Joan of Arc (Griffonsoft / Psytronik Software) Coming Soon
Game description: Joan of Arc is a puzzle platformer from GriffonSoft set in a dystopian factory controlled by ALPHA-OMEGA, a self-aware management computer that has enslaved its workforce in the name of maximum output. You play as Arc Welder Joan-27J/6, whose mission is to infiltrate the facility, sabotage each of its four distinct zones, and liberate the workers from the system's grip. The game's central mechanic is the electro-boomerang — thrown with the fire button and steerable in flight by holding it down. It serves as both your combat tool and your key to environmental navigation, triggering platforms and clearing blockages to open up new paths through each area. The boomerang is deeply integrated into the level design, making most screens function as small puzzles to work through. The game world is built around a central hub branching out to four zones, with progression gated behind token collection — 42 tokens are required to break through the major barriers. Within each zone, the objective is to locate keycards, disks, and cryptic codes that allow you to hack into the zone's computer system and bring the entire area down. Completing all four zones is the path to finishing the game.
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Production - 89%
89%
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Fun - 85%
85%
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Depth - 80%
80%
Summary
Joan of Arc is the third title from GriffonSoft, and it arrives with the quiet confidence of a team that knows exactly what it is doing. The electro-boomerang is the game’s centrepiece, and it earns that status — steering it through the air feels responsive and satisfying, and the level design consistently finds new ways to put it to work. Most screens function as small puzzles, and the variety and inventiveness of the boomerang mechanics keep things fresh across all four zones. That is no small achievement across a game of this length.
The hub-and-zone structure holds up well. Hunting down keycards, disks, and codes to hack each zone’s computer system gives every area a clear narrative payoff, and the momentum builds steadily as each zone goes up in flames. The 42-token gate between areas provides a purposeful reason to engage with every screen rather than push straight through. It is a well-executed loop — the problem is that it is also a familiar one. Joan of Arc does the standard tropes very well, but it does not push beyond them. There is nothing here that will surprise a seasoned player, and the overall design lacks the ambition needed to elevate it from accomplished to memorable.
Visually, the factory setting carves out a personality distinct from GriffonSoft’s earlier work. The industrial, oppressive aesthetic comes through clearly, and there is just enough character in the sprite work and backgrounds to stop it feeling cold. The SID music fits the setting.
The difficulty is well balanced, and the game length is about right — push it any further and the design’s limitations would become harder to ignore. Two issues do leave a mark, though. Respawning enemies grate in a game built around exploration and backtracking, turning familiar ground into unnecessary busywork. And the absence of a save function is a genuine problem for a game that asks you to work through four distinct zones. Flip-screen navigation does the job, but a multi-directional scroller would have given the world a greater sense of cohesion and scale.
Joan of Arc is a polished, enjoyable puzzle platformer that sits comfortably alongside Sherwood in the GriffonSoft catalogue. It is not the leap forward the series might have taken, but what it does, it does with care and consistency.
Overall
85%User Review
( votes)Pros
Electro-Boomerang Controls Brilliantly: Steering the boomerang in flight feels precise and satisfying, and the mechanic is integrated into the level design with enough variety to stay engaging across the full game without outstaying its welcome.
Strong Puzzle Design Across All Four Zones: The inventiveness of the boomerang-based puzzles holds up consistently throughout, giving each area its own challenges without the design ever feeling repetitive or recycled.
Industrial Aesthetic Lands Well: The factory setting is visually distinct from GriffonSoft’s earlier work, delivering an oppressive but characterful look that gives Joan of Arc its own identity within the series.
Well-Balanced Difficulty and Pacing: The challenge is pitched sensibly throughout, and the game length feels right — long enough to feel substantial, short enough that the design never has to stretch beyond what it can confidently deliver.
Cons
No Save Function: For a game built across four substantial zones, the absence of any save mechanic is a significant omission that will cost players meaningful progress and adds unnecessary friction to what should be a rewarding experience.
Respawning Enemies Punish Backtracking: Enemies that respawn on revisited screens turn routine exploration into a repetitive chore, and in a game that regularly sends you back through earlier areas, the irritation compounds quickly.
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