Gorgeous 2.5D Pixel Art

Replaced doesn’t just hit you with its art style – it is its art style, but not just because it’s exquisitely crafted 2.5D pixel art. Or even that it’s inspired by titles like Flashback, Another World and The Last Night (which is still MIA). There’s a sense of style and atmosphere that is the most fitting evocation of Blade Runner yet. It’s cinematic (and very often cinema), whether you’re nervously running through abandoned buildings, avoiding being blown up by psychotic Termites, or casually strolling through a busy marketplace, taking in all the little details.

Alternative 1980s Setting

Where it all goes down isn’t necessarily as important as when. It’s the 1980s, but an alternative timeline where nuclear disaster has reshaped the United States. The Phoenix Corporation has emerged in the aftermath, promising jobs and hope, but also conducting some shady experiments (as is expected from any megacorp in the future). R.E.A.C.H., an artificial intelligence, is seemingly one of them, having been trapped inside Warren’s body and escaping from the corporation’s clutches to Phoenix City, which is confined within The Wall. To what end?

AI and the Meaning of Humanity

You would have to think that R.E.A.C.H. wants to undo this whole mess because he’s not very good at acting human. Nevertheless, he tries, and while the meaning of being human is a core theme, developer Sad Cat Studios is also keen on exploring the dark turns that A.I. usage can take, especially when it comes to bio transplantology, namely replacing damaged organs and tissues through various means. Kind of gives a whole new dimension to the name “Replaced”, doesn’t it?

Cinematic Platforming

Like all those previously mentioned classics, Replaced involves platforming. There’s a sense of weight to R.E.A.C.H.’s movement, at least based on the recent demo, as he leaps across gaps, swings from bars and climbs up ledges. However, it’s less precision-focused and more cinematic with the cinematography, lighting, and overall atmosphere coming into play, especially when it comes to the…

Realistic Level Design

As director Yura Zhdanovich and composer Igor Gritsay told us, the goal with the environmental design is to keep them grounded – not just to accommodate the game’s cinematic feel but also from a setting standpoint. It’s not unlike what you would see from titles like Inside, but keeping to more realistic scenarios, as the art direction does a lot of the heavy lifting, bridging the gap between the surreal and the depressingly life-like.

Free Flow Combat

Of course, running through these gorgeous levels is only one component of Replaced’s gameplay. The other is combat, and Batman: Arkham fans rejoice, because it’s a clear nod to the glorious days of Free Flow (except on a 2.5D plane). You can seamlessly transition between enemies, hitting faster if you remain unscathed, and countering when necessary.

The Huxley

The Huxley is R.E.A.C.H.’s handgun, and it progressively builds charge as you smack enemies around. When fully charged, it can take down an enemy in one strike, and even works at range, making it ideal against gun-toting threats. Hanging back or rolling around too much means losing any charges. So on the one hand, you need to keep swinging, but on the other, also dodging to avoid the heavier hits. There’s a rhythm and flow here which feels good, and where R.E.A.C.H.’s weightiness feels the most appropriate.

Pickaxe and Heavy Strikes

One function that isn’t available in the demo is the Heavy Strike. It’s tied to the mechanized pickaxe that players unlock later, and is required to break through armored foes to hit them where it hurts. This is the only other tool that we currently know of, but it’s not just for combat – the pickaxe also adds in traversal, specifically wall-climbing. Perhaps even opening up previously locked-off areas?

Huxley Upgrades

The Huxley can also receive some upgrades to unlock more combat options, like deflecting bullets, and much like the pickaxe, it also provides a unique non-combat function (specifically double-jumping, and no, I don’t know how to reconcile the two). You would have to think that deflecting is better than wasting shots for takedowns, or that it would help in building weapon charge, but we still need to wait and see how it feeds into the overall combat loop.

Exploration and Dialogue Choices

The third and arguably most important aspect of Replaced? Exploration. We’re talking about entering the Station in Phoenix City and simply walking around, mingling with its residents to learn more about the world, their plight and what to do next. There’s a lot to see – especially lore entries that outline just how thoroughly everything’s gone to hell – and dialogue choices when conversing with the likes of the Council, even if it’s just to inquire about their backgrounds.

Side Quests

You’ll also take on side quests, and while they don’t currently offer much beyond “go collect and deliver things,” there are some notable NPCs to meet. Like Susan, who stays in the arcade and won’t give R.E.A.C.H. her binoculars if he doesn’t find a rectifier to help repair one of the broken machines. Thus, he sets out to find a ticket machine and, in true A.I. fashion, rips out everything and hopes one of the components is what she’s looking for.

Playable Arcade Games

Funnily enough, Susan won’t part with those binoculars, even if you help her fix the machine. Instead, she invites you to beat her high score, which confirms yet another distraction: Arcade mini-games. Described by IGN as a mix between Crazy Taxi and Operation, it’s pretty straightforward. Whether other such games exist is unknown, but seeing R.E.A.C.H. in all his hulking glory in this kind is…unorthodox, to say the least.

