REVIEW | The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales

I have been eagerly anticipating the release of The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, and stepping into its HD 2D world feels every bit as magical as I hoped. Its HD 2D visuals bring Philabieldia to life with rich colour and detail, making every corner of the land feel alive with possibility. It’s a wild and beautiful world overrun by fierce beasts and shaped by mysteries that stretch far beyond the safety of the Kingdom of Huther. When strange ruins appear just outside those protective walls, Elliot’s quiet life shifts into something far more adventurous, and his journey with Faie begins to unfold across space and time. It is a world built for discovery, danger, and the thrill of watching a young hero push past everything he thought he knew.

So, with that said, let’s dive into the review! 

Things I liked!

• Story | What really stood out to me was how much the story grew as I played. It started small and personal, but each chapter added new layers that made me want to keep going just to see what would happen next. The pacing felt steady and purposeful, and by the time the bigger moments arrived, I was completely invested in Elliot’s journey.
  
  I especially liked how the world unfolds across four main ages, each showing Philabieldia at a different point in time. Alongside the main quest, you’ll pick up side quests as you go, and I appreciated how they all stay open even while you’re working on another. It gives the adventure a natural rhythm, letting you explore and progress at your own pace without ever feeling restricted. And with three different endings to work toward, there’s a real sense of choice and reward that makes finishing the story feel even more meaningful. Each age reveals more about the world and Elliot himself, giving the story a sense of reflection and growth that stays with you long after the credits roll.

• Gameplay | The gameplay was so much more than I expected, offering plenty of variation in how you can perform different attacks. You start with a simple weapon wheel, but as you progress, you unlock new weapons and more powerful versions of them, giving combat a satisfying sense of growth. Faie, your fairy companion, also has a whole host of abilities that expand as you play, adding layers of strategy and creativity to every battle.
  
  There are moments where certain abilities are needed to advance, such as solving puzzles, which keeps exploration feeling purposeful. As you explore, you’ll often come across areas you can’t reach yet, and returning later with a newly unlocked ability or weapon feels very reminiscent of Metroidvania-style progression. The game offers four different difficulties, and I played on Normal, which had its moments early on, but once I got used to the controls and gameplay it felt perfect for me.
  
  I also loved the option for a second player to join in and control Faie in couch co-op, which is a great addition that makes the experience even more enjoyable. When playing solo, Faie follows you around, and you can move her with the right stick or use the D-pad to give commands like wait here, which adds a nice touch of control and personality to your partnership.

• Enemies and Bosses | The variety of enemies really keeps combat fresh. Some enemies carry shields that take a charged attack to break, while others can burrow underground and pop up in different places. I never got tired of seeing the same enemy types, as the game constantly finds ways to mix things up and keep battles interesting. There are lots of boss battles, and you will need to study attack patterns to beat them. Some are easier to defeat than others, but they all feel rewarding once you learn their rhythm. It often felt like a bullet hell battle, and I really liked this. Boss battles stand out as highlights. They are creative, well paced, and often push you to use everything you have learned so far.

• Performance | Performance is smooth and consistent throughout, targeting 60 fps with no noticeable bugs, crashes, or frame rate drops. Load times are impressively fast, letting you jump back into the action almost instantly, and even during busy battles with lots of light effects and projectiles on screen, everything runs reliably without slowdown. The game also saves seamlessly as you pass through checkpoints, so progress feels secure without interrupting the flow. It’s clear the game has been well optimized, and I never encountered any technical issues that disrupted play, which helps the world feel seamless and keeps the focus on exploration and combat rather than waiting or troubleshooting. 
  
  Visuals | The visuals are stunning from start to finish, with a mix of bright, detailed environments and beautifully animated effects that make every area feel alive. Each location has its own personality, from lush forests to ancient ruins, and the lighting helps bring out the atmosphere perfectly. I really liked how the camera work during cutscenes adds cinematic flair without ever feeling distracting.
  
  The characters are presented in high‑quality 3D pixel art styled after the 16‑bit era, giving them a nostalgic yet modern look. The game also uses animated storyboards during dialogue, which helps bring them to life and adds emotion to each scene. Character designs are expressive and full of charm, especially Faie, whose animations make her feel genuinely alive. There are plenty of light effects from projectiles and weapon slashes that make combat feel dynamic without cluttering the screen. It all comes together to create a world that feels handcrafted and full of imagination.
  

• Sound | The soundtrack fits the game perfectly, blending calm, atmospheric tracks with more energetic music during battles. Each area has its own theme that helps set the mood, and the transitions between scenes feel natural and well timed. The sound effects are crisp and satisfying, from weapon slashes to environmental details that make the world feel alive.
  
  The voice acting is really impressive overall and adds plenty of charm to the characters. I did find a small handful a little annoying at first, such as Faie, whose voice sounded quite squeaky and childish, though I eventually grew to put up with it. She would also often repeat the same sentences over and over, which I had to ignore, but it never became a big problem. In fact, she sometimes dropped small hints like “this is a dead end” or “there is nothing new here,” which were genuinely helpful.
  
  
• Content and Exploration | There’s plenty to keep players busy, with a generous mix of exploration and optional challenges. You can search for 50 hidden cats scattered throughout the world, each one adding a fun sense of discovery. They can be petted and fed, which gives the game a cozy, personal touch. As you play, you also earn magic crystals that can be used to upgrade your abilities, along with other coloured crystals that act as the game’s main currency, which can be used to purchase vital potions, healing, magic, and more. There are also mini‑games called Trials that test your skills and add to the replayability, encouraging you to return even after finishing the main story.
  

• Accessibility | The Adventures of Elliot includes a solid set of accessibility options that cover the essentials. There are nine text languages available, with English and Japanese voice acting, and you can adjust text speed, brightness, and several rendering settings. Sound sliders let you finetune the audio mix, and while there is no full button mapping, three controller presets are available. The menus, including the inventory, are laid out clearly and easy to navigate, and I had no issues with the controls. 

Mixed & disliked!

• Dialogue Balance | While the story is really impressive and full of heartfelt moments, I did feel that some of the dialogue between characters often seemed aimed at younger players. At the same time, there were also a few lines clearly written with adults in mind, which created an uneven mix. It’s not a major issue, but the balance between the two tones could have been handled a little better. 

• How long did I play the review before publishing? 35 Hours
• How long to beat the story? 22 Hours
• How many Achievements did I earn before publishing? 33/44 OR 660/1000G
• How long to get 100%? | 40 Hours +
• You’ll love this game if you like these | Tunic, Death’s Door and Octopath Traveler 2

Score: 92/100

A magical journey that proves charm and craftsmanship can still go hand in hand.

The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales has been a joy to play, and even now, close to reaching the third ending, I’m still finding myself drawn back into its world. The story grows beautifully, the combat stays fun and varied, and the HD‑2D presentation makes every area feel alive. With smooth performance, plenty to discover, and thoughtful accessibility options, it’s an adventure that has kept me smiling throughout. Even with a few uneven dialogue moments, Elliot’s journey has been a genuinely memorable experience that I’m glad I spent my time with.