Game Basics - How to Play Mina the Hollower

There are a number of systems in Mina the Hollower, some of which will take inspiration from plenty of other games, like Dark Souls, Castlevania, and more. However, those who might not have played those games might be a little confused, plus this game has a few mechanics not found in other games. This page will attempt to go over some of the more obtuse and confusing mechanics in Mina the Hollower, like the healing, Underlabs, and much more.

Burrowing¶

Movement for Mina is pretty standard, although it’s a little slower than normal. She cannot run, but has access to Burrowing, where you hold the jump button to go underground. While in the ground, Mina moves a little more quickly, but she can only stay underneath for a few seconds. She will usually flash whenever she needs to come up, so make sure you pay attention. Burrowing allows you to dodge enemies and their attacks, but not all of them. For example, there are spikes found in some of the areas, which you cannot go underneath. In fact, if you try to do that, Mina will take damage as if she stepped on them.

It’s important to figure out which things you can burrow under and which you cannot, but that will take some experimentation. If you try to go under something, or an enemy’s attack, and you get hit, then that means you cannot use the burrow to avoid it. Another thing that burrowing does is make you able to jump further than normal. Should you come across a two-gap pit, then it’s going to require you to burrow first and then jump across those. Yes, falling into pits is not recommended, as you take damage and are usually sent back to the beginning of a platforming segment.

Plasma Vials and Healing¶

One thing that might be confusing in Mina the Hollower is how healing works. At the beginning of the game, when you first gain access to the mainland, you’re given your healing potions, called Plasma Vials. You only have three to start, but you do unlock more as you progress through the game. In fact, when you get to Ossex, you will be able to purchase three more vials right in the one shop. To add onto that, there is also the Primed Vial Pouch Trinket, which adds another two to your count if you have it equipped.

Now you know how to increase the count, let’s go over how the actual healing works. Your health bar on the bottom of the screen is basically split into two different bars. The red part of your health is your overall health and if it reaches zero, then you will die (more on the Sparks system below). However, even if you get hit, you won’t be able to heal right away, as you need Plasma to do that. This is the yellow part of your life bar, which occurs whenever you hit an enemy or collect the yellow flowers. Once you have yellow on your health bar, you will be able to use one of your Plasma Vials to heal.

Spark Orbs and Losing Bones¶

As mentioned above, you will die if your health reaches zero, but it’s not a permanent death, where you lose everything you have accumulated up to that point. You keep some of your Bones upon respawning at the nearest checkpoint you hit, but you lose a Spark Orb. These Spark Orbs are the little blue circles that are to the right of your health bar, and basically function as a way to control your Bones (currency). Depending on how you die, your Spark Orb will either appear in the environment or be absorbed by the enemy. If you die again while you have no Spark Orbs, then you will lose all of your Bones.

Note that enemies cannot absorb more Spark Orbs than they can carry, which differs between each enemy. This is shown on their health bar, similar to yours, with empty circles to the right of them. For example, you have two Spark Orbs and die to an enemy who can only hold one, that foe will take one. When you go back and die again to the same enemy, they won’t be able to take another orb, so the second will actually remain with you. Things can move quickly in this game, so make sure you pay attention to this small info.

Underlab¶

Exploring the various areas, you will quickly notice that you run across a lot of checkpoints. These are where you’ll respawn, should you die. What the game doesn’t explicitly mention (outside of the manual) is that these checkpoints have another purpose. If you burrow while standing on one, then you’ll be brought to your Underlab. The Underlab serves a few important functions, like replenishing your Plasma Vials after using them, for one. There is also a chest at the top that allows you to change your Trinkets, as well as one on the left side where you can change your weapons.

The machine in the top right is called the Bone Sinterer, which lets you change Bonestones into normal Bones. Note that you won’t be able to do the opposite, so you should be very careful when using the Sinterer. If you see the Sinterer shaking in the corner, then that means you will have enough Bonestone in there to be able to level up. You should also see a button prompt once you access it, which will give you just the right amount for leveling up.

Bones and Bonestone¶

Even playing for a little bit, you will realize that the currency used in this game is called Bones. If you wish to purchase something from a shop, you will need Bones. You’ll find it in the environments and enemies will always drop them when defeated. There are a lot of things you’ll need Bones for, but you’ll have to be extremely careful you don’t lose them. That’s where Bonestone comes into play, which is the yellow gems you can find throughout your adventure. Bonestone is essentially Bones that won’t be lost if you die without any Spark Orbs.

The only way to get Bonestone is through finding the Bonestone Gems, or choosing that option when Boning Up (leveling up). The leveling up option will also increase in price each time, like with the other stats, but you’re still essentially getting the Bones you spend on that back, since it’s going into storage. Since you cannot change Bones into Bonestone, the best thing to do, should you have a lot of Bones on you, is to simply spend it at one of the shops.

It should be noted that you don’t have to convert Bonestone into Bones in order to spend them. When you visit shops, the price will be in white if you can afford it with the Bones you have on you, and it will be in yellow if you can afford it with your Bones and Bonestone combined. If the price is in red, then you aren’t able to purchase it at all. Pretty much anything you can buy will follow this methodology, even when you are simply giving Bones to a NPC.

Boning Up (Leveling Up)¶

Bones aren’t just a currency in the game, but they are also your experience, too. Whenever you reach a certain threshold, you will level up in the game, called Bone Up. At the very beginning of the game, the first Bone Up will occur when you collect 350 Bones. You will be able to select one of four things here, which are as follows:

• Attack: Increases the damage you do with your regular weapon
• Defense: Decreases the damage you take from enemies, as well as some hazards
• Sidearm: Increases the damage done with your Sidearms
• Bonestone: Turn your Bones into Bonestone instead

When your minimum and maximum threshold are the same across all options, you don’t have a choice and must pick something to level. However, things can be done a little differently if your stats are at different levels. A fresh level up will always take into account the lowest threshold, but you don’t have to add points into that stat if you don’t want. You have the option to choose Exit, which will keep the Bones you have and move to the next highest threshold. You can basically keep this going until you get to your highest one, which is when you’ll have to choose a stat.

Swimming¶

There is one area of Tenebrous Isle that is filled with deep water, which acts similar to any other pit, in that if you fall in it, you will take damage and get set back on dryer land. However, there is something that the game doesn’t outright tell you (it’s in the manual, though). You can actually burrow in the deeper water, which is how you will get through this entire region. Burrowing in the deeper water is slower than normal, but there are Trinkets that can help with that.