'Adventures of Elliot' review: A fun, frustrating Zelda tribute

June 19, 2026 - 00:28

"It's good, but it had the potential to be so much better." That sentence sums up the experience of playing "Adventures of Elliot," a new indie title that wears its love for classic Zelda games on its sleeve. The game drops you into a colorful, hand-drawn world where you guide the titular hero through dungeons, solve environmental puzzles, and battle quirky monsters. For fans of the 16-bit era, the nostalgia hits hard from the first screen.

The combat is where the fun begins. Swinging your sword, rolling out of danger, and discovering hidden items feels satisfyingly familiar. The puzzles are clever, often requiring you to think about the order of operations rather than just brute force. The art style is charming, with a palette that pops and animations that breathe life into every character.

But the frustration creeps in quickly. The game suffers from a lack of clear direction. You will find yourself wandering aimlessly, unsure of where to go next, because the hints are either too vague or nonexistent. Some dungeons drag on with repetitive enemy placements, and the save system is punishingly sparse. You can lose twenty minutes of progress from a single mistake.

The soundtrack is a highlight, with catchy chiptune melodies that keep you going. Yet, the overall pacing feels uneven. The game tries to do too much at once, juggling a sprawling map, multiple items, and a story that never quite lands. It is a tribute that understands the look and feel of its inspiration but misses the tight design that made those classics timeless. For every moment of joy, there is a moment of annoyance. It is a solid effort, but one that leaves you wishing the developers had polished the rough edges a bit more.