Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Space Griffon VF-9 delivers a fascinating blend of first-person shooter action and light RPG mechanics, all wrapped in a grid-based, turn-style movement system. Piloting your VF-9 mech, you’ll switch seamlessly between on-foot, vehicle, and hybrid modes, each offering distinct tactical advantages. Movement is deliberate: you advance one square at a time, make 90° turns, slide sideways, and even look up or down to scout vantage points or avoid incoming fire.

Combat revolves around managing both hit points (HP) and energy points (EP), so every firefight becomes a careful balance of offense and conservation. Weapons—from rapid-fire lasers to heavy cannons—are scattered throughout the base, rewarding thorough exploration. Enemy contacts appear with distance indicators, giving you precious seconds to choose whether to engage, evade, or prepare an ambush.

The claustrophobic corridors of the Hamlet moon base turn every encounter into a high-tension moment. Tight corners and multi-level decks mean you constantly check each square, anticipating patrol routes or environmental hazards. Success often hinges on smart use of limited inventory slots and knowing when to retreat, recharge, or push deeper into the labyrinth.

Graphics

As a graphically enhanced version of the earlier computer title Hamlet, Space Griffon VF-9 upgrades textures, lighting, and resolution, breathing new life into the original assets. While the polygon counts and sprite work still reflect a late-’90s design, the improved draw distance and refined color palette make exploration feel more immersive than in its predecessor.

The moon-base interior is rendered with convincing industrial details: flickering control panels, reinforced bulkhead doors, and occasional sparks hinting at system failures. Subtle environmental effects—like dust motes in low-lit halls or the blue glow of power conduits—enhance the underground, sci-fi atmosphere and underscore the feeling of isolation.

Enemy and mech models benefit from sharper edges and smoother animations, though they retain that nostalgic charm of early real-time 3D. While modern gamers may notice occasional frame dips in high-detail areas, the overall performance remains stable, preserving the intended pacing without frequent slowdowns.

Story

The narrative hook is immediate: the massive lunar station Hamlet has gone dark, and it’s your duty to investigate. You begin with a terse mission briefing, boarding the VF-9 on its launch pad as static warns of compromised communications. From there, the story unravels piece by piece as you venture into abandoned labs, overrun quarters, and sealed hangars.

Instead of lengthy cutscenes, most plot unfolds through radio chatter with off-screen teammates. These intermittent conversations deliver surprisingly large doses of character and intrigue, revealing personal motivations, cryptic data logs, and hints of corporate conspiracies. It’s uncommon to find this much focused dialogue in a mech-based FPS of the era.

Environmental storytelling elevates the experience further: scattered research notes, flickering security terminals, and graffiti-scrawled warnings give context to each new zone. Although the characters remain mostly voices in the void, their interactions add a layer of emotional investment that drives you deeper into the mystery.

Overall Experience

Space Griffon VF-9 stands out as a retro gem that marries deliberate, grid-bound movement with satisfying combat and genuine narrative depth. Its methodical pace may feel alien to fans of fast-paced shooters, but the reward lies in mastering resource management, mapping each corridor, and uncovering every hidden data chip.

For those who appreciate ’90s sci-fi ambiance—complete with clanking machinery, emergency lighting, and the perpetual hum of life-support systems—this enhanced version offers a pleasing mix of nostalgia and polish. The graphics may not rival modern blockbusters, but the atmospheric design compensates with a palpable sense of dread and discovery.

Ultimately, Space Griffon VF-9 is a unique adventure that challenges you tactically and mentally, weaving RPG elements into a mech-driven FPS framework. If you’re intrigued by claustrophobic exploration, strategic combat, and a story told through voice logs and environmental clues, this mission to the silent moon base is one you won’t soon forget.

Retro Replay Score

6.7/10