Mina The Hollower’s Combat Bucks A Big, Important Trend

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Many action games include a parry system – it’s especially intricate in games like Elden Ring. However, the upcoming game *Mina the Hollower*, from the creators of *Shovel Knight*, won’t have one. The developers believe the mechanic has been used too much already.

According to GamesRadar, Sean Velasco from Yacht Club explained to Knowledge why they decided to remove a certain combat system from the game. He stated:

Creating the combat system was a key focus. We aimed to take established ideas and rework them in a fresh and engaging way.

Honestly, I’ve noticed a lot of games are jumping on the parrying bandwagon, and the Yacht Club team felt the same way. They even pointed out that even a game like Doom is getting into that style of combat now! So, instead of adding parrying to their game, they wanted to go back to the classic Castlevania feel – you know, keeping your distance, timing your attacks, and striking when you see an opening. That’s the kind of combat they were aiming for.

Mina the Hollower’s combat system was inspired by games that don’t allow players to block, and the developers also intentionally left out the common dodge roll mechanic, according to Velasco.

Because of this, Mina focuses on skillfully using her few available attacks against opponents. Her whip attacks will be a welcome throwback for fans of the classic games that inspired this one. As for how she moves, it’s definitely different and innovative, just like the developers said it would be.

Burrowing Over Parrying

Mina’s unique skill is her ability to dig and tunnel, which she uses to quickly escape danger or move around. She can still jump normally, but combining a jump with burrowing gives her extra height.

Similar to the popular Shovel Knight games, Mina the Hollower combines classic gameplay elements with fresh, new ideas. It might take some getting used to – like learning the rhythm of Mina’s slower movement and how long it takes to burrow – but I expect to become comfortable with it after playing for a while.

I’m torn about the lack of parrying. Sometimes, the reward for successfully parrying isn’t worth the risk. If blocking is easier and lets you quickly counterattack with a powerful move, that’s often a better strategy.

There’s a great feeling of satisfaction in perfectly blocking an opponent’s attack and turning the tide of battle. In the game For Honor, I often had trouble fighting fast, nimble characters like Orochi. But successfully blocking one of their quick attacks would create an opening for me to strike back with a powerful blow.

Even after ten years, skillfully dodging attacks with a gunshot in Bloodborne and then stunning a boss to deliver a powerful Visceral Attack remains incredibly rewarding.

It’s noteworthy that Velasco points to Bloodborne as an inspiration for Mina the Hollower, especially considering the similarities between the two games. Unlike other games in the Souls-like genre, Mina the Hollower seems to have taken a unique approach to its combat system, focusing on carefully choosing when to attack – much like Bloodborne.

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2025-10-20 00:09