The world of cinematic platformers is few but dense. Games like Another World, Prince of Persia, Little Nightmares, or Planet of Lana show the depth and range that can come from the side-scrolling perspective. REPLACED exists in this space, providing a 2.5D perspective of an AI borrowing someone else’s body and trying to get back to its lab. Unfortunately, the lab is in Phoenix City, and it’s impossible to get there from over the wall.
Players take the role of R.E.A.C.H., who is a sentient AI that’s been forced into the body of a man named Warren. Though apologetic, R.E.A.C.H has no qualms about using this vessel to return to its lab and is willing to take a little damage in the process.
Cinematic and puzzle platforming are carrying REPLACED, but they’re not doing it alone. Along the way, R.E.A.C.H. has been accosted by a group of thugs called the termites. Thankfully, a dead trooper in the sewer system where R.E.A.C.H. woke up had a weapon, and the biometric verification from the device appears to be malfunctioning, allowing R.E.A.C.H. to use the weapon.
Combat is simple, offering the player a dodge, parry, and attack to deal with these outlaws. A red exclamation point to dodge, a yellow to parry, and every other moment to wail on your oppressors. Windows for parry and dodge are generous, and while one fight tested me a bit, the experience was generally relaxed.
REPLACED takes place in 1980s post-apocalyptic America. Society has delved into dystopia, and the devs over at Sad Cat Studio did a pretty good job with the collectible bits of information to color the world.
Nearly everything I picked up was short, sweet, and gave me so much information about the world around me. The narration was welcome as I pushed R.E.A.C.H. through the terrible, serene, and beautiful vistas of post-apocalyptic America.
I had a really good time with the short demo I got to play of REPLACED. Seeing the game in action and getting a feel for the battles quelled any concerns I had about the game before its release.
The freeform combat and puzzle platforming work really well and were simple and sporadic enough to keep me engaged without becoming too familiar with what I was doing. Something new was always coming up.
Everything about the demo made me wonder what had happened to this place. How did we get to a point where we had sentient AI in 1980? Based on the collectibles I found, it appeared something had happened in 1945.
Why REPLACED Is One of 2026’s Most Anticipated Indies
I don’t want to reveal too much, it’s a great little title so far, and the demo was more than enough to keep REPLACED on my 2026 radar. The gritty atmosphere, platforming, and combat all have me interested in REPLACED.
