8 Games to Play If You Love The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales

You just wrapped up a wonderful experience with The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales and can't get enough of this cozy, gorgeous action RPG. Well, don't worry, because today I am here to give you a few pointers on which games can scratch that exact itch. The Adventures of Elliot delivers a journey that sweeps us across different eras through a seamless, real-time gameplay loop packed with clever puzzles and a heartfelt narrative.

With that in mind, I gathered a few titles that offer a combination of all those traits, or perhaps double down on some of the key elements presented in Elliot. The list includes more action games, gorgeous HD-2D visuals, grand adventures for puzzle lovers, and even titles that tackle time travel mechanics.

Whatever your specific taste may be, I found 8 games to play if you loved The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales. And of course, I invite you to suggest additional titles in the comments if you want to embark on more carefree adventures alongside a chatty, loving, and highly efficient companion.

8 The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past

The Elephant in the Room

I will get this one out of the way first, because it is quite obvious, given the massive buzz surrounding comparisons between The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales and Zelda. Honestly, any top-down isometric Zelda title applies here, but I decided to go with The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past because, beyond sharing a similar gameplay loop, our hero Link also travels between two distinct versions of the same world map.

And well, it is a Zelda game, so you can expect to cut grass, throw urns and bombs, charge up your sword, and square off against highly creative bosses, much like Elliot. Since The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past is readily available on the Nintendo Switch Online subscription service, it is incredibly practical to play on modern consoles if you are willing to shell out a little extra cash. Plus, it is simply a masterful entry, so there is no way to go wrong.

7 Octopath Traveler

More HD-2D

I know that, gameplay-wise, Octopath Traveler and The Adventures of Elliot have nothing in common, and I am aware that many action RPG players simply detest turn-based combat. However, if you haven't had enough of that gorgeous HD-2D graphical engine and want to see more of what it can do, then my ultimate recommendation is to start with Octopath Traveler and take it from there.

The artistic direction and the graphics aren't the only places where I noticed striking similarities. The script, the pacing, and the stellar soundtrack are all qualities I adored in The Adventures of Elliot and that I also find in Octopath Traveler, executed to the same level of excellence. While they were co-developed by different studios, Team Asano was still at the helm, ensuring top-notch quality assurance. And look, if you enjoy Octopath Traveler, you will find a whole bunch of other HD-2D games waiting for you right after.

6 Chrono Trigger

Time Travel Galore

The central theme of The Adventures of Elliot is time travel. Although much of it ends up being a tad inconsequential to the plot, I still enjoyed watching the world evolve and learning more about the different eras. That being said, I imagine true fans of time travel might miss seeing actual consequences from our past actions ripple across the timeline, which is something Elliot sorely lacks.

Aside from a few sidequests that add fresh flavor text for NPCs if you perform a specific action in the past, the core narrative remains unchanged. Because of this, I highly suggest playing the most famous time travel JRPG in existence, Chrono Trigger. As we journey through different eras aboard the Epoch, we can actively alter the future or the present with our actions, eventually unlocking up to 15 different endings depending on which stage of the game we choose to confront Lavos.

These multiple endings are an elegant way Chrono Trigger showcases how your interference shapes the world, while making extensive use of the New Game+ feature. Plus, it is Chrono Trigger, one of the most remarkable JRPGs ever created, so any opportunity to play it is always welcome.

5 Bastion

Isometric View Grandeur

Bastion was practically built for you if you simply couldn't get enough of The Adventures of Elliot's gameplay loop. We control the Kid immediately after he arrives at a supposed haven called the Bastion, only to see his mission quickly shift toward collecting the Cores of the fractured city of Caelondia. To do this, you will explore a variety of fantastical regions from a top-down isometric view in a fast-paced action setting.

The Kid can carry two weapons into combat at once, much like Elliot, and unleash unique special abilities that you discover throughout the world. To recover your health, you chug special tonics (just like Elliot!), and by gathering currencies, you can construct specialized structures back at the Bastion to help the Kid in the long run with crucial upgrades.

