The long awaited Mina la Hollow of Yacht Club Games (Knight with Shovel) finally arrived this week and reviews have been largely glowing. This is an action-adventure game in which you play as a mouse named Mina. She can burrow underground to become temporarily invincible and emerge from the ground to cross short gaps.
Mina la Hollow looks like an 8-bit Game Boy Color game and is clearly inspired by classic Zelda adventures from top to bottom. It has a gothic horror tone and a soul-like progression. It is also a platform game. So, there’s a lot going on here. The world seems to be dense enough with secrets hidden all over the shop.
I’ll definitely need to find some time to try this. Mina la Hollow is now available on Steam (Windows, Mac and Linux), Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2 and PS5. It costs $20.
It took lead developer Alex Massé and the team at Paralives Studio seven years to bring their game to light, but Paravives has finally arrived, albeit in early access. It’s available on Steam for Windows and Mac (usually $40, 10% off until June 1).
Paravives is a life simulation in the vein of The Sims. This is an attempt to create a viable alternative to what EA has been offering with its long-running franchise. As you might expect, you’ll create characters, build houses, explore a town, meet NPCs, try different careers and all that jazz.
Massé and the team expect Paravives remaining in Early Access for a few years, during which time they’ll add a weather system, pets, houseboats, cars, a city creation option, gardening, swimming pools (no word yet on whether you’ll be able to remove the scale after a character enters), an events calendar, and much more. I bet they’ll squash the bugs too – I appreciated the acknowledgment in the trailer that the early access version isn’t totally polished.
In the meantime, players will be able to create their own mods. As with The Sims, you can expect some of these mods to be pretty spicy.
Here’s another game that has just been released into Early Access. Star of Effort Enter the Chronosphere is a turn-based roguelite available on Steam (Windows and Mac). It’s normally $15, but there’s a 10% discount until June 8.
This is one hell of a game with a twist: nothing moves until you do, including the projectiles you fire. This gives you the ability to anticipate incoming attacks and plan your moves. You can also see where enemies will move.
I played a few rounds of Enter the Chronosphere and I’m enjoying it so far. This reminds me a little Movie Shooting Thievesa turn-based game that had my full attention for a while last year.
Cards! Who doesn’t love cards? I love cards, so I’d like to play Map Map – A game about maps. Here, a small crew is searching for a lost treasure hidden somewhere in an archipelago. As the crew’s cartographer, you’ll use real navigation techniques and equipment, including a compass, telescope, and sextant, to help you find loot.
Map Map It looks educational and it looks charming. This game from Pipapo Games and co-publisher Rekoup is now available on Steam for Windows (usually $15, 10% off until June 11).
If you’re looking for something a little more chaotic to play with friends this weekend, you might want to consider Crashout Crew. It’s a cooperative game in which up to four players work together to fulfill warehouse orders while dealing with safety violations like faulty wiring causing lights to flicker and cacti to grow to get in your way.
I haven’t had a chance to play it yet, but as a Overcooked fan, Crashout Crew looks like it’s my cup of tea. Developer Aggro Crab also has a strong recent track record. The studio was behind the brilliant Another Crab’s Treasure and he was the co-developer of Culminatea big hit last year.
Its latest game is now available on Steam (Windows), Xbox Series X/S and Xbox for PC. It usually costs $8, but it’s 38% off until June 7. Crashout Crew is also on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
