It's been a long time since Yacht Club's last big title and a huge indie success, the fantastic Shovel Knight. It was followed by DLCs and spin-offs that proved the platforming elements and combat worked well together. That's why the developer's follow-up feels like such a cool concept: an entirely new game that hearkens back to Game Boy Color titles like Link's Awakening but with a modern flair. Mina the Hollower has been a long time coming, including a rather unfortunately last-minute delay, but now that we've had some hands-on time with the game, it looks like Yacht Club might have one heck of a follow-up.

Mina the Hollower follows the titular Mina, an adorable mouse adventurer who is called to a cursed island to repair the broken Spark generators that are keeping the island functional. Unfortunately, everything from a traitorous general to rampaging zombies are plaguing the island, and it's up to her, her trusty gadgets, and her wits to repair all seven generators and save the island from total doom.

I've only seen a bit of Mina the Hollower, but the tone of the game is distinct. Despite the adorable graphics, it's an oddity of lighthearted and grim, sort of like an 8-bit Bloodborne. You'll encounter lovable orphans and some horrific monsters almost side by side, and the goofy character designs contrast with moments of characters mourning for dead loved ones. It's an interesting flavor that is reminiscent of something like Majora's Mask, and I am here for it.

Despite its Zelda-style looks, Mina the Hollower is closer to something like Dark Souls in terms of basic feel. While it lacks that game's stamina system, it does have pretty fast and brutal combat. Damage numbers are pretty high, and enemies have far more involved attack patterns than in a standard Zelda game, so you're encouraged to think more about fighting than you might in a Link-style adventure. For those worried about it being too punishing, the game offers an absolutely massive number of modifiers, so you can customize specific difficulty elements (or make the game weirder and more fun).

Early on, movement in Mina is nice and straightforward, echoing the days of Zelda: Link's Awakening. You move around and have a jump button, a weapon button, and a subweapon button. The weapon button uses basic attacks, which are determined by the weapon you have equipped. You can choose between a Castlevania-style whip, a pair of fast daggers, and a massive hammer, but you can unlock other weapons like a shock cannon that changes between long-range shots and a close-range hammer you can use to charge it up.

Subweapons are full-on Castlevania style. You find them in the environment, frequently from destroying candles or other breakable objects, and they serve different purposes. You can find throwing daggers, axes, an umbrella that lets you block attacks and glide, the ability to turn into mist, a spear-mounted bicycle and more. Many of these are used to fight enemies, but some can be used for exploration, such as the umbrella or mist form to reach previously inaccessible areas. Each one is fueled by a shared energy resource that you obtain by smashing objects and beating enemies.

Movement has an interesting twist. You can jump to move around and avoid attacks by jumping, but you also have access to the titular Hollowing ability. By holding down the button after jumping, you'll dive into the ground. This not only renders you temporarily immune to damage, but it allows you to dive under obstacles and find hidden paths. However, it takes a few moments to dive underground, so you need to plan ahead, and moves that break or shatter the ground can still deal full damage to you.

Health recovery is done via an interesting take on the Estus Flask system. You have a "plasma vial," which, much like those now-traditional healing items, recovers your health when used and replenishes at the game's checkpoints. The major difference is that plasma vials require you to actually damage enemies to drain plasma from them, so you can heal. The more plasma you drain, the more healing you get out of each vial. That means if you're low on health, you have to engage with the enemy to gain the plasma to heal. It's an interesting twist on mechanics that I rather liked. Dying borrows from the Dark Souls system. Defeat enemies, and you earn bones, which are both a currency and used to upgrade Mina's stats. Die on the battlefield, and you lose your spark. Die without recollecting your spark, and you lose all bones.

The interesting twist is that sparks and vials are not only a part of your character but also a resource used to unlock doors and open up areas. If you want to fight an optional boss, you might have to sacrifice two vials before you can even go inside. If you want to take on a tough challenge, you might need to put three sparks into the door to open it. This allows you to either take on challenges early with a high risk and high reward, or you can come back later with extra stuff to make it easier. It's an interesting balancing factor that opens up the possibility for bosses to continue to be difficult without losing out on the rewards of exploration.

The game is semi-open world, rather akin to the aforementioned Zelda games. After you free the initial town of Ossex from its invaders, it serves as a hub world. From there, you can venture out and explore at will. The game gently guides you in certain directions through the use of in-game newspapers, but if you really want to go to a  more difficult area ahead of schedule, you can. Your rewards can range from additional health and items to powerful equippable trinkets to customize how Mina fights. We've only played a bit of the game so far, but what we have seen is filled to the brim with secrets, and almost every screen is hiding something special.

We've only played a few hours of Mina the Hollower so far, but I'm dying to play more. The gameplay is smooth, engaging and fun; the world a delight to explore; and every part of the game feels polished to a mirror shine. Assuming the full game is as strong as its first impression, then Yacht Club has another hit on its hands. Thankfully, there are only a few short weeks until the full game is available for every console and PC.