Info about Mina the Hollower:

Official game description:
Descend into a frightful world of action-adventure in Mina the Hollower. Take control of Mina, a renowned Hollower hurtled into a desperate mission to rescue a cursed island. Burrow beneath hazards and monsters, whip foes into oblivion, and gear up with an arsenal of sidearms and trinkets.
Explore a vast world filled with pixel-perfect graphics, masterful gameplay, beastly bosses, and infectious music. Encounter a cast of bizarre characters, search out secrets in an array of exotic locales, and illuminate the omnipresent darkness in Mina the Hollower, a brand new game from the developers who brought you Shovel Knight!
Features
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*   Hauntingly authentic 8-bit visuals in the style of Game Boy Color, refined for the modern era.
Modern touches abound: detailed animation, widescreen visuals, and rock-solid controls!
*   Leap, dodge, and burrow through the ground to battle monsters or navigate the world.
*   Lash at foes with your trusty whip, Nightstar- or choose from an arsenal of weapons, each with a totally different move set.
*   Discover and utilize a reliquary's worth of unusual Sidearms to gain the advantage in combat.
*   Collect and equip Trinkets to acquire a variety of exotic effects. Level Mina up to suit your unique playstyle.
*   Electrifying soundtrack by chiptune virtuoso, Jake Kaufman.
*   Descend into the depths of madness with a bone-chilling, yet heartwarming tale inspired by Victorian Gothic horror.
*   Explore a huge, dark world brimming with secrets, challenging battles, and interconnected level design.

Release date: May 28, 2026

Categories: Action-Adventure, Metroidvania, Soulslike Combat, Exploration, Precision Platformer, 2D Side-scrolling, Retro Aesthetics, Non-linear Progression

Feature scans:
- Proton/Linux: score 30; verdict: Minor Tweaks Needed; summary: The game generally works on Linux with Proton, but users may need to switch between different versions of Proton to fix Linux-specific bugs. There are no major issues reported that prevent the game from being playable on Linux.
- Steam Deck: score 40; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The analysis of user feedback reveals a mix of experiences with the game on the Steam Deck. While some users encountered compatibility issues that required tinkering with Proton settings, others had a seamless and enjoyable experience. The overall sentiment includes both technical challenges and positive gameplay experiences.

- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: The game performs well on the provided hardware cohort with available reports indicating positive experiences.
  - Sample size: 28 (10% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM.
  - Windows <8GB VRAM (positive, 6 reports): The game runs well on this hardware configuration.
  - Caveats: 28 of 294 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $15.00 - $25.00
  - Reasoning: The majority of the reviews emphasize that the game is worth its price, indicating a strong positive sentiment towards the value of the game. This suggests that the community finds the current price fair and justifiable based on the content and quality of the game.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 25.0h
  - Story completion: N/A
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: 2.0h
  - Reasoning: The evidence provides multiple references to the playtime required to complete the game. The first quote mentions a 25-hour immersive experience, which aligns with the typical game completion time. The second quote specifies a single playthrough duration of 25-35 hours, supporting the game completion metric. The third quote reinforces the average playtime of around 25 hours. The fourth quote indicates that a player has already spent over 27 hours without completing everything, suggesting a longer playtime for full completion, including endgame content.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game initially presents friction through tedious mechanics and challenging combat, but becomes fun once players master the controls and progress through the early stages.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: Mastering combat and progressing through the early game
  - Time to anchor: 1h 0m
  - Friction: Tedious digging mechanic; Challenging enemy encounters; Frustrating Jump/Dodge/Spin mechanics
  - Unlock drivers: Learning combat mechanics organically; Early game polish and progression
  - Conditions: Mastering combat controls; Progressing through early stages
- Player Archetypes:
  - Mechanics Master Explorer (buy)
    - Motivation: Mastering game mechanics and exploration.
    - Playstyle: Explores and experiments with game mechanics, enjoys learning new abilities and techniques.
    - Experience: familiar
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Exploration enthusiast; Mechanics master
    - Reference games: Shovel Knight; Hollow Knight
  - Challenge Seeker (buy)
    - Motivation: Overcoming difficult challenges and strategic combat.
    - Playstyle: Enjoys tough, strategic gameplay with high difficulty.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: Hardcore gamer; Souls-like fan
    - Reference games: Dark Souls; Bloodborne
  - Retro Enthusiast (sale)
    - Motivation: Nostalgia and appreciation for retro-style games.
    - Playstyle: Enjoys games with retro aesthetics and gameplay elements.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: Retro gamer; Old-school fan
    - Reference games: The Legend of Zelda; Shovel Knight


