Some dev is a huge fan of Blade Runner, and the 1992 video game hit Flashback. Can’t say I blame them.
Replaced by developer Sad Cat Studios is a futuristic dystopian 2.5D narrative that is quite possibly one of the most beautiful pixel games I have seen in my entire 50 years on this planet. Thick on narrative, solid on gameplay, Replaced does what it wants and doesn’t ask for forgiveness in the process. I like those types of games when done right.
The narrative of Replaced begins with a laboratory mishap, as a computer system (REACH) and a scientist (Warren) merge into one body. The corporation leading the experiment has no reason to keep the mishap alive, so they do their best to cover up their mess, but somehow lose Reach (the protagonist duo) during the clean-up process. Now, Reach must find their way back to the laboratory from which they ran to undo what has been done before Warren and Reach end up dead, as both cannot survive in their current state of togetherness.
This is legitimately the baby of Blade Runner and Flashback. The former brings that broodiness and hopeless dystopian setting, while the latter brings the chase, suspense, and thrill. I never knew two separate series with differing personalities would work so well together, but they do, as Replaced proves there is enough room to create a competent and entertaining version of both. And believe me, folks, the narrative does a fantastic job of setting the stakes, while also involving the player’s efforts to see them through.
Right from the get-go, the game throws the player into escape mode, while also laying out what is going on and what is going wrong. It’s an easy hook and will motivate the player to continually feel a state of discomfort, while also upping the sense of urgency on Reach’s situation, which only stands to make the player want more of the narrative. It’s well-crafted from beginning to end.
On the gameplay side of the tracks, Replaced is broken into smaller pieces that are more simplified and that don’t deviate from the narrative or its need for linearity. In other words, the game doesn’t give the player too much to use or encourage large chunks of exploration. This is as traditional as it gets with a linear 2.5D action-adventure that prioritizes story over gameplay.
The gameplay of Replaced is mostly jumping puzzles and a sprinkle of stealth, while also featuring a side of action and drama to keep it interesting. The jumping puzzles dominate the gameplay, as players will find themselves trying to jump from ledges, hook axes into broken walls to swing, and move objects in order to access the next ‘thing’ the story offers up. While that might sound boring on paper, the game’s visuals and the amount of love/care that went into creating those visuals act as a great distraction from what would be constant, though clever, jumping puzzle gameplay scenarios.
The visuals are positively the most beautiful that I have witnessed in a 2.5D environment in my entire gaming life. My entire gaming life spans from 1980 to the present. That’s a lot of history to compare it to and quite the compliment for Sad Cat Studios’ visual masterpiece. The lighting and ray tracing for this pixel-led game is the best I have seen in my lifetime. It’s literal art in motion with a side of gameplay to make the player feel involved. If players choose this game, and they should, it will be a constant art museum tour throughout the entire adventure. I am still baffled by how well this game turned out visually, but I am happy about experiencing it. There is literally no part of this game that was artistically dialed in. It’s a constant art show.
Anyway, the visuals do help to distract from the jumping puzzles. When there is action, though, it’s fun, fast, and furious. Occasionally, Reach will run into gaggles of people wanting to kill them, as well as unique bosses that give the player reassurance that the game is progressing. When fighting common enemies, Replaced starts easy with just using Reach to dodge visually indicated attacks from enemies, while giving them the ability to smack the hell out of enemies when the time is right. It’s a lot of button pushing with little to no combinations to think about, though timing is key for most of what is requested of the player.
Now, this doesn’t mean that the action is stale. Not at all the case. Instead, it means that the action is easy to pull off and that while it’s distributed to the player in short stints, kind of rest stops for the narrative progression, it’s still fun as hell to participate in. And the big ‘fun’ part of that sentence is with the game’s gradual progression of what Reach can do during fights. For example, the beginning of the game is just roll, fight, and the occasional parry into a pre-animated combo. As the game progresses, Reach gains a gun, which requires him to smack around enemies to charge up before using. Even further than the gun, Reach will gain control of a shield-breaking technique that will literally rip shields and armor off enemies. The game takes all of these gameplay mechanics and then starts throwing in a combination of enemies that require each to successfully take down everyone in the fight. The gradual mix of all the enemies and new techniques (and there are more as the game continues) makes each fight well worth the effort and time, and not just simple throwaways as rest stops between puzzle solving. It’s built up slowly and steadily, and quite well and appropriately within the scheme of the story.
When the player reaches a boss, they are brutal but fun. The devs of Replaced didn’t seem like they wanted to hinder the player too much with boss fights. Bosses are easy to figure out and quite possibly the easiest part of the game to maneuver the duo during those fights. While the bosses are easy in a way, how they fit into the story, and more importantly, how they might perish at the end of the fight, is something to behold. For example, there is a fight later in the game with a police officer, a big brute, who relentlessly throws electric grenades, dashes back and forth against Reach, and who will flashbang themselves out of a fight to send in the troops as they progressively start losing. The end result of that battle is amazing, as it is gross and brutal. It ends up being something representative of an 80s action film, where the end of a total bastard of a boss character is an end they deserved. Players will be satisfied with how bosses perish, as it makes sense and adds a healthy dose of drama to the narrative path.
Overall, the gameplay of Replaced is a masterclass of narrative-driven storytelling that is mixed well with gameplay elements that fit the linear nature of the dystopian tale. While it does play some parts tightly and doesn’t allow for much player agency, I am not sure that I could complain with the final result of the overall package, as it will force the player to become hooked and engaged with the overall content without knowing they were placed there.
Anyway, it’s a damn good game.
On that sweet note, let’s wrap up this review.
Conclusion
Replaced from Sad Cat Studios is a masterclass on how 2.5D pixel action-adventure games should be designed and executed.
