Elliot Quest

Elliot Quest is a solid new entry to the ever-growing stable of great eShop titles. While it's not perfect - there really shouldn't be slowdown in a game with 8-bit pixel art, and it can be frustrating to try to figure out where to go next - anyone looking for a challenging, satisfying action adventure will likely get a lot of enjoyment out of it. As well as all this, Elliot Quest is a great showcase for what HTML5 can do. Just be prepared to do a lot of exploring.

To judge a game such as Elliot Quest is more convoluted than might be expected. On the one hand, there's a compound of flavoursome ingredients, while on the other one lays a final course that tastes just like a million others. It doesn't do anything bad, but just does not reach notable heights or excel anywhere.

Elliot Quest is a solid indie Metroidvania with easy to learn gameplay mechanics and a ton of content to enjoy. This isn't a small release you'll be done in a handful of hours – it's an epic quest that will take you 12-15+ hours to complete. If you're a fan of 2D Metroidvania action/platformers, then be sure to give this one a go. Thanks to the Nintendo Switch's nature you'll be able to keep playing the game at home or on the go until you've managed to 100% this release.

Elliot Quest is one of the worst games I've played in recent history. The game is unappealing, confusing and after four hours of gameplay I gave up. I had no idea what's going on.

With your continued exploration eventually leading you to reach one of three endings based on your decisions, Elliot Quest is a lengthy game that welcomes repeat adventures. Whether you want to unlock all three through your own efforts or resort to checking them out on YouTube is entirely your own choice, but know that this is a suitably challenging game that leans heavily on a bygone era. It’s a homage worthy of your time, but be warned that it still carries the same flaws as its inspiration.

Elliot Quest looks like a lost side-scrolling game from the NES area. Very nostalgia-driven, it takes form as a hardcore side-scrolling action game, which may be too for some tastes. Those up to the challenge, though, will be rewarded with a surprisingly deep game.

Even with Elliot Quest being a homage to my least favorite Zelda game, I still found it to be an enjoyable experience. If you have a version of it already, don't expect to find something new. The release on Switch seems meant for a new audience that weren't Wii U owners, as opposed to a new experience for existing fans. Elliot Quest has a familiar feel that makes it a great title if you're looking to dip your toes into the Nindie experience on Switch.

Despite some occasional slowdown and a cryptic set-up, Elliot Quest is a worthy homage to games like Castlevania II and Zelda II: The Adventure of Link. If you missed out on the Wii U version, give this 3DS port a go. Just be prepared for some annoyances, though.

Elliot Quest does good to the promise of living up to the 8-bit era retro games that it draws inspiration from and it certainly has the appealing audiovisual component and lifespan to go along with it. Unfortunately it could have performed better on its difficulty curve and merciless gameplay mechanics, which is certain to put off all but the most patient and dedicated players.

Elliot Quest is a fun and challenging throwback to gaming of long ago and will appeal mostly to those with nostalgia for classic action-adventure games.