REPLACED Review – Tears in the Rain

I remember the original reveal for REPLACED in 2021, when it was set to release in 2022. The trailer, almost entirely carried by its spellbinding pixel art, incredible lighting, cinematic framing, especially in combat, and moody music, ended up being one of the highlights of the show. With each delay, REPLACED continued to build a kind of reverence largely off the strength of that initial reveal. Now that it’s finally out and in my hands, here are my thoughts on the long-awaited sci-fi retro futuristic action platformer.

R.E.A.C.H for the Sky

Beyond the initial reveal, I was completely blind when it came to the plot and world of REPLACED. I didn’t play the demo either, so I was still going in purely off those early expectations. The premise has a strong hook, even if the actual story is fairly straightforward. After a lab accident, you, Warren, merge with an AI called R.E.A.C.H, who takes control of your body, and you’re forced to make your way back to the lab where it all began, located in a city you are no longer in after being pursued by its police force.

So you’re essentially two characters merged into one, and for the most part, R.E.A.C.H serves as the main lens through which the story is told. The developers do a good job of exploring this world through his perspective as he connects with humanity along the journey. While it doesn’t really break new ground, and the writing can feel a bit on the nose and lacking subtlety at times, REPLACED still manages to stay compelling thanks to the variety of characters you meet along the way. R.E.A.C.H acts more as a vessel for others to express their struggles, hopes, and perspectives.

For me, the standout aspect of REPLACED is still its presentation. It’s a gorgeous game throughout. Every scene feels deliberately framed, carefully detailed, and packed with small environmental touches that are easy to get lost in. I often found myself slowing down during chase sequences just to take in something subtle that was carefully placed to make the world feel grounded, lived in, and visually striking. The animation, lighting, and overall composition show a strong sense of artistic direction and consistency.

Mechanically, REPLACED is at its best when it focuses on movement through environments with minimal downtime. Unfortunately, at times it feels like a different game when the pacing slows, and you’re left backtracking or solving simple progression tasks, where it can lose direction in what it wants to be. Platforming also feels like an afterthought, sticking closely to familiar design seen in games like Limbo, with crate puzzles, stealth sections behind cover, and ledges that can sometimes be unclear.

Combat, on the other hand, feels punchy and is essentially a 2D interpretation of the Arkham-style system, with counters, dodges, and rhythm-based encounters. It has a solid, weighty feel to it, but doesn’t evolve much over time. While a few enemy variations are introduced, the combat loop remains fairly static, especially when compared to systems that evolve more significantly in other action-focused titles. It is serviceable and satisfying in short bursts, but doesn’t do much to keep encounters consistently exciting. There are also occasional input issues where actions don’t seem to register properly, leading to avoidable hits during combat.

Verdict

Overall, REPLACED is at its strongest when it leans into its presentation, atmosphere, and movement through its world, which consistently look and feel impressive. However, its weaker pacing, underdeveloped platforming, and fairly static combat hold it back from fully matching the promise of its initial reveal, resulting in a game that is visually striking and often compelling, but mechanically uneven.