Square Enix Reveals the Origin of Its New Zelda Inspired Game

During the recent Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, Square Enix and Team Asano revealed a new game called The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tale. Viewers expecting something turn-based were surprised to discover that the new game is actually an adventure RPG, with a single hero exploring a new world using weapons like a sword, a bow, and bombs. Following the livestream, Square Enix released a demo for The Adventures of Elliot on Nintendo Switch 2, and it sure seems to have a lot in common with Nintendo’s Zelda franchise, specifically 2D games like A Link to the Past.

In a new interview published on the official Square Enix website, Team Asano offered some insight into the genesis of the project. It’s a lot different from the gameplay seen in Octopath Traveler, but the developer has made a concerted effort to avoid sticking to one specific genre. Instead, it has looked for opportunities to do something different. Tomoya Asano is in charge of concept and planning on the game, and made it clear that The Adventures of Elliot is the next step on that journey to keep challenging the team.

“As the HD-2D series has expanded and evolved, we’ve gradually shifted genres. We started with a classic RPG with OCTOPATH TRAVELER and went on to do a strategy game with TRIANGLE STRATEGY. When we thought about where to go next, we felt that challenging ourselves to an action RPG would be a good direction,” said Asano. “It goes without saying that we want to deliver this game to all the people who enjoyed the games that we have made previously (BRAVELY DEFAULT, OCTOPATH TRAVELER, TRIANGLE STRATEGY, etc.), but I would be delighted if it could reach out to a new audience of gamers as well!”

The change in genres really does offer The Adventures of Elliot an opportunity to find an audience outside of the usual for Square Enix. So far, reception to the demo seems to be pretty positive. Social media has been filled with a lot of praise for what Square Enix has made available. Unfortunately, the game won’t be released until sometime in 2026, but the demo’s existence just might win over some players that wouldn’t have otherwise given the game a chance.

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As of this writing, the demo for The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tale is exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2. That won’t be the case for the game itself, though; the finished product will also be available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. Hopefully Square Enix will expand the audience for the demo over the coming weeks. It can be very hard for new video game franchises to find an audience, and it might help to give more players an opportunity to try this one ahead of launch.

Do you plan on checking out The Adventures of Elliot? Have you tried the game’s demo yet? Share your thoughts with me directly on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!