2 words were all it took for the Octopath Traveler team's new Zelda-like action RPG throwback to shoot to the top of my most wanted list: "Cat collecting"

I've had my eye on the Octopath Traveler creators' new action RPG, The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, since it was announced last summer, but now that Square Enix has announced cat collecting as a prominent feature, I suddenly can't wait for this thing.

I love cats. There's a cat in my Bluesky profile picture, there are no less than three pictures on my walls prominently featuring cats, and there's a cat curled up next to my feet as I write this. If you put a cat in your game, I will play it (pro tip for my PR friends). As such, I will play The Adventures of Elliot: The Millennium Tales, which is "filled with cats," according to new information from Square Enix given to Gematsu.

"No matter the era, Philabieldia is filled with cats," reads an official description. "If Elliot finds one, he can take it under his wing to bring it to a cat-fancying traveler in town who will reward Elliot for the number of cats he's collected. Afterward, Elliot can care for and play with any cats he's brought back."

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Sold. SOLD. I was thrilled when Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined let me simply pet the cat, but actually going out and collecting them, caring for them, and playing with them. Now we're talking. And there's more! Square says collecting cats yields "all sorts of helpful items," including some that help you collect more cats!

"You can feed cats you've brought back to town, from a selection of fish, meat, and cheese," it says. "Different cats have different tastes, and filling them up on the flavors they prefer will make them like you more."

It's true. I have one cat who will literally swipe potato chips from your hands and another who's completely disinterested in human food but goes ravenous for shrimp, very specifically. I love that the team at Claytechworks are giving this sometimes underserved pet its flowers in The Adventures of Elliot.

The game comes out June 18 on Switch 2, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC. You can play its Switch 2 demo for free right now.

Square Enix reveals $230 The Adventures of Elliot Collector's Edition, so I can only assume the JRPG's sterling Switch 2 demo did its job