Mina the Hollower is the best old-school action adventure I've played in a while

Plotting aside, Mina the Hollower is full of colorful NPCs that shine through in some efficient and fun writing. While half of the characters simply act as signposts to some objective or other, the other half will pop up with non-sequiturs and turns of phrase that had me grinning all evening. And you never know when an ostensible friend might turn into a pickpocket that you need to chase down, or when that hard luck case you’re rescuing might transform into a terrifying mini-boss. Unlike a lot of other Zelda-inspired action-adventure games, though, there’s no set order to the dungeons you take on. While the game will gently nudge you toward the challenges it thinks you’re ready for, nothing is gated behind an item or ability you have to earn from an earlier challenge.