Elementallis

Some parts of the game will feel familiar if you've played a lot of classic action-adventure games, but that's honestly part of its charm. If you're a fan of classic Zelda-style games and enjoy exploration, solving puzzles, and unlocking new abilities, Elementallis is definitely worth a look.

Elementallis is more than just a mechanical and visual homage to The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past; it is a respect-worthy adventure that manages to stand on its own feet thanks to its excellent and creative elemental combination system. Although it stumbles slightly in minor sound design details and the lack of localization for Portuguese, the title far compensates with a vast world, clever puzzles, a good amount of challenge, and a nostalgia factor that justifies every penny of its extremely inviting price. If you are looking for an epic journey with the flavor of the 16-bit era to play on your Switch’s handheld mode, this game deserves a spot in your library.

Elementallis has a deep understanding of what made the classic 2D Zelda games so special: open-world exploration, dungeons, secrets, puzzles, skill-based progression, and a world that rewards curiosity. It doesn’t reinvent the formula, but it executes it masterfully and adds its own unique flair through the use of the elements. Its biggest drawback is an uninspired final stretch, but it’s still well worth playing.

Elementallis is a modest but charming experience. It hits the mark with its classic adventure atmosphere, puzzles, gradual world-building, and an environmental message that truly resonates with the game's premise. Despite some interaction issues and occasional bugs, it's a title that showcases good ideas and enough personality to warrant the attention of those who enjoy this style of adventure.

Within the more classic Zelda-like genre (that is, leaving out games like Tunic or Death Door ), as a "tribute" game that pays homage to Link's early adventures, Elementallis is one of the most solid and well-rounded games , and it achieves this while still contributing its own unique ideas.

Elementallis has its rough edges, and the map system is easily the biggest one. I would love a modern optional layer with better markers, clearer objective tracking, or at least a more readable player icon. But the core adventure is strong enough that I kept pushing through the annoyance. The powers are clever, the world is fun to poke at, the temples scratch the right puzzle-solving itch, and the presentation is beautiful.

With consistently well-designed dungeons and plenty of secrets to discover, this is a fantastic throwback to the likes of Link to the Past and other top-down classics

Do you have what it takes to restore the lost elements to the world?

Elementallis is a game that pays homage and draws inspiration from an iconic series many gamers love – Zelda. They do this by successfully applying the gameplay mechanics that made us love this top-down, action adventure genre. Elementallis is a game about redemption; a story of taking a link of the past, accepting all that it has to offer, and using it to make a fantastic game to call their own. Apart from some questionable quality of life designs, Elementallis was truly a joy to play. An homage to the past that everyone should experience.