Replaced Review: Why This Moody Epic Will Stick With You
The world of Replaced hits you like a brick to the face from the second you boot it up. It’s a moody, pixel-drenched atmosphere that uses isometric camera tricks and diorama-style set pieces to make every frame look like a piece of art. You aren’t just playing a game; you’re existing in a high-stakes, animated world where the background is just as alive as the floor beneath your feet.
Specs & HUD | Gameplay Review | Performance & Fidelity | Settings & Controls
Replaced Steam Review: Specs & HUD
- Download size: It sits at a lean 5.53GB.
- Steam achievements: Full support is included for the hunters out there.
- Save system: There are three save slots available.
- Quit notifications: When you quit, it tells you when you last saved, but there is no definitive way to manually push a save, which is a bit of a pain.
- Scanning mechanics: Your device lets you scan things in the world, like objects and music; anything scannable will be blinking on the screen.
- HUD elements: Button prompts show up directly in the world.
- Health system: A heart-based health system is used, where you can find items to increase your heart count and use a limited healing potion.
Gameplay Review & Mechanics Breakdown
The charm and presentation of the game sets it apart; a lot of isometric camera angles and diorama-looking set pieces really set the scene. The foreground and background are animated and part of the world and are used in many ways for immersion. I like that locations have just enough freedom so you can find secrets and that. I like the general mix of stealth and platforming; they make it good by having it integrated into the story or sequence, so it feels different. Stealth sequences are in the game, and, well, it depends on how you like them. At times, it does feel like you are just following this line with little combat breaks; they go back to the platforming layout choices a lot.
The combat is fast, fluid and very responsive. For all my other movement issues, the combat isn’t one; you can roll and parry thanks to colored warnings above the enemy’s head, but with no Colourblind support, I do wonder if that could be a problem. However, I don’t like vaulting and jumping in the game, most games you can hold the direction and press the jump/vault button, but here, holding the direction has you constantly hitting the wall or door. It’s just not fluid, and it gets me every time. The opening of the game is just one long running sequence with a lot of noise and flashing lights, and any mess up has you restarting it. It’s a one-and-done experience, but it is a hell of an experience, and the story is well told that it stays with you.
Replaced Steam Review: Performance & Fidelity
- Visual quality: Amazing graphics with vista shots that are of pixel beauty.
- Immersion: The background is used for the world in terms of like ladders in the backdrop, or showing enemies or doors to enter.
- Visual clarity: The foreground, especially, can make it hard to see what’s in front of you at times, but it also doesn’t always make it clear what is in your way and what is set dressing.
- Audio experience: The game does boast a beautiful, moody soundtrack that is best enjoyed with headphones.
- Checkpoints: Checkpoints are in the game, but they can feel far apart and sporadic, with little notification of you hitting one.
Settings, Customisation & Control Details
- Controller support: Full controller support with the ability to remap controls and a vibration strength slider.
- Keyboard and Mouse: Full support included with remappable controls.
- Graphics settings: Options for Resolution, full screen, max fps, v-sync, and a brightness slider.
- Audio sliders: Individual sliders for dialogue, SFX, music, and master.
- General settings: Includes language, simplified font, Screenshake, subtitles size, and background opacity.
- Tutorials: Tutorial pop-ups as you play, use a basic red button for showing prompts, which is a weird choice, as it would make more sense for it to be the colour of the button.
- Inventory UI: The menu for your inventory is awesome, it’s like an interactive computer device and looks so good to interact with.
- Difficulty: Three game difficulties available: Easy, Normal, and Hard.
- Music features: You can find music and play it on your device, so you hear it when playing the game.
- Cutscenes: In-game cutscenes and character interactions can be skipped or clicked through.
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Replaced Review
Summary
GOOD STUFF
The charm and presentation of the game sets it apart; a lot of isometric camera angles and diorama-looking set pieces really set the scene with vista shots that are of pixel beauty. The combat is fast, fluid and very responsive; you can roll and parry thanks to colored warnings above the enemy’s head, and the heart-based health system feels solid. The menu for your inventory, and that is awesome; it’s like an interactive computer device that looks so good to interact with. I like that locations have just enough freedom so you can find secrets, and you can even find music and play it on your device, so you hear it when playing the game. The background is used brilliantly for immersion, showing enemies or doors, while the moody soundtrack is best enjoyed with headphones.
BAD STUFF
I don’t like vaulting and jumping in the game; holding the direction has you constantly hitting the wall or door, which isn’t fluid and gets me every time. The opening of the game is just one long running sequence with a lot of noise and flashing lights, and any mess up has you restarting it. The foreground, especially, can make it hard to see what’s in front of you at times and doesn’t always make it clear what is in your way versus what is just set dressing. Checkpoints can feel far apart and sporadic, with little notifications of you hitting one, and the tutorial pop-ups use a basic red button for prompts, which is a weird choice that should match the actual button colour. Also, with no Colorblind support, the colored combat warnings might be a problem for some.
FINAL VERDICT
Replaced is a one-and-done experience, but it is a hell of an experience, and the story is well told that it stays with you. For all my movement issues, the combat and the presentation carry this game to heights most 2D titles can’t reach. It’s a visual masterclass that occasionally trips over its own feet, but the atmosphere alone makes it a journey worth taking. If you can stomach the clunky vaulting, you’re in for a moody epic that’s hard to forget.