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Beautiful retro graphics (weight 0.77): The game features charming retro graphics with a GBC-inspired art style that players find visually appealing.
- Extensive exploration (weight 0.65): Players appreciate the extensive and non-linear exploration, with a world full of secrets and surprises to discover.
- Challenging gameplay (weight 0.59): The game offers challenging gameplay with difficult bosses and platforming, providing an enjoyable difficulty level.
- Tight and fluid gameplay (weight 0.45): The gameplay is frequently described as tight, fluid, and smooth, with precise controls that enhance the overall experience.
- Fun and enjoyable experience (weight 0.4): Players find the game very fun and refreshing, with enjoyable gameplay that keeps them engaged.
- Great characters and soundtrack (weight 0.35): Players enjoy the great characters and catchy music, which add personality and depth to the game world.
- Inspired by classic games (weight 0.32): The game blends elements from classic games like Zelda and Castlevania, creating a familiar yet unique experience.
- Well-balanced difficulty (weight 0.31): The difficulty is well-balanced and can be adjusted, providing a challenging yet fair experience.
- Unique mechanics (weight 0.27): The game introduces unique mechanics like burrowing, adding strategic depth to the combat and exploration.
- Intelligent level design (weight 0.27): The game features intelligent and immersive level design, contributing to a detailed and complex world.
- Variety of items (weight 0.27): There is a variety of trinkets and weapons available, providing players with multiple combat options and styles.
- Immersive atmosphere (weight 0.23): The game features an immersive atmosphere with great music and visuals that enhance the overall experience.
- Engaging combat (weight 0.19): The combat is engaging and exciting, with a variety of enemies and attack styles that keep players on their toes.
- Enjoyable progression (weight 0.13): Players are enjoying the game's progression and overall experience, finding it engaging and satisfying.
- Rich game content (weight 0.13): The game offers rich content with various gameplay modes and a high density of secrets and puzzles.
- Soulslike gameplay (weight 0.13): The game offers tough as nails Soulslike gameplay, appealing to fans of challenging and rewarding experiences.
- Hidden bosses (weight 0.13): The game features hidden and multi-stage boss fights, adding depth and challenge to the gameplay.
- Runs well on Steam Deck (weight 0.12): The game runs great on Steam Deck, providing a smooth experience for players on that platform.
- Informative manual (weight 0.11): The manual is informative and well-crafted, providing useful information for players.

