Time and time again, I think we have reached the pinnacle of pixel art in video games. And time and time again, I am proven wrong. REPLACED is the next contender that wants to claim the throne as the game with the best pixel art. And if you ask me, it will remain at the top for a long time…
Greed decade
In a dystopian alternate universe of the 1980s, America is scarred by a nuclear disaster. Technology grew more advanced faster, outlaws thrive, and human lives are traded as currency. This is the world of REPLACED, the new game from Sad Cat Studios. It’s a 2.5D platformer that took eight years to complete. But what is this experience all about?
You play as R.E.A.C.H., an AI that became trapped in a human body. Before being able to rectify the mistake that got him in this situation in the first place, he needed to flee the lab that created him, stranding him outside of Phoenix City. The city is property of the corrupt Phoenix Corporation, so getting returning to the lab won’t be easy. What follows is an action-packed story about an AI that is set to relinquish control of his body back to the original host. But danger lurks around every corner…
Blockbuster
As I mentioned earlier, REPLACED is a platform game. Most people would associate this with a bright overworld, as in Mario, for example, but that isn’t the case here. The world is a dystopian mix of urban areas, buildings, neon-lit streets, and industrial sites. A cyberpunk world like the one shown in Blade Runner would be the best point of comparison, but a bit more grounded in reality. Platforming is more a means of traversal. Accuracy and precision are required, but mostly to advance the story. However, that doesn’t mean that Sad Cat neglected this aspect of the final product. R.E.A.C.H.’s controls are intuitive, and his movements feel natural and responsive. This applies whether you are jumping over fallen trees in the forest while escaping enforcers or hanging off the side of a large neon sign.
The presence of enemies also means that combat is involved. From time to time, you will come across a group of enemies, and R.E.A.C.H. won’t just sit around or give up without a fight. Armed with a stun baton, you can weave your way around these groups of brigands, knocking them out and dodging their shots. Enemy moves are colour-coded red or yellow to indicate whether they can be dodged or parried. I found the fluid gameplay really engaging as I manoeuvred my way around these outlaws and overpowered them. Combining platforming and combat with a focus on story made me feel as though I was playing the role of an action hero in a blockbuster movie. But the comparisons don’t stop there.
Lights! Camera! Action!
Ever since Octopath Traveller popularised the concept of 2.5D visuals, this style of pixel art has been hailed as revolutionary. But I have never seen pixel art with the level of detail that REPLACED has achieved. While comparisons to films may already have been made, the well-curated screen layout in the overworld and lighting effects sometimes make you feel as though you are exploring a film set. This doesn’t mean the world is empty, though. The dystopian landscapes you cross feel lived in and real, or like sites of forgotten glory in the case of the city outskirts.
During cutscenes, the camera angles shift to follow the action, adding extra motion to the scene. This is a trick often used in cinema to emphasise conflict, and it works just as well in this medium. I can’t praise the visual quality of this game enough. I expect it to win at least one award at the end of the year. I want to write more about this game, but that would reveal too much of the story and spoil some of the surprises that come later on. Just go and play REPLACED without watching too much footage early on. Let it take your breath away and experience the feeling of becoming the main character in what could be your new favourite playable action movie.
Conclusion
Replaced is a seamless experience that grabs your attention from the outset and doesn’t let go. The seamless platforming and combat make you feel like an action star in one of your favorite blockbusters, a sensation enhanced by the excellent 2.5D visual style, which sometimes uses camera angles inspired by movies to heighten the action. There’s no doubt that REPLACED will become a go-to reference for anyone wanting to show that pixel graphics can be just as beautiful as realistic 3D. This modern-day classic has already made its way to the top of my Game of the Year list, and it will be hard to dethrone.
