Elli

All in all, Elli is a cute, fun, and semi-challenging puzzle platformer, full of variation and surprise to keep your interest through its journey.

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.

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 doesn’t do anything so poorly that it could be called objectionable. Given how many terrible games are out there, that’s no small feat. But it’s still hardly enough to make the game worth checking out. Factor in the game’s surprisingly high price ($20+, at the time of this writing), and that makes passing on it an easy call.

Elli’s relaxed nature makes it the perfect game to unwind with. Its world is gorgeous and its gameplay is solid, due in large part to its well designed puzzles. By the same token, its myriad technical issues and solid, yet totally shallow, core mechanics and story hold it back from being truly great.

A charming, pretty and well made puzzle platformer, Elli is unfortunately short, unambitious and derivative, while offering no incentive to replay it once it’s over.

Elli is the first attempt for BandanaKid to make a dynamic start in the videogames industry, yet fails in many parts. Lots of erroneous developing choices during production phase are obvious in the final product, which discourage players to treat the game the way it deserves. And it’s a shame, because there are so many things inside it, that can ultimately persuade players to stick with it to the very end. A recommended indie title, which should be scrutinized by all players before purchase.

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.

A fixed-camera 3D platformer that's charming enough in its own modest way, but limited ambition and a series of glitches keep Elli well short of the genre's greats. If you have any work left to do in Super Mario Odyssey or Yooka-Laylee, you probably don't need this.