The Adventures of Elliott: The Millennium Tales Review – DISCOUNT ZELDA?
When I first played The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. The 2D-HD looked drop-dead gorgeous, the music slapped, and the premise was solid, but there was always that lingering question: could it actually go toe-to-toe with Zelda and not just be a straight-up clone? After the dust settled, I’m happy to say that for the most part, the answer is yes.
Walk On
At its core, The Adventures of Elliot is a charming action-adventure game that feels like a love letter to Secret of Mana and A Link to the Past. And in the same vein as the adventuring greats before it, there’s a genuine sense of wonder throughout that often makes you say “Ouuuu! A piece of candy!” every couple of paces.
Exploration is easily one of the game’s strongest qualities, as it consistently rewards you with health, magic and magicite modifiers that make for versatile custom builds. An electric boomerang that stuns enemies? Yes, please! There were just so many moments where I’d head toward my objective, spot something interesting in the distance, then immediately get distracted for the next twenty minutes straight. And honestly? Those were often the best moments of the game. Hands down.
Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about the story, and the voice-acting is a bit of a mixed bag, to say the least… While Elliott is a charismatic protag to root for, and the supporting cast brings plenty of personality to the adventure, the narrative beats are way too predictable. Blatantly evil guy turns out to be a mean son of a gun? Who would’ve thought? It’s these types of shenanigans which don’t get that much interesting past the game’s meandering intro. And of course, you’ve got the annoying, won’t-stop-yappin’ fairy sidekick who says the same lines about 50,000 times, even with a dedicated filter to limit said yappin’.
Easy Does It
Luckily, she does have her uses during gameplay. Faie is able to scoop up item drops, cast magic and help Elliot with combat and puzzle-solving. You can even have a mate play as her for almost the entire journey, like the Co-Star mode in Super Mario Galaxy. Except, this version is actually fun. However, the puzzles in The Adventures of Elliot are a touch on the easier side, not needing too much noggin-scratchin’ to get through. Though there were a few times where I got stumped for a couple of minutes, I can’t lie.
Similar to the retro, action-adventure titles of yesteryear, combat is pretty straightforward. Press the weapon button to attack (and spam to your heart’s content) or hold it down for a charge-up strike. That’s about it. But once you factor in Faie and the weapon modifiers, it can become quite compelling if you can synergise between Adventure Boy and his fairy. That said, I found myself wishing the game introduced a few new items for Elliott, as most of his kit gets completed early on. By the latter half of the game, encounters also begin to feel a little repetitive, particularly when you’re fighting familiar enemy types for the thirtieth time. It’s never bad, but there were definitely moments where I went “Okay, I’m just gonna skip past this. See ya.”
On that note, the time travel mechanic never really gets the TLC it deserves. After the opening act, Elliot’s able to travel between distinct time periods, but it doesn’t exactly add anything exciting to the mix. Besides looking more primitive in the past, there’s no worthwhile reason for it to exist, outside of being a basic plot device. Talk about a missed opportunity.
Decision
At the end of the day, The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales may not reinvent the action-adventure genre, but it doesn’t need to. What it delivers is a genuinely compelling adventure filled with rewarding exploration, approachable yet satisfying combat, and a world that’s difficult not to get lost in. While there are repetitive encounters, a wasted time travel system and trite plot developments that stop it from reaching true glory, they do little to diminish what is otherwise a thoroughly entertaining journey that can be enjoyed with a good mate in co-op.
By Anthony Culinas – Reviewed on PS5
Great
The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales is a charming fantasy adventure that combines beautiful world design, solid combat, and engaging exploration into a package that’s easy to recommend.
This game was reviewed using a download code provided by Square Enix. The Beta Network uses affiliate partnerships, however, this does not influence reviews or any other content published. The Beta Network may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links that are on the website.
