Elli

Aside from that design misstep, though, Elli is still worth a visit. Its asking price of £18/$20 may be a little steep considering the game’s lack of replayability, but if you’re a fan of platforming and adventuring, Elli definitely has enough to offer that’ll keep you engaged for several hours.

Elli is a lovely little puzzle platformer that's well worth spending a few hours with, though its relaxed vibe and accessible gameplay could see your attention waning before the end.

Elli, then, is the very epitome of a mixed bag. On one hand, it’s enjoyable to play, controls well and its gorgeous art style and charming dialogue remained endearing right up until the ending. However, it’s an unambitious and sometimes flagrantly derivative game that could have used a few unique ideas to carve out an identity of its own and its short runtime and lack of incentives to replay it are significant bugbears.

My enthusiasm for Elli ebbed and flowed over the course of my run, from boredom to excitement to finally settling for something in-between the two. It’s not a game that does anything you haven’t seen before, but it puts together a decently enjoyable experience with its time-tested mechanics. Seasoned players of the genre won’t have a lot to sink their teeth into here, but Elli’s accessible gameplay, low difficulty, and inoffensive design make it a good game to introduce the youngest kids to the genre.

Der erzählerische Rahmen um die eigentlich hoch dramatische Verfolgungsjagd wirkt angesichts der relaxten Stimmung zwar aufgesetzt, doch selbst das hat mich letztlich kaum gestört. Das Ergebnis ist jedenfalls deutlich geschliffener als z.B. in Jotun oder dem nur bedingt für Einzelspieler tauglichen The Legend of Zelda: TriForce Heroes.