Last Updated on Apr 23, 2026 @ 12:48:55 PM.
REPLACED is a 2.5D side-scrolling platformer, wrapped up in eye-poppingly beautiful pixel art that really stretches the limitations of the art style into something entirely new (and entirely gorgeous), all set in an alternate history Earth where you’ll recognise some events, but thankfully, at least for now, be disturbed and disgusted by others. You play as Warren, the co-creator of an AI that is responsible for sorting and organising humans into pots. Those pots? People that need new organs, and people that can supply them, willingly or otherwise. If you’ve seen 2010’s Repo Men, you’ll have an idea of what that means.
MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.
It opens with Warren working with R.E.A.C.H, the AI, sorting Disposals (the organ ‘donators’), and the recipients, before a terrible accident occurs, transplanting the AI’s consciousness into Warren’s body. Now, you’re controlling R.E.A.C.H who is controlling Warren. What follows over the next eight to ten hours is a cyberpunk thriller that’ll have you eager for more come the end. The universe created by Sad Cat Studios is one of the most realised and fleshed out for the genre, with political scandals, new class systems, betrayal, human spirit and a hefty dollop of world-building. Some of the most fun I had during my playthrough was finding as many of the collectibles as possible, because they consistently built upon the world in front of me. News clippings, new songs, pictures and more. It all made the world incredibly lived in and, ironically considering the style, felt very three-dimensional.
Add to that the characters you’ll meet. Veronica, the former singer turned nurse who forcibly had her voice box removed by night-invading corps, or Matriarch, the leader of the little civilization beyond the wall, who gave up her arm for her lead engineer, Yo-Yo, as she was the best match and he needed it more. These two and many more are fleshed out to provide you with real characters, real stories, real motivations to get invested in. The only exceptions to this are the bosses you’ll encounter, who by and large, are seemingly bad for the sake of it, with their motivations not more than ‘hungry, eat humans’ for Uncle Ben (seriously), or ‘power means I’m best and the Corporation is always right’ for the brainwashed Commissioner.
The real star of the show though is R.E.A.C.H itself, who, over the course of the story, pivots from a logical, black and white AI with clear parameters, to a more human way of viewing the world, understanding the grey areas in life, and breaking free of its programming. The way REPLACED portrays this is subtle throughout, though, and incredible well done. The change in how it talks, from stunted to more free-flowing, how it refers to itself as an ‘I’, it’s way of caring for those around him, rather than just seeing Disposals, and the most obvious being the change from R.E.A.C.H to Reach, further personifiying him. For those that like good characters in their games, REPLACED mostly excels.
As mentioned already, the game is a feast for your eyes. There’s been plenty of 2.5D platformers over the years, some of those pixel art. NONE of them look this good. Whether you’re staring at the desolate and destroyed community that takes you in, the cyberpunk vistas of a high-flying Phoenix City, or the internal rooms of one of the huge complex’s you’ll explore, it’s always a pleasure on the eyes. There wasn’t a single moment where I was bored of exploring, talking or just sitting there staring at the beauty in front of me. I cannot understate how gorgeous this game looks.
Platforming in REPLACED isn’t pushing many boundaries, but it is more than serviceable. Climbing high-rises, using industrial-sized air conditioning units to jump huge crevasses, or your trusty pickaxe to hold tight in a cracked wall, before you take your next move, all feel natural as time goes on and you explore more. That said, at times it did remind of me old school Assassin’s Creed, where on occasion I was punished with a grisly death thanks to Reach not fully carrying out what I told him. Usually plummeting to his death.
When you’re not looking at one beautiful environment after another, you’ll encounter a gaggle of enemies ready to pull you apart, piece from piece. The combat in REPLACED is clearly inspired by the Arkham franchise from Rocksteady, with methodical movement, counter warnings above the head, finishers and a variety of tools at your disposal. A gun, extendable blade, and towards the end game, a repulsive move that’ll clear your way of enemies, rest assured, you’ll always have the right tool for the job.
Just like Rocksteady’s franchise, the combat is equally satisfying. Even though the game drip feeds you new abilities throughout its runtime, you’ll quickly be able to master the basics early on, and once you do, you’ll be able to dispatch numerous enemies with speed and style. There isn’t a huge amount of enemy variety, with it boiling down to close-range melee, ranged, brute and ninja-esque speedy guy, but they will provide another variety second-to-second to keep you on your toes.
It wouldn’t be a cyberpunk game without some sort of hacking, and while REPLACED does taking its time in introducing it, with it not coming until the latter third, it does a good enough job of making it fresh. With each hacking puzzle comprising of three stages, it’s down to you to find the missing piece to the pixels in front of you, completing the square. It sounds easy, but the rapidly ticking clock and multiple choices meant I did fail a few times, but no-one likes to win every time, do they?
The world-building, atmosphere, art style, incredible audio, and combat make REPLACED almost the full package, with it only falling short due to a lack of variety in enemies, some fleshing out needed for the antagonists, and a need to refine the platforming a slight bit more. As a whole though, I can safely say this is going to end up on my Game of the Year list come the closing of 2026, and is an experience I can’t stop thinking about. I want, no need, more stories in the world of REPLACED, be it book, comic, sequel, DLC, or dare I dream, even a film.
REPLACED
Follow Reach, an AI trapped in a human body, as you expose the sinister secrets of Phoenix Corp. Set in an alternate 1980s America, experience a cinematic 2.5D adventure – a dark cyberpunk thriller blending atmospheric exploration with immersive, high-stakes action.
Summary
Reach and his story in REPLACED is an apt one in a time where AI is slowly replacing us, both in every day life and artistically. You’d be hardpressed to find a better looking 2.5D platformer, or one that is as tight and enjoyable an experience as this one. I cannot get it out of my head, and would urge anyone to give it a go.
HOURS PLAYED: 10
PLAYED ON: PC
- A feast for the eyes.
- Engaging and a story that everyone should experience with how the world is now.
- A lack of variety in enemies during combat.
- Platforming can be frustrating at times.
For more from us, check out review of Tides of Tomorrow, or our review of photography and trauma sim, Opus: Prism Peak.
Luke Addison is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Thumb Wars. Having previously been a part of multiple outlets over the years, including building an entire gaming team from nothing to something, he thought it best to forge his own path and answer only to himself. As likely to be found playing the latest game as he is in the kitchen relaxing (by cooking), he always brings the same bold and brash attitude to everything he does, with a heavy leaning on sarcasm and dry wit!