Since this game is the direct predecessor to Hades, you might wonder if it's better to just jump straight into that title instead. But there is a massive factor to consider: Bastion is not a roguelike. If you aren't the biggest fan of that genre, like me, and prefer a more traditional, story-driven experience, this title is far closer to Elliot.

4 CrossCode

More Puzzles and Action

I imagine those who are familiar with CrossCode might be frowning at the screen right now, but let me make my arguments first! The Adventures of Elliot is a pure fantasy game, while CrossCode is a sci-fi experience where we dive headfirst into a fictional MMORPG world. However, that is exactly where the differences between the two end and the similarities begin, especially in gameplay.

Did you love Elliot's finely tuned action, which felt responsive to your every command? CrossCode has that too. Did you adore the clever puzzle segments that, at least if you mute your companion, never doubt the player's intelligence? CrossCode is packed with puzzles! Looking for cozy graphics, beautiful pixel art, and a timeless aesthetic? You got it.

CrossCode is a marvelous achievement and delivers a gameplay experience that feels incredibly close to The Adventures of Elliot. I highly recommend that anyone wrapping up Elliot's adventure immediately start Lea's journey.

3 Tunic

Gentle and Cozy

Moving from one Zelda-esque title to another, there is no better suggestion than Tunic. In this gorgeous and cozy adventure game, you will spend a lot of your time solving intricate environmental puzzles rather than just slashing away at enemies. I mean, you probably won't get stuck because you are smarter than I am, but you get the gist of it.

Controlling a fox, you are left to your own devices to explore a post-apocalyptic fantasy world. Why? You will have to play to find out. And you will need to read the manual. Not a physical booklet, mind you, but an in-game collectible manual whose pages teach you the core mechanics of the gameplay. Tunic was crafted with a beautiful combination of gentle visuals and soothing audio design, and it shows at every single turn. It is a lovely game, especially if you want more of the specific atmosphere you just experienced in The Adventures of Elliot.

2 Ys Origin

Similar RPG Elements

At first glance, comparing The Adventures of Elliot to Zelda is the natural reaction, but gameplay-wise, I would argue that Ys Origin is a much more appropriate match. This isn't necessarily due to the visual style or the exact flow of the action, but rather because of how it handles character builds and progression. Since Square Enix explicitly categorizes Elliot as an RPG, and Zelda has never truly been labeled as such even by its own creator, it makes more sense to compare it to Nihon Falcom's Ys series, which is a bona fide action RPG franchise.

In Ys Origin, we don't control the legendary Adol Christin, but rather three distinct characters, each boasting their own unique weapon and playstyle. The JRPG is categorized as an arcade-like platformer RPG with Metroidvania elements, which is quite a mouthful, but it describes the game perfectly. If you played Elliot and enjoyed the platforming sections and environmental puzzles, you will find plenty more of that here in Ys Origin, alongside far more prominent RPG mechanics. Jumping from Philabieldia over to the land of Ys feels like a perfectly natural course of action for fans of The Adventures of Elliot.

1 Secret of Mana

The Main Inspiration Behind the Game

Tomoya Asano mentioned in a promotional Square Enix video that the primary inspirations for The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales were classic SNES titles, but he explicitly named Seiken Densetsu for the Game Boy, the very first entry in the Mana series. And I can easily see why, from the style of exploration to the combat design and various structural elements.

Honestly, you can pick up almost any Mana title and walk away with a rock-solid experience that feels relatively similar to what you saw in The Adventures of Elliot, putting the modern HD-2D graphics aside, of course. But if there is one specific game that I feel shares the most DNA, it is Secret of Mana, especially when you consider how both titles feature weapon mechanics that grow progressively stronger alongside dedicated charged attacks.

On top of that, both games deliver a more lighthearted and carefree narrative structure, one that cares about telling an engaging story without constantly monopolizing the player's time. Ultimately, the most important aspects will be enjoying the core gameplay loop, exploring the world's different regions, and expanding your capabilities as you uncover new tools and weapons.