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Rivals of Aether 2 isn't the only Smash Bros.-esque fighting game on Steam, but it might just be the best—unlike the first game, though, it hasn't included any guest characters just yet. Even Shovel Knight, who appeared in the first Rivals of Aether game, was effectively succeeded by an alarmingly sexy shark man earlier this year (listen, I'm just reporting the facts). But next year, Yacht Club's newest retro-inspired icon, Mina the Hollower, will join the game's roster.
Confirmation of that came in the form of a brief teaser shown during EVO, which doesn't so much reveal the character as much as it reveals that there will be a reveal of the character eventually. Mina will actually be playable sometime in 2027, where she'll join the likes of that sexy shark man and a bunch of other anthropomorphized animals. In that sense, I suppose she'll fit right in.
Developer Aether Studios also used EVO weekend to announce expanded modding tools for the creation of custom fighters in Rivals of Aether 2, as well as another new playable character who will release much sooner on Aug. 4.
Instead of a gothic mouse lady, Gouie is a goopy, slimy orb-shaped platypus who swallows his foes and rips off chunks of his slippery body to chuck all over the stage. His voice work alternates between a cheery, childlike voice and a bassy growl, resulting in a despicable little bastard that sounds as putrid as he looks. I love him.
It's nice to see Yacht Club taking some victory laps after the release of its latest game. The studio was open about the dire straits it'd be in if Mina the Hollower was a flop, but it instead turned out to be a pretty incredible game that has sold like hotcakes. In their 90% review, PC Gamer contributing writer Kerry Brunskill said the game "is a gloriously gothic combination of ferocious combat and beautiful scenery."
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Mina the Hollower review: Brutal battles and freeform exploration make for a grim, gripping adventure