Square Enix's 'Elliot': Zelda Vibes, Bite-Sized Bliss, and a Dash of Timey-Wimey Wizardry?
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Square Enix's *The Adventures of Elliot*, from the *Octopath Traveler* studio, is shaping up to be a delightfully compact, *Zelda*-like action RPG that trades sprawling open worlds for focused, retro-inspired thrills and promises some intriguing time-travel mechanics. Jen Glennon's preview from Polygon highlights its satisfying combat, clever exploration, and excellent quality-of-life features, making it a highly anticipated title for many.
Right then, gather 'round, mates. Reckon there's a certain… *je ne sais quoi* to those old-school, bite-sized RPG thrills, eh? The kind where you're not committing to a whole weekend just to clear a single dungeon. Honestly, who's got the time for another 100-hour epic when sleep is a distant dream? (Yeah, I’m looking at you, *Persona 5* – bless your heart, but you're a time sink!). Give me a quick 20-minute delve into a monster-infested cave, a bit of treasure, and then back to my actual life? Fair dinkum, sign me up for that kind of digital magic any day.
And that, my friends, is precisely where *The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales* saunters in. This gem's from Square Enix's Team Asano – yeah, *that* Team Asano, the wizards who spun gold with *Octopath Traveler*, *Bravely Default*, *Triangle Strategy*, and even resurrected *Live A Live*. Now, they've gone and cooked up their first action RPG, and after an hour-long, hands-on demo, Jen Glennon over at Polygon was genuinely buzzing. They seem to have cracked the code for a gaming buffet of compact, compelling tasks that you can just dive into. Her hour with it? Flew by faster than a greased lightning bolt.
So, you're Elliot, tasked with saving Philabieldia – which, despite sounding like a holiday brochure, is apparently swarming with 'ferocious demons.' Naturally. You'll be zipping through four distinct eras, which sounds like a grand old timey-wimey mess I can't wait to unravel. Your little fairy mate, Faie, is on hand for those 'oops, giant chasm!' moments and lighting up the darker corners. The demo jumped in a few hours deep, so the grand narrative and time-travel shenanigans were mostly kept under wraps. But what it *did* focus on – exploration and combat – was surprisingly good fun, mate.
Combat? Oh, it’s a delightful hack-and-slash romp, feeling a bit like a modern *Mana* game, which is never a bad thing in my book. You’ve got your trusty sword and axe, sure, but also a full magician's trick bag: hammer, boomerang, spear, bombs, and a bow. No fiddly battle screens or menus – just fluid, on-the-fly weapon swapping. Wanna go full brute-force? Grab the hammer. Fancy a bit of distance? Bow it is. What was genuinely appreciated was that there wasn’t a 'right' way to play. The game lets you experiment, which, as a digital wizard, I deeply appreciate.
You *can* block, parry, and combo for bonus damage, but it’s not some hardcore 'parry-or-die' fest, which is a bloody relief after a few recent titles. They've given us options, and you can even tweak the difficulty at a save point. Normal felt like a nice sweet spot – a mix of button-mashing bliss and just enough strategy. Though, fair warning, some enemies hit like a grumpy dragon after a bad night's sleep, so you might need to 'git gud' or humble yourself with a lower setting later on. No shame in that, mate.
Now, for the adventurers out there – and let’s be honest, that’s all of us, right? – *Elliot* seems to get it. Exploration is encouraged early and often. Fast travel? Not just from the overworld, but *inside dungeons*. Bloody brilliant, no more tedious backtracking through cleared areas. Huge quality-of-life win, that. And if you wander into a spot you're absolutely not ready for, Faie gives you a polite warning, but doesn't actually stop you. So, if you fancy a challenge or just want to see how quickly you can get vaporised, go for it!
The world itself is a marvel of compact design – no sprawling, empty open-world nonsense here. Every nook, every cracked wall (hint, hint: bombs!), seems to hide a secret. You'll stumble into mini-dungeons with quirky puzzles – bouncy pumpkins, anyone? – and the rewards for your curiosity are always sweet: magicite for weapon upgrades, new skills for Faie, or HP boosts that are basically *Zelda* heart containers, just, y'know, not hearts. And can we talk about the HD-2D visuals? Team Asano's signature style turns everything into this gorgeous, intricate pop-up book. Combine that with a soundtrack that perfectly sets the mood – jangling tunes for new villages, epic marches for boss battles – and you’ve got a world that’s genuinely begging to be explored. It’s like a meticulously crafted spell, drawing you deeper in.
So yeah, that hour Polygon's Jen Glennon spent with *The Adventures of Elliot*? Vanished like a mischievous sprite. The gameplay loop is just *that* satisfying and succinct. She barely scratched the surface of its time-bending magic, but it's clear there's a whole barrel of possibilities waiting to be uncorked. And the best bit? We don’t have long to wait! It's dropping on Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X on June 18th. What do you reckon, mates? Ready to dive into some bite-sized adventuring? (Original coverage by Jen Glennon at Polygon.)
Tags: Action RPG, Square Enix, Team Asano, Retro Gaming, Zelda-like
Original article: Polygon