Common complaints:
- Movement and control issues (weight 0.34): The game has several movement and control issues, including unresponsive controls, imprecise movement, and janky hitboxes. These issues make the game feel less polished and more frustrating to play.
- Lack of a detailed map (weight 0.32): The absence of a detailed map makes navigation difficult and increases the likelihood of getting lost. This issue is compounded by the game's design, which can make it easy to lose one's way.
- Health system frustrations (weight 0.3): The health system, including limited health recovery and vulnerability frames, is a source of frustration for many players. This aspect of the game is seen as overly punishing.
- Bugs and technical issues (weight 0.25): Players have encountered various bugs and technical issues, including specific bugs related to item loss and general gameplay glitches. These issues affect the overall stability and enjoyment of the game.
- Currency loss on death (weight 0.23): Players express frustration with the mechanic of losing currency upon death, especially when they are unable to retrieve it. This penalty is seen as overly punishing and detrimental to the gaming experience.
- Derivative of Dark Souls mechanics (weight 0.18): The game is criticized for heavily borrowing mechanics from Dark Souls, making it feel like a typical copy rather than an innovative experience. Players are looking for more originality in gameplay mechanics.
- Difficulty with identifying objects (weight 0.17): The ¾ perspective design makes it difficult for players to identify objects, leading to frustration and confusion. This design choice affects the overall clarity and enjoyment of the game.
- Annoying audio and music (weight 0.16): The audio style and music in the game are found to be grating and repetitive, detracting from the overall experience. Players find the audio elements to be particularly annoying.
- Visual clarity and font issues (weight 0.16): The game has occasional visual clarity issues and a font that is considered very bad. These visual problems make the game harder to play and less enjoyable.
- No hit stun on enemies (weight 0.16): The lack of hit stun on enemies makes combat feel less impactful and more frustrating. Players find this aspect of combat design to be a significant drawback.
- Cumbersome digging mechanics (weight 0.13): The digging mechanics in the game are reported to be cumbersome and tedious, detracting from the overall gameplay experience. Players find this mechanic frustrating and in need of improvement.
- Unreasonable checkpoint distribution (weight 0.13): The distribution of checkpoints is considered unreasonable, leading to long runbacks and increased difficulty. Players find this aspect of the game design frustrating and in need of adjustment.
- Time-consuming and not suitable for limited time (weight 0.13): The game is noted to be time-consuming, making it less suitable for players with limited time. This aspect may deter some players from fully engaging with the game.
- Grindy upgrades and slow progression (weight 0.13): The game features grindy upgrades and slow progression, which can be frustrating for players. This aspect of the game design is seen as a deterrent to enjoyment.
- Confusing puzzles and level design (weight 0.13): Some puzzles and level designs are found to be confusing and insufficiently designed. This leads to frustration and detracts from the overall gaming experience.
- Enemies can attack from all directions (weight 0.13): Enemies in the game can attack from all directions, making combat more challenging and sometimes frustrating. This aspect of enemy design is seen as a significant difficulty spike.
- Stressful modifier system (weight 0.12): The modifier system in the game is found to be stressful and arbitrary, adding unnecessary difficulty and frustration. Players find this system to be a negative aspect of the game.
- No fast travel option (weight 0.08): The lack of a fast travel option makes navigation and backtracking more tedious. Players find this omission to be a significant inconvenience.
- Limited combat due to perspective (weight 0.07): The retro top-down perspective limits combat effectiveness, making it harder for players to engage in combat situations. This limitation is seen as a drawback in the game's design.
- Specific secondary weapons required (weight 0.07): Certain areas of the game require specific secondary weapons, which can be limiting and frustrating for players. This design choice is seen as restrictive and not player-friendly.
- Inconsistent platforming (weight 0.07): The platforming in the game is noted to be inconsistent, leading to frustration and difficulty in navigation. This aspect of the game design is seen as needing improvement.
- Hardcore design may not appeal to all (weight 0.07): The game's hardcore design and retro style may not appeal to all players, making it less accessible to a wider audience. This design choice is seen as limiting the game's appeal.

Gameplay feedback:
- Souls-like and Zelda-like elements (weight 0.55): The game blends elements from both Zelda-like adventure and Souls-like combat, creating a unique mix of exploration and challenging gameplay.
- Exploration and secrets emphasized (weight 0.45): The game features extensive exploration elements with hidden secrets and puzzle-solving, drawing comparisons to Zelda-like adventure mechanics.
- Unique digging and burrowing mechanics (weight 0.25): The game introduces unique mechanics such as digging and burrowing, adding a new dimension to gameplay.
- Variety of weapons and combat styles (weight 0.25): Players have access to a variety of weapons and combat styles, enhancing the gameplay experience.
- Non-linear progression system (weight 0.22): The game offers a non-linear progression system, allowing players to explore and progress in an open-ended manner.
- Detailed and immersive world design (weight 0.17): The game boasts a detailed and immersive world design with various areas and mechanics, contributing to a rich gaming experience.
- Limited auxiliary weapons (weight 0.16): The game features a limited number of auxiliary weapons, which can be enhanced using blue potions but are lost upon death.
- Minimal hand-holding (weight 0.12): The game offers little hand-holding, allowing players to explore and discover mechanics on their own.
- Metroidvania structure (weight 0.12): The game follows a classic Metroidvania structure, combining exploration and progression in a non-linear fashion.
- Retro Gameboy-like style (weight 0.11): The game has a retro style reminiscent of Gameboy Color games, appealing to fans of classic gaming.
- In-game modifier system (weight 0.11): The game includes a modifier system that allows for various in-game adjustments and customizations.
- Accessibility and customization options (weight 0.11): The game offers accessibility and customization options, making it more inclusive and adaptable to different player needs.
- Engaging story with twists (weight 0.11): The game features an engaging story with unexpected twists, adding depth to the gameplay experience.

