Replaced

Style over substance? Replaced is a 2.5D, narrative-driven platform game that blends cinematic exploration with action combat, set in Phoenix City - a haven for corruption, where outlaws thrive and human life is traded like currency. Phoenix City is one of the Phoenix Corporation's strongholds in an alternate 1980s America that has been reshaped by nuclear catastrophe. Players uncover the secrets of the corporation through the eyes of its own creation: R.E.A.C.H., an AI trapped in a human body against its will. They must expose the Corporation's hidden agenda in a society where people are often viewed as mere 'spare parts'.

The game explores the themes of humanity, identity and control in a hopelessly bleak world, albeit rather directly and with little subtlety. Furthermore, it is presented solely in text form. There is no voice acting; the game relies exclusively on text. Sadly, this leaves a great deal of atmospheric potential untapped. This is especially disappointing given that Replaced is a masterpiece of atmosphere even without voice acting. The retro-futuristic world is brought to life through hand-crafted pixel art, enhanced by modern visual and volumetric effects, camera tricks, and the clever interplay of foreground and background, which creates more depth. Meanwhile, a moody, synth-driven soundtrack sets the tone. It is in this area that the game really sets the standard. The world-building and soundtrack superbly capture the cyberpunk noir feel and are reminiscent of classics like Blade Runner.

However, despite its bombastic atmosphere, Replaced cannot quite live up to expectations as a cinematic action platformer. Its combat system is intense and tactical, reminiscent of the Batman: Arkham series, albeit from a side-view perspective. Melee and ranged combat, counterattacks and deflecting projectiles mesh together satisfactorily thanks to smooth animations. However, the move set could have been more extensive and better expanded throughout the game. It can also be difficult to keep track of things when facing multiple enemies. The breathtakingly beautiful levels have their ups and downs in terms of platforming, reminiscent of classics such as Flashback and Prince of Persia, involving running, jumping, hiding and solving puzzles (mostly intuitive) in the environment. This is because the controls, particularly the jumping mechanics, are often imprecise and somewhat clunky, which can be frustrating during more demanding challenges. Furthermore, despite its lengthy development time, the game feels as though it was released prematurely, as there are still bugs and technical issues. The pacing isn't always ideal either. Generally, some story elements feel unnecessarily drawn out, especially at the beginning and end, and certain gameplay aspects are repeated too often. Streamlining the game a little more would have helped.

Replaced was developed by Sad Cat Studios, which was founded in Minsk, Belarus in 2018 by game developers and entrepreneurs Yura Zhdanovich and Igor Gritsay. This is their first game. Originally scheduled for release in 2022, it was announced in 2021. However, the launch was repeatedly postponed, partly due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and its consequences. Since then, Sad Cat Studios has relocated its headquarters to Limassol in Cyprus and now operates remotely across Europe. Sad Cat Studios is also a funding member of Nova Assembly, a holding company established jointly by Unfrozen, VEA Games, Game Garden, Weappy, and Sad Cat. It is co-owned and run by the participating studios. Rather than merging teams or centralising projects, Nova Assembly maintains the creative freedom of the studios while enabling them to support each other across development and marketing. The five studios that founded Nova Assembly have several things in common. They are all headquartered in Cyprus, having previously been based in Russia or Belarus but having relocated due to the war in Ukraine. All of the studios are also part of GEM Capital's portfolio. In October 2023, Sad Cat Studios secured $5 million in funding from GEM Capital.

"We're so happy to be able to say that Replaced is out and available to play now. It's been a long journey to get here, but we’re proud to say that we stuck to our vision throughout and never compromised on delivering on our high standards. We hope that commitment and hard work is evident as you step into the world of REPLACED and experience it for yourself." Yura Zhdanovic, Game Director at Sad Cat Studios

The publisher of Replaced is Thunderful. Founded in 2017 and headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, Thunderful provides third-party publishing and co-development services, as well as publishing support. The company encompasses the game developers Coatsink (who were originally responsible for publishing Replaced), Stormteller Games and Early Morning Studios. The publisher is known for the SteamWorld franchise, Planet of Lana, Viewfinder and many more titles. Thunderful is part of the Thunderful Group AB, which has been a subsidiary of the Atari SA holding company since August 2025.

Replaced was released on 14 April 2026 for PC, Xbox Series X|S and Game Pass, and is also Steam Deck-verified. The base game is available on both platforms for $19.99 / €19.99 / £16.99, and a Supporter Edition, which includes the soundtrack, is available for $24.99 / €24.99 / £21.99.

Conclusion

Replaced boasts an impressive audiovisual style set in a fascinating cyberpunk noir world. However, the platforming and pacing could do with some fine-tuning.

Features

• Narrative-driven 2.5D cinematic action platformer
• Exceptional and stylish audiovisual force
• Mix of action/combat, platforming, stealth and puzzles