REPLACED is finally getting a release date after four years of silence. The cyberpunk action-platformer from Sad Cat Studios is set to release on March 12, 2026.
Taking place in a dystopian, alternate America in the 1980s, REPLACED is a linear adventure borrowing mechanics from popular titles like Playdead’s Inside and Ubisoft’s Prince of Persia.
In REPLACED, players take control of an AI embedded in a human body. Oddly named R.E.A.C.H. (Research Engine for Altering and Composing Humans), they explore a neon-soaked city teeming with towering skyscrapers and questionable morality.
Fans of the cyberpunk genre, notably with films like Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, will notice similar themes scattered throughout REPLACED’s campaign, especially with its "Replicant-like" brooding protagonists. Questions like “What does it mean to be human?” and “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” are things you can expect in this game.
READ: The Most Disturbing Cyberpunk 2077 Quests Gamers Still Can't Forget
To make the cyberpunk genre even more compelling, REPLACED features original synthwave music. Now you have more songs to add to your cyberpunk playlist alongside Kavinsky’s Nightcall and Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City.
Perhaps one of the biggest appeals of REPLACED is in its gorgeous 2.5D art style. Blaring lights from a distance can fill the screen, and the overwhelming neon alongside the glowing cityscape make REPLACED one of the best-looking cyberpunk entries so far.
Unlike other action-platformers with simple combat, REPLACED takes it a step further by taking a page from Rocksteady’s Arkham titles. R.E.A.C.H. will perform a variety of counters and dodges based on what icon pops above an enemy’s head. Being an artificially created machine, he can do anything Batman can do.
REPLACED was announced back in 2021, when cyberpunk’s popularity was at its peak, thanks to titles like Cyberpunk 2077, The Ascent, and Ghostrunner. Despite its lengthy development period, Sad Cat Studios provided small but important updates every year. Their official YouTube channel has only three videos in a 4-year period.
REPLACED was supposed to release in 2022, but was delayed multiple times due to the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war. Sad Cat Studios relocated to Cyprus to continue their development from there.
REPLACED isn’t the only 2.5D cyberpunk action-platformer. Odd Tales’ The Last Night is also something worth looking into. Additionally, Amazon’s Blade Runner TV series is expected to be released next year.
Who knows? Maybe CD Projekt Red will finally drop something substantial for its highly anticipated Cyberpunk 2077 sequel.
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