Review: The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales Utilizes HD-2D Style

The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales introduces an action-adventure experience, notably employing Square Enix's HD-2D art style, a first for this genre. The game is recognized for its visual aesthetic, which combines modern effects with pixel art, creating a distinct look.

The narrative centers on Elliot, a self-proclaimed adventurer, who is summoned by the king for a mission that evolves into a quest to rescue the princess and the kingdom itself. This journey involves extensive time travel. Elliot is accompanied by Faie, a small, amnesiac fairy possessing magical abilities, who assists with navigation and combat. Faie's dialogue frequency can be adjusted, though she is noted for occasionally providing puzzle solutions too quickly.

Core gameplay elements include impressive build customization, allowing players to tailor their experience. The world, characters, and enemy designs are consistently highlighted as beautiful examples of the HD-2D art style, even if certain monster placements can be inconvenient.

However, the implementation of time travel is identified as a point of critique. While transitions between different ages are present, the environmental changes, settlement evolutions, and enemy types remain largely static across various time periods, diminishing the impact of the mechanic. The lack of enemy variety across different ages is also noted, with similar foes appearing regardless of the timeline.

The overall experience, spanning approximately 20 hours, is characterized by engaging characters and a world that inspires investment, despite the late arrival of some emotionally impactful moments and the noted limitations in time travel mechanics and enemy diversity.

(Source: IGN)