Square Enix puts turn-based battles on hold and goes all in on a “Zelda-style” adventure – here’s what we thought after playing The Adventures of Elliot demo.

I get why some people came away from yesterday’s Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase disappointed: few release dates, no Silksong, and the final spot went to Square Enix—still no sign of the rumored Final Fantasy IX Remake, and Octopath Traveler 0 was leaked hours earlier. But I decided to be optimistic and downloaded the demo for The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales the moment the presentation ended.

We’ve seen plenty of games that blend 2D characters and 3D environments—mostly thanks to Square Enix: Octopath Traveler led the charge, Triangle Strategy captured story-lovers’ hearts, and Dragon Quest HD-2D was a smash hit. But Elliot is the first to ditch turn-based combat entirely, opting instead for action and exploration.

Square Enix warned us: this is a tech demo meant to show off core mechanics and systems—not a slice of the final game, which is clear from the 2026 release window. Players can get hands-on, share feedback, and help shape the game mid-development.

It Looks Like Zelda, But It’s More Than That

Knowing this is an early build, it’s hard to play the hour-long demo and not come away at least somewhat impressed. Sure, switching weapons is more complicated than it needs to be, and the bow’s limited firing angles make it pretty much useless. But these are the sorts of quirks that can be fixed before The Adventures of Elliot launches next year.

Walking the tightrope between making a good first impression and being just a demo is tough. Visually, though, Square Enix’s years of HD-2D experience pay off. The sprites are highly detailed, from hero to enemy, and environments are colorful and inviting. Special effects from attacks, explosions, and movement round out the gorgeous look.

Since this is just a demo, we don’t know if The Adventures of Elliot will deliver this quality throughout, but exploration is key. The classic top-down Zelda similarities start here—with dungeons and bomb puzzles—but it works because the world always has something new to discover: a hidden path, a bombable wall, an unreachable chest, or a mysterious enemy to challenge. The temple challenges scattered across the map definitely evoke the shrines from Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.

Combat tools might echo Zelda, but for me, the action and customization—Magicites, weapon upgrades—felt even closer to the Mana series. Action is more intense than Nintendo’s own, and upgrades are straight out of Square Enix’s playbook.

Yes, the demo is a little heavy-handed with its guidance—enemies you must block, pop-up hints—but that’s about making sure players grasp the basics fast, not about rushing development.

The Real Standouts: Bosses and Dungeons

I really liked Faie (the little fairy)’s powers: she collects loot, attacks, and—crucially—can teleport you instantly to her location or give you a speed boost for tricky escapes. Like with weapons, cycling powers is still a clunky process.

Bosses and dungeons were a highlight: not perfect, but packed with unique mechanics and enough variety to keep things fresh. Multi-level caves that double as architectural puzzles, a giant frog that swallows your bombs—it’s nothing new, but it’s fun.

My biggest takeaway from the The Adventures of Elliot demo is that its flaws are all fixable—and this hands-on will be a huge asset for developers fine-tuning what needs work. If all goes well, Square Enix could have a 2D HD action hit on its hands next year with Elliot, Faie, and Team Asano.

-theGeek-