Square Enix has spent the last several years refining its HD-2D identity through games like Octopath Traveler II, Triangle Strategy, and Live A Live. Those games helped establish a recognizable visual style and design philosophy rooted in classic RPG nostalgia. But during a recent hands-on preview event at Square Enix’s Los Angeles offices, I got to see what happens when that same creative lineage pivots into something more action-focused with The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales.
After roughly 45 minutes with the game, I walked away cautiously optimistic. The combat feels fast and flexible, the weapon systems offer meaningful customization, and the overall tone carries the same charm that made older top-down adventure games so memorable. At the same time, there are still questions about pacing and progression that the full release will ultimately need to answer.
A Familiar HD-2D Style With a Different Approach
One of the most immediately striking things about The Adventures of Elliot is how recognizable its DNA feels while still pushing into new territory. Producer Naofumi Matsushita, whose previous work includes Octopath Traveler II and Bravely Default, alongside Director Shota Fukubaru, helped shape a game that visually resembles Square Enix’s HD-2D catalog while mechanically leaning closer to classic top-down action adventures.
The influence of games like The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening and Chrono Trigger is impossible to ignore. Movement, dungeon exploration, and combat all carry echoes of those inspirations, but Elliot doesn’t simply feel like imitation. Instead, it feels like Square Enix asking what happens if the HD-2D framework evolves beyond turn-based combat entirely.
The preview build itself reportedly took place roughly three to four hours into the game and gave players access to an open-ended section with multiple weapons unlocked. Story content was intentionally limited, meaning the focus centered almost entirely on gameplay systems and combat flow.
Combat Is the Game’s Biggest Strength
The highlight of the demo was easily its weapon system. Players can equip two weapons at once, and the combinations meaningfully affect how encounters play out. During my session, I experimented with swords, bows, spears, bombs, sickles, hammers, and scythes. Some combinations felt straightforward, while others completely changed the pace and rhythm of combat.
One pairing I particularly enjoyed was using the spear alongside the scythe. The spear offered strong ranged pressure, while the scythe functioned as an area-of-effect tool that helped control crowds whenever enemies started surrounding me. It created a combat loop that felt dynamic without becoming overly complicated.
What makes the system especially interesting is how deeply customizable each weapon becomes. Every weapon has its own progression tree powered by Magicite, allowing players to enhance charge times, critical hit rates, elemental properties, shield-breaking capabilities, and more. Rather than building a traditional character stat sheet, The Adventures of Elliot focuses heavily on tailoring weapon behaviors and synergies. That approach makes experimentation feel rewarding and encourages players to discover playstyles that match how they naturally want to engage with combat.
The Fairy Companion Adds Variety
Another standout element was Elliot’s fairy companion, Faie. She functions similarly to support characters seen in classic adventure games, but Square Enix layers additional gameplay utility into the mechanic. Depending on equipped abilities, the fairy can grant Elliot movement options like dashing or even become an independently controlled projectile that burns enemies from a distance.
The game also includes challenge mini-games tied to these abilities. Completing them unlocks soundtrack tracks that players can freely listen to later, almost like a built-in music collection system. It is a small feature, but it adds personality to the experience and reinforces the game’s lighthearted tone.
Where My Concerns Still Exist
Despite enjoying the demo, I still have a few reservations. Because the preview granted access to so many weapons and upgrades upfront, the combat immediately felt expressive and engaging. My biggest concern is whether the full game’s pacing allows players to reach that same level of freedom quickly enough.
If progression locks too much of the fun behind slow unlocks or overly restrictive pacing, it could diminish some of the excitement that made the demo work so well. Difficulty balancing also felt somewhat limited during my session, with harder modes appearing to primarily increase damage values rather than fundamentally changing enemy behavior or encounter design. Still, those concerns feel more like open questions than immediate red flags.
A Promising New Direction for Square Enix
What excites me most about The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales is that it represents Square Enix trying something different with the HD-2D formula. Instead of simply recreating the past, the team seems interested in evolving those nostalgic inspirations into something more action-oriented and system-driven. The game already feels polished mechanically, visually beautiful, and full of charm. If the final release can maintain strong pacing while gradually expanding its customization systems in satisfying ways, this could become a very exciting new franchise for Square Enix.
The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales launches June 18 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam.
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