Square Enix's The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales is shaping up to be one of the more interesting Xbox releases this month, and players waiting on review verdicts just got their first data point. Famitsu broke ahead of the main embargo to publish the first review, and the reception is positive heading into the June 18 launch.
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What Famitsu actually said
Famitsu uses a four-reviewer panel format, with each critic contributing an individual score out of 10. The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales pulled an 8, 9, 9, and 8 from those four reviewers, landing at a combined 34 out of 40. The highlights flagged in the review: beautiful HD-2D graphics, 2D Zelda-like exploration elements, and satisfying combat. That combination should sound familiar to anyone who has followed the game's marketing, but having a respected publication back those claims up before launch carries weight.
For context, the same Famitsu issue reviewed 007 First Light and gave it a 37 out of 40, so the bar being used here is not a soft one.
The pedigree behind this release
Here's the thing with The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales. This is a Square Enix project from the same teams responsible for Octopath Traveler and Bravely Default. Those are two series that built their entire identity around the HD-2D art style and turn-based depth, so the jump to action-adventure gameplay with Zelda-style exploration is genuinely new territory for this creative team. The Famitsu review suggests the transition has worked.
The game is also an Xbox Play Anywhere title, meaning a single purchase covers both Xbox and PC. Pre-orders are live on the Xbox Store at $59.99.
Before the embargo lifts
The main review embargo has not dropped yet, so the full picture is still incoming. Famitsu getting out ahead of it means players have a credible early signal, but the broader critical consensus will arrive closer to or on June 18. What most players miss in situations like this is that a single publication's verdict, even a well-regarded one, only tells part of the story. The Famitsu score is encouraging, but the full review cycle will reveal how the game holds up across longer play sessions and whether the action mechanics land for audiences outside Japan.
For fans of rpg games with strong visual identities, this one has been on the radar since its announcement. The Zelda comparison in Famitsu's notes is the most intriguing detail, suggesting the exploration design goes beyond surface-level dungeon hopping.
The June 18 launch is two days away. If you want to get ahead of it, the free demo is the fastest way to form your own opinion before the rest of the reviews land. For broader gaming coverage and walkthroughs across all genres, the gaming guides hub is worth bookmarking as launch day approaches.
