DaRmaZat After navigating a series of delays that only seemed to fuel the hype, REPLACED has finally arrived. Amassing over 850,000 wishlists on Steam and launching with full Steam Deck support, the expectations for Sad Cat Studios’ 2.5D neon-noir cyberpunk thriller have been astronomical.
Set in an alternate, nuclear-scarred 1980s America—primarily within Phoenix-City, a corrupt stronghold where human life is treated like currency—you step into the shoes of R.E.A.C.H., an AI trapped in a human body, uncovering the sinister rot at the heart of the organization behind it all.
Escape from Phoenix Corp.
REPLACED’s story centers on Warren Marsh, a man working grueling overtime in the Laboratory Transplantology Department of the Phoenix Corporation. Driven by a desperate need to uncover the truth behind his friend Steven’s death, his mental state is rapidly deteriorating. Assisting him—and narrating his every move—is R.E.A.C.H., the AI dwelling within him. When it eventually refuses to help any further for the sake of his mental state, Warren lashes out and slams his keyboard in frustration—moments later, a catastrophic explosion erupts.
A high-intensity escape sequence through flames and falling debris follows, with Warren soon realizing he’s a marked man; PCPD officers are eliminating everyone in the facility. Why would the police do such a horrible thing? He doesn’t understand it at all. Chased by drones and gunmen, he eventually ends up on the other side of “The Wall”—the physical divide between Phoenix Corp and the rest of the world. Termite bandits sow terror throughout the surrounding zone, which, however, also plays host to various other factions.
Cinematic Highs, Mechanical Lows
If there’s one thing to be said about REPLACED, it’s that the narrative immediately hooks you, with its beautifully crafted pixel art and soundtrack playing a major role. The prologue sets up an intriguing backstory surrounding the death of Warren’s friend, while the reasons why he is being hunted remain shrouded in mystery.
The initial gameplay, however, struggles somewhat. For the first few hours, you’ll simply be running to the right in a 2D environment that, admittedly, looks incredibly atmospheric. Occasionally, you’ll need to jump, climb, swing, or sneak to progress, but the puzzles are rare and very basic—usually limited to moving object X to location Y, just a few meters away. So no, don’t expect any real brain-teasers here.
More than I expected, the initial focus leaned much toward combat. During these frequent encounters, you’ll need to counter attacks (indicated by yellow markers) or dodge them (red markers). Early on, you’re given a police firearm that supposedly has both a laser gun and baton mode, yet you can only use the baton. This limitation only adds to a combat system that already feels static and rough. On one hand, it’s too easy—you can often overpower groups of enemies without much trouble, partly because you can heal mid-fight using med-stims that partially replenish depending on the difficulty. On Normal difficulty, red “dodge” attacks sometimes don’t even hit when you stand still, and counter windows feel far too generous.
“Don’t expect any real brain-teasers here.”
At the same time, Warren often feels unresponsive during fights. Dodge on red? Counter on yellow? Sometimes he simply does nothing—clearly due to a hidden stamina limitation, as this isn’t present on Easy difficulty. However, because the game provides no visual feedback—no stamina gauge, not even a simple animation—the combat can confuse and feels somewhat clunky. At times, enemies appear in groups of ten, forcing you into a repetitive trade of blows. The most effective approach is to take down gun-wielding enemies first, since dodging bullets is nearly impossible without knowing when you can actually act, and then deal with the melee attackers. It’s a shame, because you’re constantly fighting early on, yet the initial combat mechanics still don’t feel great, despite the demo playtest feedback. Fortunately, Warren’s basic moveset gradually evolves, layering in hacking, gun blasts, finishers, and projectile deflections.
Atmosphere Over Polish
Additionally, once you reach the impressive heart of Phoenix City, the game opens up completely—both narratively, through conversations with various NPCs offering—or even demanding—quests, and audiovisually, showcasing its splendor with crowded, neon-lit streets and an 80s aesthetic filled with arcade cabinets, all set to beautifully floaty, atmospheric music. However, a mandatory and frustratingly sensitive mini-game later on—even on Easy—proves again that the balance isn’t quite perfect yet.
While Warren’s Wingman PDA handles your inventory and journal, it also packs a built-in music player—and I’ll be honest, I found myself using it quite a bit! That’s because REPLACED‘s synth-heavy, dreamlike soundtrack is genuinely thrilling and, together with the distinct pixel art style and cyberpunk atmosphere, stands out as one of the game’s strongest elements.
“REPLACED’s synth-heavy, dreamlike soundtrack is genuinely thrilling.”
Most of the game plays out in a 2D view, but it occasionally shifts into 2.5D, with Warren moving in the background or across layers, supported by dynamic camera zooms and perspective changes. That said, there are noticeable frame drops—particularly in the 1% lows—resulting in minor hiccups. You can tell the game still lacks some polish, although the patches released during the review period do suggest ongoing improvements. I also encountered moments where I had to reload the game before I could properly interact with objects, which will likely be addressed in future updates.
Final Thoughts
REPLACED stumbles initially, coming across as a limited action-platformer with very little narrative depth, paired with combat that doesn’t always feel smooth. During these opening hours, the lack of quests or puzzles—let alone challenging ones—means that the only tense moments come from pre-scripted escape sequences.
However, after this hesitant start, the game’s true identity begins to bleed through its neon-soaked exterior. As you progress, Warren’s journey gains significantly more depth through NPC dialogues and increased gameplay variety, gradually bringing the game’s true strengths into focus. Ultimately, REPLACED‘s gritty dystopian atmosphere—elevated by its distinct pixel art style and excellent synth-driven soundtrack—carries the experience more than the mechanics do.
Additional Information
Release Date: Apr 14, 2026
Reviewed On: PC. Download code provided by the publisher and PR agency.
Developer: Sad Cat Studios
Publisher: Thunderful Publishing
Relevant links: Available on STEAM
