Team Asano steps boldly into real-time combat while preserving the magic of HD-2D storytelling
For nearly a decade, Team Asano has quietly shaped one of modern gaming’s most beloved visual identities. Titles like Octopath Traveler and Bravely Default helped revive interest in classic Japanese RPG design through the now-iconic HD-2D presentation — a blend of pixel art nostalgia and modern lighting techniques that feels simultaneously retro and cutting-edge.
With The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, launching June 18, 2026, Square Enix’s celebrated studio is attempting its biggest evolution yet: transforming the HD-2D formula into a full-fledged action RPG.
Developed alongside Claytechworks and arriving on Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, the game represents a clear turning point. This is not merely another turn-based homage — it’s a reimagining of what HD-2D can be when speed, exploration, and player skill become central pillars.
And based on early previews and the playable debut demo, The Millennium Tales could become the most ambitious entry in the HD-2D lineage so far.
A New Direction for HD-2D
The headline feature is obvious: real-time combat.
Where Team Asano’s previous games emphasized tactical turn-based encounters, Elliot embraces fast, responsive action inspired by classics like The Legend of Zelda and the Mana series. Battles unfold seamlessly within the world, eliminating transitions into combat arenas and reinforcing a sense of continuous adventure.
The shift feels natural rather than forced. The HD-2D engine’s layered depth — foreground foliage, volumetric lighting, and dynamic weather — creates environments that feel alive in motion. Characters dodge, strike, and reposition within richly animated landscapes that look like dioramas brought to life.
It’s a risky evolution for a studio known for tradition, but one that signals confidence in expanding their creative identity.
A Story Spanning a Thousand Years
Narratively, the game follows Elliot, an adventurer living within the Kingdom of Huther — humanity’s final refuge on a continent dominated by hostile beast tribes. Protected by a magical barrier, civilization survives in fragile isolation.
When mysterious ruins are discovered beyond the kingdom’s borders, Elliot and his fairy companion Faie embark on a journey that transcends time itself.
The adventure spans four distinct historical eras:
- The Age of Budding – a world in early harmony
- The Age of Magic – peak arcane civilization
- The Age of Reconstruction – aftermath and recovery
- The Age of Safekeeping – a guarded, uncertain future
Rather than simple time travel gimmicks, the design promises interconnected timelines where actions in one era reshape environments in another. Ruins restored in the past may become thriving settlements later, while forgotten choices echo centuries forward.
Team Asano has long excelled at layered storytelling, and early hints suggest a narrative focused on legacy, memory, and the consequences of preservation versus progress.
Combat Built Around Choice and Flow
Combat centers on seven weapon types, each dramatically altering Elliot’s playstyle:
- Traditional swords for balanced combat
- Bows for ranged precision
- Heavy weapons for crowd control
- Scythe-chain hybrids emphasizing mobility
- Additional styles yet to be fully revealed
Weapons can be swapped mid-combat, encouraging experimentation and adaptive strategy rather than commitment to a single build.
Customization deepens through Magicite, upgrade stones that modify attacks with elemental effects or mechanical changes. A sword might gain lightning arcs, while a bow could split arrows into multiple projectiles.
The system appears designed to reward creativity rather than optimization alone — a welcome departure from rigid skill trees.
Faie: More Than a Companion
Faie, Elliot’s fairy partner, may prove to be the game’s secret weapon mechanically.
Rather than serving as narrative exposition, she actively participates in gameplay:
- Distracting enemies during combat
- Providing healing support
- Triggering environmental mechanisms
- Enabling traversal through Warp abilities
Puzzle design leans heavily on cooperative interaction between Elliot and Faie, recalling classic companion-driven adventures while adding modern flexibility.
The dynamic also reinforces storytelling themes — the journey is explicitly about two intertwined destinies rather than a lone hero narrative.
A Zelda-Like World Built for Exploration
The continent of Philabieldia functions as a layered open world rather than a sprawling empty map.
Exploration emphasizes discovery density:
- Hidden caves and optional dungeons
- Environmental puzzles tied to time periods
- Secret bosses requiring mastery of mechanics
- Alternate paths unlocked through abilities gained in later eras
The design philosophy appears closer to classic adventure games than modern open-world checklists. Instead of icons cluttering the map, progression encourages curiosity — noticing unusual landmarks, revisiting altered timelines, and experimenting with traversal tools.
Early demo impressions suggest a world designed for “aha!” moments rather than completion percentages.
Visual Storytelling at Its Peak
HD-2D has evolved significantly since its debut, and The Millennium Tales pushes the aesthetic further.
Notable enhancements include:
- Dynamic time-of-day lighting
- Enhanced particle effects during combat
- Depth-of-field transitions between eras
- Weather systems affecting atmosphere and visibility
The result resembles a living storybook — pixel characters inhabiting environments rendered with cinematic lighting and scale.
If Octopath Traveler proved HD-2D could modernize nostalgia, Elliot aims to show it can also support fast-paced action without sacrificing clarity or charm.
Demo Rewards and Early Access Appeal
A Debut Demo is currently available for Nintendo Switch 2 players, offering an early look at exploration and combat systems.
While progress does not carry over, completion unlocks the Explorer’s Compass accessory in the full game — a clever incentive that rewards early curiosity without creating FOMO for late adopters.
Pre-orders also include the Elliot’s Departure Pack, granting early-game equipment bonuses designed to smooth the opening hours.
Why This Game Matters
Beyond its own merits, The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales represents a philosophical shift for Square Enix’s mid-budget RPG strategy.
It bridges:
- Retro aesthetics with modern gameplay expectations
- JRPG storytelling with action-adventure pacing
- Nostalgia with experimentation
If successful, it could open the door for future HD-2D titles beyond turn-based formats — potentially redefining the subgenre entirely.
GameCritix Preview Verdict
The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales feels less like a spin-off experiment and more like the next evolutionary step for Team Asano’s creative vision. By merging HD-2D artistry with real-time combat and time-spanning exploration, the game positions itself at the crossroads of classic JRPG storytelling and modern action design.
Whether it ultimately lands alongside genre-defining action RPGs will depend on combat depth and pacing across its full campaign, but early signs point toward a confident, ambitious adventure that respects its roots while daring to move forward.
If HD-2D’s past was about nostalgia, Elliot may define its future.
