“The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales” Review by Nick Navarro
For years, Team Asano has built a reputation for taking classic RPG ideas and presenting them through a modern lens. From “Bravely Default” to the “Octopath Traveler” series, the studio has consistently delivered experiences that celebrate the past while embracing contemporary design philosophies. With “The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales,” the team steps outside its comfort zone and tackles something entirely different: a real-time action RPG inspired by the spirit of classic adventure games. The result is a charming and enjoyable journey that doesn’t quite reach the heights of the studio’s best work, but still succeeds in carving out an identity of its own.
Set in the continent of Philabieldia, humanity survives behind the protective walls of the Kingdom of Huther while beast tribes dominate the world beyond. You take control of Elliot, an adventurer tasked with exploring mysterious ruins outside the kingdom alongside his fairy companion, Faie. What begins as a simple expedition quickly evolves into a much larger quest involving the Doorway of Time, a powerful artifact that allows Elliot and Faie to travel across multiple eras spanning a thousand years of history. The premise immediately creates opportunities for varied environments, stories, and discoveries. Throughout the adventure, Elliot journeys between four distinct ages, each representing a different chapter in humanity’s development. While the narrative itself follows many familiar fantasy tropes and rarely surprises, the time-travel concept provides enough intrigue to keep the story moving forward, even if the execution wasn’t as fleshed out as that concept seems to intend. I found myself more interested in uncovering how the world changed between eras than I was in the central plot itself.
What truly drives this experience is the gameplay. Unlike previous HD-2D projects from Team Asano, “The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales” abandons turn-based combat entirely. Battles unfold in real time, and Elliot has access to seven weapon types that each offer their own strengths and playstyles. Whether wielding a sword for close-range combat, attacking from a distance with a bow, or experimenting with some of the more unique weapon options, there is a satisfying variety that encourages players to adapt their approach depending on the situation. The ability to equip two weapons simultaneously adds some fun flexibility. Switching between loadouts during combat feels natural and allows encounters to remain engaging throughout the adventure. Defensive mechanics also play an important role. Blocking, parrying, dodging, and carefully positioning yourself all contribute to battles that feel active and rewarding without becoming overly complicated.
Faie proves to be much more than a simple companion. Her magical abilities assist both in combat and puzzle-solving, helping create a satisfying rhythm between exploration and action. The relationship between Elliot’s physical abilities and Faie’s magical support is one of the game’s strongest ideas. Certain obstacles require clever use of both characters, and these moments often showcase the game’s best dungeon design. Speaking of dungeons, they stand among the highlights of the entire experience. The developers clearly understand what makes exploration satisfying. Hidden pathways, environmental puzzles, secret treasures, and meaningful progression all work together to create locations that are genuinely fun to navigate. Many of the game’s strongest moments came when I was deep inside a dungeon, uncovering new mechanics and searching for hidden rewards.
The customization system also deserves praise. Throughout the journey, you collect Magicite fragments that can be equipped to weapons to grant various enhancements and effects. While the system is not particularly deep compared to some modern RPGs, it provides enough flexibility to encourage experimentation. Finding combinations that complement your preferred playstyle adds an enjoyable layer of personalization that helps combat remain fresh over the course of the adventure. Of course, no discussion of a Team Asano title would be complete without mentioning the presentation. The HD-2D art style continues to impress, and this may be one of the most visually appealing examples of it yet. The combination of detailed pixel art, dynamic lighting, environmental effects, and beautifully crafted backgrounds creates a world that feels alive and inviting. Every location benefits from the studio’s signature visual approach, making exploration consistently rewarding from a purely aesthetic standpoint.
The soundtrack is equally impressive. The music does an excellent job of capturing both the wonder of adventure and the emotional weight of Elliot’s journey through time. There were several moments where I found myself lingering in an area simply to enjoy the music a little longer. Unfortunately, not every aspect of the presentation reaches the same level of quality. While some voice performances are perfectly serviceable, others felt noticeably weaker. In certain scenes, I found the delivery distracting enough that I eventually lowered the voice volume and let the excellent soundtrack take center stage instead. It’s not a dealbreaker, but it is one of the few areas where the game lacks the polish found elsewhere.
There are also moments where the game’s ambitions slightly exceed its execution. Enemy variety can feel limited over time, and some environments begin to repeat familiar ideas as the adventure progresses. Likewise, several gameplay systems introduce promising concepts without fully exploring their potential. None of these shortcomings significantly hurt the overall experience, but they do create the sense that there is still room for growth if the developers decide to revisit this style of game in the future. That feeling ultimately defines much of “The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales.” This is a game filled with good ideas, many of which work remarkably well. Its combat is entertaining, its dungeons are thoughtfully designed, and its customization systems offer meaningful player choice. At the same time, there are rough edges that prevent it from standing alongside Team Asano’s very best releases.
Even so, I came away genuinely impressed. The game successfully channels the spirit of classic 16-bit adventure titles, especially classic “Legend of Zelda,” while incorporating modern action RPG sensibilities. It may draw clear inspiration from legendary predecessors, but it possesses enough personality and creativity to stand on its own merits. More importantly, it feels like the foundation for something even greater. If Team Asano chooses to continue exploring this style of gameplay, the lessons learned here could easily lead to an outstanding sequel or spiritual successor.
“The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales” may not be a flawless adventure, but it is an undeniably charming one. I’m a sucker for the HD-2D visuals, rewarding exploration, enjoyable combat, and excellent dungeon design, it delivers a memorable journey that fans of classic action-adventure games should find easy to appreciate.
8/10
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Related: Nick Navarro Reviews
Gaming since I was given an original Nintendo as a kid. I love great storytelling and unique ingenuity. When both collide in a single game, I'm a happy gamer. Twitter/IG @NickNavarro87
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