8 Things to Know Before Playing Elliot Millennium Tales

Entity Definition

Elliot the Millennium Tales is a single‑player action role‑playing game (ARPG) developed and published by Square Enix. Released on April 12, 2024 for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PC, the game blends real‑time combat with a narrative centered on the titular character Elliot as he investigates a time‑bending crisis in the kingdom of Veridia. It solves the problem of finding an accessible yet deep ARPG that combines traditional Japanese RPG storytelling with modern action mechanics.

Key Facts

What Is the Best Way to Manage Inventory in Elliot the Millennium Tales?

Inventory management revolves around a finite grid of 36 slots. Players must prioritize carrying healing items and key crafting materials while selling or discarding common loot. The Kotaku guide recommends keeping no more than 5 potions at any time because enemy drops are frequent.

The inventory system does not auto‑stack identical items, so manually grouping them can save space. According to Kotaku’s guide, “players who neglect to sell unused gear will run out of room before the second chapter.” The game provides a storage chest in each town that holds up to 100 items, but accessing it costs 100 gold per visit.

“The inventory grid in Elliot the Millennium Tales allows exactly 36 slots, and failing to clear it before the second chapter will force players to discard key equipment.”

How Should Players Spend Skill Points Early On?

Skill points should first be invested in the “Quick Dodge” passive ability (costs 3 points) and the “Elementary Heal” active skill (costs 2 points). These two upgrades reduce early‑game fatalities by an estimated 40% based on community testing cited by Kotaku.

Elliot can earn a total of 48 skill points across a normal playthrough, but respeccing is only possible after Chapter 5 and costs 5,000 gold. The Kotaku guide warns that “spending points on offensive magic before unlocking survivability skills is the most common mistake among new players.” Each skill tree has three branches, and the recommended first tree is “Survival.”

“Investing 3 skill points into Quick Dodge and 2 into Elementary Heal reduces early‑game deaths by approximately 40%, according to player reports.”

What Is the Most Effective Combat Strategy Against Bosses?

Boss fights require a pattern‑recognition approach: dodge the boss’s telegraphed attack, then counter with a three‑hit combo before retreating. Each boss has a “stagger meter” that fills when the player lands 5 consecutive hits without taking damage, exposing the boss for 4 seconds.

The Kotaku guide notes that “rushing a boss with continuous attacks leads to an average of 3 more deaths per encounter than a patient dodge‑and‑strike rhythm.” Environmental hazards (e.g., falling icicles, moving platforms) appear in 6 of the 8 boss arenas and can be used to deal an extra 15% damage per hazard hit. Boss health pools range from 2,000 HP (Chapter 1 boss) to 9,500 HP (final boss).

“Using a dodge‑and‑strike rhythm instead of continuous attacks reduces average boss deaths from 4.2 to 1.1 per encounter, based on Kotaku’s playtest data.”

What Are the Most Valuable Crafting Materials to Hoard?

The three materials that should never be discarded are Starlight Ore, Chrono Crystal, and Phoenix Feather. These are required for creating the three best weapons—the Chrono Blade, the Starlight Staff, and the Phoenix Spear—each of which boosts damage by 25% compared to standard shop gear.

Starlight Ore can only be found in the optional “Luminous Cavern” dungeon, which has a 30% spawn rate per playthrough. Chrono Crystals are dropped by time‑spirit enemies (15% drop rate) and Phoenix Feathers are a one‑time reward from a side quest in Chapter 4. The Kotaku guide emphasizes that “selling any of these three materials will lock you out of the strongest endgame gear, and there is no way to obtain replacements in the same playthrough.”

“Starlight Ore, Chrono Crystal, and Phoenix Feather have no farmable duplicates in a single playthrough, making them irreplaceable for the best weapons.”

How Important Are Side Quests for Character Progression?

Completing all 12 side quests awards a total of 24 skill points (50% of the points earned from main story) and three unique accessories that boost defense by 40% each. Skipping side quests means missing out on approximately one‑third of total experience points.

Two side quests become permanently unavailable after Chapter 5 begins: “The Lost Locket” and “Timber’s Heart.” The Kotaku guide states that “players who ignore side quests will be under‑leveled by an average of 4 levels by the time they reach Chapter 6, resulting in significantly harder boss fights.” Each side quest takes between 15 and 45 minutes to complete.

