcome – which makes pushing by means of it that rather more rewarding. When you’re itching for that old-school top-down journey feeling, this seems like a best-in-class instance value trying out!

– Deron Mann