A Dream Collaboration: Final Fantasy and Zelda Unite!
Let’s face it: the gaming landscape is brimming with titles inspired by the Zelda formula. Even if you’ve fully explored the realms of Tears of the Kingdom or Echoes of Wisdom, indie developers are constantly innovating, whether by blending genres like Soulslike mechanics, creating cozy experiences, or condensing the adventure into bite-sized formats. Enter Square Enix’s The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, an intriguingly titled RPG that fuses classic Zelda gameplay with elements reminiscent of Final Fantasy. And honestly, I can’t get enough of this combination.
The Adventures of Elliot is the newest addition to Square Enix’s “HD-2D” series, a collection known for its stunning visuals that reimagine pixel art for today’s gamers. Each title in this series boasts a quirky name, and Elliot fits right in. While many entries lean towards traditional JRPGs, such as the Octopath Traveler series and various Dragon Quest remakes, the HD-2D style has expanded to include diverse genres, including strategy games like Triangle Strategy and now this action-adventure gem.
As you might expect, Elliot follows the journey of an adventurer named Elliot in a world filled with magic and monsters. In his time, most of the land is perilous, with only one city safe from the beast tribes, thanks to the magical protection of a young princess. This makes adventurers like Elliot vital to society, as they undertake dangerous tasks that ordinary citizens cannot. Before long, Elliot finds himself embroiled in a grand adventure that could determine the kingdom’s fate, initially involving a power-hungry adviser and eventually spanning multiple timelines over a thousand years.
The game draws clear inspiration from Zelda. You’ll find yourself cutting grass to reveal jewels, collecting heart pieces to boost your health, gradually unlocking an arsenal that includes bombs and a boomerang, and healing with magic elixirs stored in bottles. You even acquire a fairy companion who can be quite bothersome. The gameplay structure mirrors Zelda’s as well, featuring smaller dungeons where you gain new powers and larger ones that challenge you to use those abilities to solve puzzles, locate a big red boss key, and face off against formidable bosses.
While it may sound like The Adventures of Elliot is merely a Zelda clone with a fresh coat of HD-2D paint, it offers much more, particularly through its roleplaying elements and worldbuilding. Instead of traditional experience points and leveling up, the game introduces a collectible called magicite, allowing you to customize Elliot’s weapons to match your playstyle. Additionally, your fairy can learn various magical spells, enabling you to ignite enemies or teleport out of danger. Like classic JRPGs, you’ll spend plenty of time interacting with townsfolk and watching cutscenes, immersing yourself in the unfolding narrative. Elliot is a chatty game, and its protagonist gives off a vibe of what Link might be like if he had a voice—friendly but somewhat dull.
What truly captivated me about this world is its depth and expansiveness. You explore the same map across four distinct time periods, gradually uncovering the history that shaped Elliot’s present. There’s a highly advanced era where magic fuels new technologies, contrasted with a time where humanity struggles to survive amidst a rising monster threat. You might encounter a stunning structure in one era that’s reduced to ruins in another, or open fields that evolve into a sprawling kingdom. The game allows you to seamlessly jump between these time periods, with many quests requiring you to travel back and forth in time to gather crucial information or items.
This time-travel mechanic evokes memories of Chrono Trigger, making Elliot’s world feel rich and lived-in, with centuries of history to explore. While the overall layout remains consistent across eras, significant changes occur: cities may grow larger and more intricate, or bridges may be absent, compelling you to find alternative routes. Caves and dungeons also transform, offering remixed experiences as you navigate them through different timelines. And let’s not forget the importance of cats in this game; they’re everywhere, and befriending them unlocks essential items.
Elliot is designed to be accessible without sacrificing challenge. The game is generous with save points and fast travel options. For example, I often completed a dungeon right before the final boss, then fast-traveled to a nearby town to replenish my resources before diving into the main fight. Your fairy companion can revive you during boss battles, though the cost increases with each revival, allowing you to grind for cash if you’re struggling against a tough enemy. Skill still plays a crucial role: you can build up a combo for every enemy defeated without taking damage, and the higher the combo, the better the item drops.
Like other HD-2D titles, The Adventures of Elliot takes familiar gameplay and infuses it with modern touches and creativity, allowing it to stand out. While there are plenty of Zelda-inspired games out there—and more on the way—few are as polished, inventive, and expansive as Elliot. Don’t let the quirky name deter you.
The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales is set to launch on Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, Xbox, and Steam on June 18th.
