Replaced is Sad Cat Studios new side-scrolling cyberpunk noir. It features protagonist Reach, a sophisticated AI trapped in the body of his creator, Warren. Caught up in a conspiracy and rebellion against a totalitarian regime, Reach and Warren must decide whether it’s more important to save themselves or humanity’s freedom.
We’ve been lucky enough to have a chat with Andrei Sulimsky (Narrative Lead) and Kristina Buinevich (Lead Writer) from the team about the story of Replaced and its stylish, retro-futuristic world.
What made you choose to set Replaced in an alternate 1980s instead of the future?
Kristina: At first glance, the 1980s really seem too far away: some people in our studio experienced that time in their early childhood only, and some didn’t experience that at all. But it still hits close to home, as the American culture of that time period accompanied our adolescence through movies, music, and games. So for us, the 1980s are a fantasy world mixed with bright and genuine childhood memories and dreams. Plus, Andrei is a history nerd, so for him it was an exciting challenge: to make the history “alternative” while keeping all events realistic and believable.
I really felt OG Flashback vibes in the demo. What were some of your biggest influences for the world and story?
Andrei: I drew on classic sci-fi works, where cyberpunk is depicted not as a neon-lit, semi-digital world but as an atomized and segregated society in general. And, of course, a lot of inspiration comes from the dystopian action movies from the 1980s and early 1990s.
Kristina: For me, the biggest influence comes from the music of that era. I’ve been a big fan since childhood (Hi, Dad!), so it was music that helped me to set the right mood and maintain the atmosphere when I was writing or creating side stories. I think this love will be very noticeable for the fellow music lovers.
Without spoilers, naturally, how linear is the story? Will there be choices to make?
Kristina: Except for some minor variation in side quests, the main story is linear. We focused on executing our vision in a definitive way.
Also, are there alternate endings?
Andrei: Oh, the ending — that was the first thing we decided on when we were creating the story back then (laughs). We hope the cinematography and the accents we made in the final staging won’t disappoint you.
The idea of an AI taking over a human body is especially prescient in today’s world. Was that on your minds while writing Replaced?
Andrei: This story was written long before the AI boom, but the main idea remained the same, and it became even more relevant today. In pursuit of more power, capacity, and capability, we must remember that AI, like any other intelligence, needs to be nurtured. Otherwise, at some point we may find that our views have fatally diverged.
Kristina: One more cool idea we’ve explored is a limitless digital mind imprisoned in rigid boundaries of human limits. Our animation team did an enormous job to incorporate stiffness and the “uncanny valley effect” (in a good way) into Reach’s movements. It’s hard to control Warren’s body, and it shows.
The Huxley gun is a really cool concept. So cool you gave us it earlier in the demo! Was combat designed around that or did that come later?
Kristina: When it comes to gimmicks, they should be involved as much as it’s possible in the game. That’s why both “Huxley” and “Wingman” (Reach’s PDA) are capable of much more than just shooting or reading notes. We aim to turn them into the iconic video game devices (laughs).
The trailer hints at some great characters and locations. Can we expect big set-pieces and twists in the narrative?
Kristina: Yes! While Andrei and Yura (Zhdanovich — Game Director of REPLACED) were focused on delivering the big picture and captivating cinematography, I was busy with developing the characters, making them dramatic and memorable. And there certainly are some major story twists: literally everyone in the team contributed to make it as cool as possible.
Is DLC something you’ve considered yet, or are you just focused on delivering the game as-is for now?
Andrei: Right now I can say that we have several stories we want to tell, some of them connected to the world we’ve built in REPLACED and some entirely new. Will we have the opportunity to tell them, and in which form? Time will tell, along with the initial success of the game.
Replaced is out now for PC (Steam) and Xbox Series X|S.
