As we once again shine our spotlight on what the indie scene has to offer, we dive into reviews for Griffin, A-RED Walking Robot and Teraslide – all of which were recently released.
Griffin review (PS5)
A cult Japanese PC-88 title from 1987, Griffin makes its return on modern consoles thanks to Ratalaika Games. At its core, this is a top-down vehicular shooter where you pilot the titular battle tank on a rescue mission, guided by a surprisingly animated narrative hook involving a granddaughter saving her captured grandfather. The game’s roots are unmistakable – this is retro gaming distilled, for better or worse, and the PS5 release sticks closely to its origins while adding a few modern conveniences.
Visually, Griffin presents clean, colorful pixel art that holds up well despite its simplicity. The action is easy to follow, although screen clutter and bullet readability can be a challenge during more chaotic moments. Musically, the chiptune soundtrack is pleasant enough but limited in variety – thankfully, the new jukebox mode lets players access the tracks freely. This version also includes optional filters, but these feel more like novelty additions than meaningful visual upgrades.
Gameplay is very straightforward – move, shoot, and rescue – but it’s responsive and holds up well mechanically. The addition of a rewind/fast-forward feature, alongside the ability to save anytime, goes a long way in mitigating the frustration of the original’s harsh difficulty. For those seeking a challenge, it’s still there – but newcomers can take advantage of cheat modes like infinite lives or invincibility to ease the experience. These toggles do slightly undercut the satisfaction of progression, but they’re welcome from an accessibility standpoint.
Ultimately, Griffin is a very niche throwback that will mostly appeal to retro enthusiasts or those curious about gaming history. It’s short, repetitive, and not particularly deep, but the PS5 version is faithful and offers useful quality-of-life enhancements. If you can appreciate its vintage limitations, there’s a compact but competent slice of late-‘80s arcade action waiting for you.
A-RED Walking Robot review (PS5)
A-RED Walking Robot invites players into a mechanical world where a toy-like robot, powered by a wind-up key, must overcome a series of increasingly complex challenges. Built around a workshop setting filled with physics-based puzzles and clever environmental obstacles, the game offers a creative premise that’s well suited to its quirky aesthetic. There’s a surprising amount of variety in gameplay – ranging from jetpack-powered flights to laser puzzles and enemy encounters – but the real draw is how it all comes together with the game’s whimsical tone, catchy soundtrack and deceptively challenging gameplay.
Where A-RED shines is in the physicality of its gameplay. From balancing and pushing objects to activating electric circuits and flying short distances, there’s a satisfying tactile quality to its mechanics. The energy system, based on constantly rewinding A-RED’s key, adds pressure to exploration without becoming too frustrating, especially once you grasp the rhythm of collecting wind-up tokens. However, not all mechanics feel equally refined, and some players may run into frustration with the game’s floaty jumps and occasional control quirks.
Visually, A-RED Walking Robot delivers a distinctive, minimalist art style that complements the puzzle-heavy level design. The environments feel playful and handcrafted, though the camera can occasionally make navigation tricky in tighter areas. Still, these moments are outweighed by the creativity in level variety and the upbeat pacing that rarely slows down. It’s not a visually flashy game, but it matches its tone well and is generally pleasing to look at.
The game’s biggest accomplishment lies in how it balances accessibility with experimentation. It may not offer deep narrative layers or highly polished mechanics, but its imaginative level design and mechanical charm carry it through. For players looking for a short, inventive experience with a robot that’s more expressive than its gears would suggest, A-RED Walking Robot is worth winding up.
Teraslide review (PS5)
Teraslide is a minimalist yet smartly designed puzzle game where you guide Tulock the snow fox across icy hexagonal grids. The main hook lies in sliding mechanics that restrict movement to straight lines until hitting a wall or obstacle, requiring you to plan out your moves carefully to reach each level’s goal. The presentation is simple but pleasant, with colorful visuals and a clean UI that makes navigating its 100 levels straightforward.
Though the gameplay loop is familiar, especially for fans of grid-based puzzle titles, Teraslide manages to stay engaging thanks to gradual layerings of new mechanics. These include direction-based limitations and extra objectives that spice up what could otherwise be a one-note formula. While the core gameplay doesn’t evolve dramatically, the optional challenges scattered throughout the levels encourage experimentation and replayability.
The game also benefits from a forgiving structure: unlimited undos, optional solutions, and bite-sized levels make it an ideal pick-up-and-play title, especially for portable or short-session gaming. Still, some players may find the variety lacking over time, as later levels lean more on increasing difficulty than introducing novel ideas.
Overall, Teraslide doesn’t break new ground, but it doesn’t need to. It’s a tightly made puzzle game with just enough variety and charm to stand out within its niche. If you’re a fan of methodical movement-based puzzlers and want something that offers both accessibility and challenge, this one’s worth a look.
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