Replaced: Sci-Fi Beauty Meets Grim Reality

Replaced, a 2D action-platformer from Sad Cat Studios, offers a visually striking take on the cyberpunk genre, utilizing a unique sepia and warm color palette. The game centers on Warren, a scientist whose AI merges with his body after an accident. Players experience Warren's escape through a collapsing facility and then explore a post-nuclear 1980s US, finding solace in a refugee encampment.

The gameplay shifts from intense platforming action to exploration in the refugee camp, showcasing the struggles of displaced individuals. However, the irradiated wilds outside can feel generic, with combat involving melee and firearms. The game's visual detail sometimes impedes functionality, making interactive elements hard to distinguish.

A particularly impactful section sees Warren infiltrating a fortified facility. This segment powerfully evokes real-world border walls and barriers, moving beyond typical cyberpunk tropes. The game's 10-hour runtime culminates in starkly rendered fatalities, underscoring the arrival of a grim cyberpunk future.