Some games announce themselves with a trailer and you just know. The kind where you watch it, put your phone down and sit quietly for a moment. Replaced did that to me back when it was first revealed at the Xbox and Bethesda showcase in 2021, and then it did something far crueller: it made me wait. Years of delays, a studio relocation from Belarus to Cyprus amid the Russo-Ukrainian war, and what felt like an eternity of radio silence later… it’s finally here. Was it worth it?
Oh yes.
You play as R.E.A.C.H. (Research Engine for Altering and Composing Humans, which is exactly as ominous as it sounds), an AI that has been forcibly installed into the body of a human named Warren Marsh by the deeply sinister Phoenix Corporation. You don’t want to be there. Warren’s memories and instincts linger around you like a bad smell you can’t quite place, and you’re plonked into Phoenix-City, a walled-off alternate-history 1980s hellscape built on the premise that the United States dropped nuclear bombs on its own soil rather than Japan at the end of World War II. The city’s wealthy live behind its walls while the poor have their organs harvested for the elite. It’s a brutal, bleak, and absolutely stunning place to spend a few hours, and from the second the neon flickers on and the synth soundtrack kicks in, it’s got you.
The visual style is the obvious headline. Sad Cat Studios were clearly going for something that looked like a playable film, and they’ve absolutely nailed it. The 2.5D approach layers gorgeous hand-crafted pixel art with modern lighting, depth-of-field effects and cinematic visual flourishes that make every alleyway feel alive. It is, genuinely, one of the best looking games I’ve played in years. Each screen feels composed rather than designed, like someone’s been agonising over every neon sign and rain-soaked puddle and decided nothing leaves until it’s perfect.
The gameplay sits somewhere between a neon-drenched-punch-everything-em-up (it’ll catch on) and a cinematic platformer with Metroidvania bones. Phoenix-City opens up gradually, with districts unlocking as the story progresses and earlier areas rewarding a return visit once you’ve picked up new abilities. The traversal is fluid and feels properly weighty; you’ll push boxes to reach ledges, swing from poles, and grab items and upgrades from the foreground and background in a way that never feels gimmicky. The platforming inspirations here are clear, drawing from Inside and the Prince of Persia games of the 2000s, and it shows in how naturally R.E.A.C.H. moves through the world.
Combat takes its cues from the Batman Arkham series, which is a fine set of shoulders to stand on. Enemy indicators above heads prompt counters and dodges, and chaining successful parries together builds toward a special move that can either execute a regular enemy outright or strip the shields from the armoured ones. It’s satisfying and well-paced, though it does take a little while to feel truly comfortable with the timing. There’s also a hub area where you can chat to NPCs, pick up side quests and generally absorb more of the world, which is a lovely touch that keeps you in the atmosphere rather than just pushing you from fight to fight.
If there’s any criticisms to level at it, it’s the first hour or so being a bit slow going, and that the combat occasionally struggles to match the sheer jaw-dropping quality of everything surrounding it. In a game this visually and narratively strong, the moment-to-moment fighting can feel slightly functional by comparison, and there are encounters that lean a touch repetitive once you’ve found a rhythm that works. It’s a minor grumble in the context of what is an otherwise exceptional experience, but it’s there.
The story though. The story is something else. Without wandering anywhere near spoiler territory, the relationship between R.E.A.C.H. and Warren, and the slow unravelling of what Phoenix Corporation has actually been up to, is gripping from the first moment and doesn’t let go. For a debut game from a studio that previously only worked on mobile titles, the ambition here is staggering, and the fact they’ve largely pulled it off is remarkable.
Replaced is the kind of game that reminds you why you play games. It’s been a long wait, but some things are genuinely worth it.
Reviewed on PC
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