As we’ve witnessed over the past few years, Square Enix has a healthy fascination with the HD-2D approach to many of its famous IPs – to great success. Octopath Traveler, Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest are just some of the more well-known examples of pixelated characters navigating around a world that pops with the HD presentation. Now, Square Enix has created a new IP named The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales that plays like a 2D Zelda, moving away from turn-based combat that often accompanies the genre’s output. Elliot is the titular character, sporting a controversial hat that has seen much discourse. He is the hero of this time-hopping adventure full of large-scale boss battles, wide exploration and JRPG tropes. There are two very distinct categories by which to analyse this game – gameplay and narrative. One is very enjoyable and impressive, the other does not quite live up to others in this category. Yet at the heart of the title is a solid foundation for another HD-2D staple that is ideal on the Switch 2. Read on.
I will start with gameplay here, as the adaption to a more active style really works in the HD-2D world. Much like the earlier Zelda games, Elliot runs through biomes chopping at enemies (and bushes/pots) or using a secondary weapon (boomerang, bow, hammer, spear, etc.) to add a bit of preference to play. General enemies charge at you and can be sliced into items fairly easily. The longer you do this without getting hit, the higher your drop meter (which means you’ll receive more items after a kill). Most enemies have an approach that can be predicted after viewing their behaviour, like blocking the spider with your shield to stun it and then finishing it off. Once receiving your fairy, your right stick (I played on Switch 2) can move this friend around the screen with elemental attacks and other points of assistance. In addition, you collect magicite stones that can be used to create perks for each weapon (do greater critical damage, shoot multiple arrows, stun) to again add a layer of personality. There’s clearly enough depth here to last through the 15-20 hour playthrough, and rarely does a fight become tiresome. The boss battles are the core highlight, offering challenge in a game that is not always hard and putting all of your learned skills to the test. With their large chunks of health and wide field of play, defeating a boss always felt earned and rewarding. But, what is the carrot to progress? Story is our next discussion.
Many HD-2D games lean into expansive storytelling across timelines and worlds to create as many stunning locales as possible. Dialogue can be extensive along with cut-scenes as they use the same presentation as gameplay. Octopath Traveler 0 had a fantastic, long and ever-changing narrative that really urged continued play despite a bloated length. Adventures of Elliot’s story spans four ages at the same location, providing a glimpse of the world’s differences in time and occurrence. Elliot, a grown orphan, initially provides support on a mission for the king and soon becomes entangled in chasing down a villain that had been part of the king’s counsel. Elliot labels himself an adventurer and is always happy to run off into a dungeon to help others. It is about here, and perhaps at around 5-7 hours in, that I started to lose touch with the story. The conversations are long, the motives can be questionable and the characters outside of the orphan thread don’t add much emotional weight to the storytelling. I never skip dialogue on a first playthrough, but had the temptation here as I simply loved the gameplay and didn’t see the story as a boost to my enjoyment. There are a few twists that work well and the movement through time works, but I was more impressed with visual storytelling than the more traditional plot.
Having fully voiced dialogue in these types of games is always beneficial, though too much of a good thing can be impactful. The NPCs, specifically the fairy, do a lot of talking. You’re going the wrong way, try this, well done, do this to solve the puzzle. This constant chatter can be turned down in the menu, which allowed a clearer mind when entering a new location keen to discover everything for myself. Perhaps the biggest difference from Elliot’s inspiration – The Legend of Zelda – is that the game here isn’t keen on bogging down your progression. The devs want you to be moving through dungeons, the overworld and the various eras at pace to experience all the fun. There are many save points across the map and all can be accessed once unlocked, including other ages. It’s zippy and works well in 2026, especially if comparing to titles in the late 80s and early 90s where completing the game deserved an actual ceremony. In terms of completing the game, there are three endings here – general/bad, good and true. There is a bit of grinding, so to speak, for the true ending and this can add a few hours to your play. Its worth would be decided on your connection to the story and the game overall by that point.
Is this the start of a new franchise? It really depends on Square Enix. With so many fantastic IPs out there, Elliot may be competing with Kingdom Hearts, Octopath, Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest for its cultural imprint. The gameplay here is the differing factor to all of those cherished IPs and with some tweaking in storytelling, I could easily see follow-ups with new enemies, weapons and locations. The moment-to-moment gameplay is the selling point here alongside the presentation, so if Square Enix can lean into this and find a clearer narrative there will be a future here.
Before concluding, I will say that the game constantly felt like a joy to play. Turning it on and seeing the sprite dash across the fields evokes happiness and nostalgia. Its performance on the Switch 2 is very good, and I basically played the entire game handheld in bed rather than on my large monitor. While the other versions may have greater frames, this feels like a game to be carried around and I would highly recommend it on the Switch 2. The soundtrack with your headset or earphones will pop like few other this year and the wide screen orientation does the world wonders.
The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales is a solid starting point for the new IP, taking on the combat and exploration of early Zelda games while also pushing hard into the HD-2D visuals. The gameplay is refreshing for this type of presentation and the game moves at an excellent pace across its approximate 20 hours. While the story did not quite vibe with me, all other components definitely did as I felt connection to the likes of early Zelda games in design. I can’t wait to see if further adventures await.
Pros
- Brilliant visuals
- Active gameplay
- Highly impressive boss fights that offer challenge and test skills
Cons
- Storytelling
- On the easier side
- The incessant chatter of companions (which can be turned down slightly)
3.5/5
