Xel is a 3D action-adventure game that draws inspiration from The Legend of Zelda franchise. You play as Reid, a young amnesiac girl who finds herself on an unknown planet after her spaceship crashes. In the junkyard that serves as her landing site, she quickly discovers a sword and shield to fend off the extraterrestrial creatures that inhabit the area. Soon, she encounters Desmond, who reveals that she is not on a planet but rather… well, I won’t spoil it more than that.

In terms of gameplay, much like Zelda or Tunic, you have a sword for combat and a shield for protection. You can perform a roll to dodge attacks and move forward to close the distance with an enemy. Dodging and blocking attacks will cost you energy, which gradually replenishes afterward. You have the option to target an enemy, aiding precision in battles against multiple opponents. You start the adventure with three hearts, a total that can be increased by finding specific flowers in the world. The various types of enemies are diverse enough to significantly change combat approaches, although it ultimately boils down to dodging and counterattacking.

The game’s strong point lies in its level design. The areas to explore are interesting, and the puzzles, although straightforward, are well thought out. You’ll come across gadgets on your journey that allow access to otherwise unreachable areas. For example, in the wilderness, explored early in the adventure, you’ll find an electrical panel that serves both in combat and exploration, whether to open doors or electrify a body of water to activate an otherwise inaccessible outlet. There’s also the ability to travel back in time, in specific parts of the map, to reach areas inaccessible in the present.

The visuals are rather lackluster. The low resolution, frequent frame drops, and the nice yet poorly executed graphic style make it hard to distinguish and collect various items. Additionally, there are delays in loading entire sections of the map, not just textures.
The sound level isn’t much better. The soundtrack is adequate and fulfills its role appropriately. The character voice acting is quite ordinary, lacking inspiration in the performance. Ironically, the best sound effects are those used when picking up an item. I swear they sound exactly like in Breath of the Wild, exactly the same!

The game is riddled with bugs, an NPC awkwardly slid during a conversation, and a chest wouldn’t open until I reloaded the save. Progress isn’t automatically saved; you need to manually save at crystal monuments. Initially close, these monuments become scarce, potentially regrettable as you advance.
I hate to be so negative, but Xel is a game that could have been better. With its bugs, there’s a constant feeling of unfinished work. What makes it frustrating is that the foundations of a good game are there, I genuinely believe that. Not a great game, but a good one, worth having if it’s on discount.