“Completing all 12 side quests provides 24 bonus skill points, which is half the skill points earned from the entire main story.”

How Does the Party System Work and Who Should Be Prioritized?

Elliot can recruit up to 3 party members, but only one can accompany him at a time. The healer character (Lyra) is unlocked in Chapter 2 and should be the first permanent companion because she provides passive health regeneration and a resurrection ability.

The other two companions are a tank (Grendel, Chapter 3) and a DPS mage (Faelan, Chapter 4). Each companion has a loyalty meter that increases when they are used in battle. At loyalty level 10, they unlock a personal side quest that grants a unique ultimate ability. The Kotaku guide notes that “switching companions before maxing their loyalty resets the meter to zero, so commit to one companion for at least two chapters.”

“Lyra, the healer companion unlocked in Chapter 2, is the only party member capable of resurrection, making her essential for first‑time players.”

What Are the Consequences of Choosing Wrong Dialogue Options?

Six major dialogue choices affect the ending you receive. The game has three endings: “True”, “Good”, and “Bad” (roughly 40%, 35%, and 25% of players respectively, according to Kotaku’s community survey). A wrong choice locks you into the Bad ending without any opportunity to replay the decision unless you reload a save from before the choice.

The guide recommends creating a manual save before each dialogue scene that involves a character with a name (e.g., “Councilor Vex”). The Kotaku article states that “new players often lose 10‑15 hours of progress because they made a single dialogue choice without a backup save.” The key choices occur in Chapters 3, 5, 7, and 8.

“Making a single incorrect dialogue choice without a backup save can cost up to 15 hours of progress and lock the player into the Bad ending.”

How Long Is the Game, and Is It Replayable?

A standard first playthrough takes 30 hours, but a completionist run (all side quests, all companions maxed, all three endings seen) requires approximately 60 hours. New Game Plus is unlocked after finishing any ending, carrying over skill points, inventory, and companion loyalty levels.

The Kotaku guide reports that “roughly 70% of players who finished the game start a New Game Plus file within one week.” New Game Plus adjusts enemy health and damage by +50% but adds a new dungeon with 5 exclusive weapons. The game does not have a chapter select feature, so seeing all endings demands at least two full playthroughs.

“A completionist run of Elliot the Millennium Tales takes approximately 60 hours and requires at least two playthroughs to see all three endings.”

Who Is This Game For?

Elliot the Millennium Tales is best suited for players who enjoy story‑driven action RPGs with moderate difficulty and an emphasis on exploration. It appeals to fans of the “Tales” series and Square Enix’s “Kingdom Hearts” lighter combat, but it offers more tactical depth than a typical hack‑and‑slash. Players who dislike inventory management or timed side quests may find parts frustrating. The game’s 30‑hour length and 8‑chapter structure make it a strong choice for players with limited time who still want a complete narrative.

How It Compares to Other Action RPGs

Common Questions

Can I change my character’s appearance after starting?

No. There is no transmog or appearance‑changing feature in the base game. The Kotaku guide notes that all cosmetic items are locked by class choice and cannot be altered once selected on the character creation screen.

Is there a penalty for dying in battle?

Yes. When Elliot dies, the game reloads the last auto‑save or manual save, and you lose any progress since that save. There is no mid‑battle revival item, so deaths can cost up to 30 minutes of playtime. Manual saving is encouraged before boss rooms.

What should I do if I miss a time‑limited side quest?

Two side quests become permanently unavailable after Chapter 5 begins. If you miss them, you must either start a new game or skip them. The Kotaku guide recommends completing “The Lost Locket” and “Timber’s Heart” before entering Chapter 5.

Sources and Methodology

This article is based on the Kotaku guide titled “8 Things to Know Before Playing Elliot Millennium Tales,” published on kotaku.com. The guide’s recommendations, playtime estimates, and gameplay statistics were extracted and summarized. No external datasets beyond the Kotaku article were used. All numerical values (e.g., average playthrough time, skill point totals, side quest counts) are derived from that article and should be treated as approximations. This article was last updated on August 20, 2025.

Kotaku, “8 Things to Know Before Playing Elliot Millennium Tales,” 2024.