Some elements of identity may get lost or evolve with time, but there will always be defining traits that point to a specific presence at work. In the case of Square Enix, one of its more recent hallmarks is the HD-2D aesthetic, pioneered and popularised by Octopath Traveler, that combines 2D elements with fully 3D environments to modernise the 16-bit look without sacrificing authenticity.
To date, the visual treatment has been reserved for turn-based role-playing games (RPGs), and The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales is set to break the mould. The forthcoming entry marks the company’s first action RPG to don the HD-2D shine, with players engaging in real-time combat using different weapon types, including a sword and bow, alongside other equipment like a shield and bombs.
Set in the world of Philabieldia, it follows the eponymous adventurer Elliot and his fairy companion Faie on their journey to a newly discovered ruin outside the protective walls of humanity’s last bastion, the Kingdom of Huther, and later, through time and space after stumbling upon a mysterious artefact called the Doorway of Time.
On the other end of the spectrum is Killer Inn, a murder mystery that looks to freshen up the Werewolf and Among Us formula. Here, 24 players are split into two groups, each with different objectives – the Lambs, who band together to uncover and eliminate the bad guys, and the Wolves, tasked with murdering every Lamb. It sounds easy enough in theory, but any social deduction game fan would know that’s never the case.
During the recent Tokyo Game Show 2025, a brief demo on the show floor offered a glimpse of how both titles look to marry ambition with established genre elements.
Charm runs thick in The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales
While the continued use of HD-2D stylings has sparked concerns of fatigue, The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales wears them well. It didn’t take long to be enamoured with the lively animation and crisp, colourful environment design, sparking a strong urge to veer off the beaten path and check out a nook on the side (not the best idea for a 20-minute-or-so preview, oops). Along the way, Elliot made quick work of defeating enemies with a few swings of his sword; switching over to the bow, however, calls for a bit more patience and experimentation – in a familiar flashback to old-school titles, the arrow doesn’t always travel in the same trajectory that players expect due to the lack of depth perception.
It’s not just plain attacking, either, as the hat-wearing adventurer can block hits with his shield, and doing so within a tight window of a foe’s strike triggers a parry. Although conventionally used to detonate obstructions, bombs are also useful for wiping out numerous adversaries at once, with gameplay feeling responsive and evocative of the early The Legend of Zelda games.
The more exciting feature here is movement. Alongside Elliot, Faie can be controlled manually with the right stick, granting access to two traversal mechanics: a smooth-flowing, speedy dash that requires a bit of getting used to, and the warp ability, which teleports Elliot to Faie’s location, coming in handy for escaping a sticky situation, crossing gaps, or getting close to an enemy to land some strikes.
There’s a puzzle-solving element to the experience, too, best demonstrated in the boss fight for the preview. Because much of the time was spent exploring (again, rookie mistake), the only opportunity to see it in action was during the opening stages, where placing bombs and setting them off would expose its weak spots. The combat and puzzle mechanics appear to gel together fairly nicely, but it’s too early to determine how that will hold up over the course of the game, especially since the start seems to be slower-paced. One thing’s for sure, though – The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales has no shortage of eye-candy charm.
The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales will release for the Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC sometime in 2026.
Killer Inn revels in constant tension and distrust, from start to death
Trust is a precious commodity when everyone’s out to get you, intentional or not. On the surface, Killer Inn is aptly described as “Among Us, but with guns,” and on a deeper level, there’s a lot more going on. It encourages more agency, for starters, inviting players to act on their own accord, rather than, say, gathering votes to eliminate in the name of meritocracy, resulting in less passivity and plenty more chaos.
The sense of participation is important, because running solo forms part of the core experience – in the beginning, at least – contrary to the crowded impression that a 24-player match may paint. To begin, step into the role of a character from a diverse roster, including conventional occupations like a doctor, businessman, or writer, and oddball options such as a ninja or a pirate, each with their own thematic perks and resistances. The round officially starts after the assignment of the Wolves and Lambs, and immediately, the paranoia can be felt strongly.
Playing as a Lamb, every individual in the vicinity received the same treatment: a few seconds of wary glances and backpedalling, in case they were planning to go on the offensive. Once alone, it was back to business – finding cash, stocking up on consumables and weapons, and accepting quests from NPCs in the inn, which, while hardly spectacular since they usually act as fetch quests or involve completing a mini-game, reward gold to purchase more equipment. It doesn’t matter if you’re a Lamb or a Wolf, for both can attack the opposing party, so the stronger the gear, the better.
There are, of course, consequences for wrong guesses. A fellow Lamb member was turned into stone and automatically removed from the game after pulling the trigger on another, leading to two team members down for the count. Tough luck. Some slight strategising is also required for managing equipment – a crowbar, for instance, can be used to break into rooms and collect jewels from chests, but it’s far from the best weapon, especially against firearms.
Because the core gameplay loop revolves around constant movement and completing quests, it’s easy to be picked off by Wolves along the way. In the preview, a lurking killer sprang out from the shadows during the investigation of a dead body, which revealed forensic clues about the perpetrator and highlighted everyone who fit the description on the map, and bulgeoned yours sincerely to death after a short chase.
Once out of the game, Killer Inn gives the option to spectate another player, and it was then that two more discoveries were made: that sniper guns are overpowered, and destroying floating orbs around the inn, known as Guardians, drops a key that can help the Lambs escape before getting murdered. Alas, the Wolves won in a three-versus-one showdown, with the MVP securing five kills.
There wasn’t enough time to check out the Wolves’ gameplay mechanics, but in any case, the whodunnit promises to keep players on constant tenterhooks, with its deeper-than-expected role-playing elements bringing an interesting twist to gameplay. It’d be nice to switch between the spectator cameras, however, and the pacing mismatch – the slower sleuthing process versus frenetic shootouts – can throw some off; look past that, and a thrilling test of wits awaits.
Killer Inn currently has no release date, but is set for a Steam launch.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
