The worst factor about The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales is its identify, so we’re off to a reasonably optimistic begin.
Sq. Enix’s newest HD-2D jaunt is an motion RPG, with its general construction resembling basic The Legend of Zelda and Mana video games.
In that sense, it seems like a little bit of a throwback, regardless of having all the trendy conveniences you’d anticipate from a 2026 title. It is a charming mixture of previous and new.
I have never completed The Adventures of Elliot but — that is why this can be a Evaluate in Progress — however I am positively trying ahead to seeing how the story wraps up.
That is as a result of the plot, whereas initially stacked with cliche characters and motives, does department into some attention-grabbing territory because it progresses. Its core solid has actually grown on me because the hours have ticked away, and there are a couple of narrative twists that carry a stunning quantity of spice to the principle quest.
You play because the titular Elliot — an already skilled adventurer who’s joyful to courageous the monster-filled wilds searching for treasure.
On this world, mankind is mainly on the brink. Individuals disguise behind a magical barrier that repels the violent beast-like tribes that inhabit the remainder of the continent, and so explorers like Elliot are the lifeblood of human discovery.
The sport’s first couple of hours see Elliot tackle a royal request, and naturally, the seemingly easy job shortly takes a flip. It is not lengthy till the title’s central idea of time journey is launched.
Basically, the entire journey takes place over a single map, however you get to traverse stated map throughout 4 totally different time durations.
On a mechanical degree, it really works simply as you may anticipate. Dungeons and different explorable areas change based mostly in your place in historical past; some previous, largely inaccessible ruins in Elliot’s current could also be reworked right into a technologically superior labyrinth up to now, again earlier than civilisation fell off a cliff.
The quick journey system truly covers time journey as nicely, so leaping between eras is an easy course of — you simply must have unlocked the related quick journey factors within the interval that you simply’re visiting.
Initially, this can be a pretty linear affair. The story will information you between particular cut-off dates and take you thru key areas, like cities and dungeons — however development turns into extra complicated as you proceed to unlock new weapons and magical skills.
Some locations can, after all, solely be accessed by means of the usage of these unlockables, and so backtracking begins to creep into the expertise.
For essentially the most half, the backtracking is not too dangerous, as a result of sure obstacles are marked in your map — however there’s nonetheless rather a lot to maintain monitor of as a result of every thing’s break up between the 4 time durations. Leaping forwards and backwards can turn out to be a bit of too tedious, particularly in the direction of the top of the sport.
However the rewards are sometimes worthwhile. Between weapon upgrades, gameplay-altering equipment, and easy well being boosts, The Adventures of Elliot does an important job of stringing you together with a continuing promise of significant development.
Certainly, I believe the sport’s pacing is mostly improbable, which makes the aforementioned backtracking stick out a bit of greater than it ought to. The writing is essentially characterful and succinct, whereas the world itself feels completely sized; I’ve by no means grown uninterested in exploring, and there is all the time one thing to behold round each nook.
The general really feel of gameplay is high notch, too. Responsive controls and fast-paced motion — and moment-to-moment fight — make truly enjoying The Adventures of Elliot a delight.
And talking of fight, there’s a great deal of it to go round. The overworld is virtually swamped in creatures that must be taken care of, and so it is easy to sink into the satisfying rhythm of battle.
Elliot’s assaults have a beautiful weight to them, and a quickly increasing arsenal retains fight feeling contemporary. It additionally helps that there are many distinctive enemy sorts to take care of, whereas artistic boss fights stay a spotlight all through all the recreation.
Mechanically, fight is straightforward however efficient. Elliot can equip two totally different weapons at a time, however you may swap between his full repertoire through a radial menu that pauses the motion. There is a good quantity of tactical variety on show, significantly throughout our hero’s later outings.
Elliot’s additionally outfitted along with his trusty defend, which, outdoors of merely working away from an incoming assault, is your important type of defence. You possibly can block absolutely anything, however tank too many hits and your bulwark will crumble, leaving Elliot fully weak for a short while.
The motion is undoubtedly at its finest once you’re being compelled to make full use of your gear. There are some surprisingly tough, and truthfully, downright dastardly battles within the latter half of the sport, the place you will really want to lock in with the precise weapons and defensive timing.
The fight system’s an important instance of what may be achieved with comparatively easy mechanics in the event that they’re allowed to breathe throughout a spread of numerous encounters. I did not essentially anticipate the motion to be one in every of my favorite issues about The Adventures of Elliot, but it surely actually does click on on a essentially gratifying degree.
Conclusion
The Adventures of Elliot is not going to blow anybody’s thoughts with its mixture of classics-inspired exploration and fight design, however its general high quality when it comes to gameplay really feel and presentation is persistently spectacular. It is typically only a delight to play by means of.
Assuming the sport’s story sticks the touchdown, and its latter trials stay partaking, this has the potential to be one thing of a standout motion RPG. I needs to be again with a completed overview very quickly.
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