Performance notes:
- Linux and Steam Deck compatibility (weight 0.24): The game runs well on Linux and Steam Deck, with mentions of Proton compatibility and positive performance on these platforms.
- Framerate and resolution issues (weight 0.14): Some players have reported issues with framerate and resolution, affecting the overall gaming experience.
- Technical slowdowns and lockups (weight 0.13): There are reports of slowdown issues and lockups, which can disrupt gameplay and cause frustration.
- Performance on handheld devices (weight 0.08): The game performs well on handheld devices like the ROG Ally X, indicating good optimization for portable gaming.
- Good controller support (weight 0.08): The game has good support for box controllers, providing a smooth gaming experience.

Recommendations:
- Highly recommended game (weight 0.2): Many players highly recommend this game, suggesting it is worth purchasing and playing.
- Worth the price (weight 0.14): Several reviews mention that the game is worth its price tag, indicating good value for money.
- Similar to Shovel Knight (weight 0.13): Players who enjoy Shovel Knight are likely to enjoy this game as well. Some suggest buying Shovel Knight: Treasure Trove instead.
- Top-rated game (weight 0.08): The game is considered to be among the top 10 games by some reviewers, highlighting its high quality and enjoyment factor.
- Wishes for game's success (weight 0.07): Some reviews express hopes for the game's success, indicating a positive outlook and support from the community.

Other player notes:
No miscpoints

Emotions:
- Excitement (weight 0.22): Players are thrilled by the game's exploration and challenging gameplay, which offers a rewarding and replayable experience. The blend of beloved franchises like 2D Zelda and Castlevania, along with engaging combat and responsive controls, adds to the excitement.
- Frustration (weight 0.15): Players are frustrated with the game's high difficulty, punishing mechanics, and design issues, particularly in segments like Mock Moon. Inconsistent platforming, unresponsive controls, and tedious mechanics such as digging also contribute to this frustration.
- Joy (weight 0.11): Players find joy in the game's exploration, secrets, and balanced difficulty, which evoke a nostalgic Gameboy vibe. The game's art, accessibility, and unique interactions, along with positive experiences with game mechanics, contribute to this joy.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.1): Players feel satisfied with the game's challenging yet fair combat and exploration. The blend of beloved Zelda games and the polished, rewarding gameplay contribute to this sense of satisfaction.
- Excited (weight 0.09): Players are excited about the game's potential as a classic 2D adventure, with excellent combat and interesting map exploration. The positive initial thoughts and the fantastic feel of the game add to this excitement.
- Disappointment (weight 0.06): Players are disappointed with the game's mechanics, including weapon selection and healing mechanics, which feel recycled and uninspired. Negative first impressions and unimpressive story, dialogue, and controls also contribute to this disappointment.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.05): Players feel nostalgic due to the game's Gameboy Color-style graphics and Link's Awakening-style gameplay. The GBC art style and soulslike gameplay reminiscent of older games evoke a sense of nostalgia.
- Admiration (weight 0.04): Players admire the game's design and mechanics, which blend elements from classic Zelda and Soulslike games. The game's presentation, detail, and blend of retro and modern elements are particularly praised.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.04): Players are enjoying the game's gameplay experience, controls, and soundtrack. The game's performance and fun mechanics contribute to this enjoyment.
- Love (weight 0.02): Players express love for the game's design and mechanics, appreciating the effort and care put into the game.
- Surprise (weight 0.02): Players are surprised by the game's systems and situations, including unexpected difficulty levels.
- Gratitude (weight 0.02): Players express gratitude for the opportunity to play the game and are excited for future playthroughs.
- Nostalgic (weight 0.02): Players feel nostalgic due to the game's pixel art style and Gameboy-like graphics and audio.
- Frustrated (weight 0.01): Players are frustrated with the game's mechanics and difficulty, particularly with positional combat mechanics not working well.
- Support (weight 0.01): Players want to support the developers, Yacht Club, in their time of need.
- Hopeful (weight 0.01): Players express hope that the game will continue to meet their expectations.
- Satisfied (weight 0.01): Players are satisfied with the game's balanced difficulty, making it enjoyable for a wide range of players.
- Appreciation (weight 0.01): Players appreciate the game's fantastic quality and the inclusion of accessibility options.}