This sets up a high-speed chase where REACH must jump over obstacles and calculate pauses down to the nanosecond to avoid being caught or shot down in cold blood. This sequence set a tense, relentless tone for Replaces – the inputs are simple, but there’s a definite rhythm and your timing is crucial. What makes this section really exciting, however, are its gorgeous cinematic transitions; the game flows seamlessly from playable sections to animated cutscenes that feel like an explosive ’80s action movie. Particles of light stream through trees and seep through tall, imposing steel fences as I run from my doom – I actually died a few times from being distracted by the scenery. At the climax of this chase section, I leap off a ledge and into another epic cinematic moment, drenched in cold, Blade Runner-esque colors. Real care has been taken to make this sound like a classic action movie, but with an extremely cool pixel art twist.
In the most meaty part of the demo, REACH arrives at its new home in Phoenix City, an abandoned train station that will also serve as the hub for the game. Here I met a diverse group of characters with their own mysterious machinations, and here Replaced