Stealth and Hacking

We’ve seen a bit of the stealth mechanics, which mostly comprise crouching behind objects to avoid detection (and a high-powered explosive shot to the face). However, another later scenario involves mixing in with crowds to avoid detection, not unlike the old-school Assassin’s Creed titles. Hacking also comes into play as a dedicated mini-game, especially when having to manipulate traffic lights.

Average Playthrough Length

Despite everything that Replaced has to offer, the development team isn’t “forcing side-content” on players. An average playthrough will take about eight hours, but going out of your way for optional content will bump it up to 11 to 12 hours. It’s about as expected, especially for a finely-honed experience that blends cinematic platformer with tense combat, and we can’t wait to see where the story goes.

Xbox Series X/S Performance and Minimum PC Requirements

Sad Cat Studios touts the game as “rather heavy graphics-wise,” but those on Xbox Series X won’t have to worry, as it runs at 4K and 60 FPS. Series S owners can expect 1440p resolution and the same frame rate. And while recommended PC requirements have yet to be confirmed, the minimum demands a Core i5-8400, 16 GB of RAM, a GTX 1060 with 6 GB VRAM and 8 GB of installation space.

Of course, it depends on the side content, especially since the developer isn’t “forcing any” on players. “We’re not forcing any side content on players, so it really depends on your playstyle. I would say that the average might be around 8 hours, and 11-12 if you’re really searching for optional stuff.”

At the time of our interview, the team was “still in the process of final polishing (the game is rather heavy graphics-wise),” but the goal is to lock the resolution and frame rate on Xbox Series X to 4K/60 FPS. Xbox Series S players can look forward to 1440p/60 FPS gameplay if everything goes well.

You have to wonder, though – why didn’t Sad Cat Studios consider releasing on PlayStation 5? “When we first started developing Replaced and speaking to the various platform partners, we decided to launch it as an Xbox-first and Game Pass title as we felt this was the right fit for us.” When asked about Nintendo Switch 2, however, the developer said, “We can’t confirm any additional platforms at this time.”

Given the length of the development process, especially with challenges like Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it’s not unreasonable for the studio to focus on the currently announced platforms. If Replaced ends up successful, perhaps it will have more resources (and demand) for other versions.

In the meantime, it’s available on April 14th for Xbox Series X/S and PC. Check out the latest extensive gameplay here, which sees R.E.A.C.H. arriving at the Station and meeting up with its various residents, including the Council and Susan, who runs an arcade.

Replaced has a striking art style. What were the biggest inspirations behind this look, and how did you translate those influences into the final visual direction?

While the artstyle of Replaced is not particularly new, we have been hard at work combining different approaches and experimenting with what works and what doesn’t when it comes to 2.5D pixel-art. With notable, recent inspirations being games like Octopath Traveler and The Last Night, we have obviously been inspired by classics like Flashback and Another World as examples of more grounded approaches to making a sidescroller.

"We have been hard at work combining different approaches and experimenting with what works and what doesn’t when it comes to 2.5D pixel-art"

Going beyond the pixel art aesthetic, we have also gathered quite a lot of knowledge from games that do completely different visuals, while driving for a more cinematic feel. The likes of Limbo, Inside, Deadlight and other games that have been praised for their general atmosphere, lighting or camerawork.

And how can we forget Disney’s Hercules for PSX? Total next gen 2.5D!

What are the core themes you are exploring in Replaced, and how important is the presence of AI to the story given the current state of the world?

The main topic of our story is “what does it mean to be a human?”. AI is always present in some shape or form in the context of the cyberpunk/retrofuturistic genre, so it was just a means to explore this topic within a setting that we adore. For us, being relevant in terms of news agenda was never the point, since we started the development of Replaced much earlier than the current AI boom has happened. Our own reality is much more bleak and mundane in terms of actual problems that have arisen due to AI overuse. Meanwhile in Replaced, we wanted to explore AI usage gone wrong when applied to a much more complex task – that of biotransplantology – and the societal consequences this may have.

How do you approach the balance between combat and exploration across the full experience?

Even though our game is heavily focused on a cinematic and atmospheric component, we still have quite a bit of combat encounters, which tend to get progressively harder towards the end of the game. It’s not our goal to be hardcore, so at one point we had to lessen the difficulty of late combat encounters.

It’s important to have an internal sense of rhythm so that one part of the game ends at the right time, leaving room for the next one.

"The main topic of our story is “what does it mean to be a human?”."

As players progress, what kinds of new moves or abilities will they unlock, and how do these additions change the flow of combat?

We have several gadgets that players will obtain during their playthrough. Most of them have dual purposes for both combat and platforming. For example: the mechanized pickaxe destroys enemy’s armor, but it also allows you to climb walls. Or, let’s say, one particular pistol upgrade allows you to deflect enemy’s bullets while in combat, but during platforming it grants you a double jump ability.

Replaced has been described as a cinematic action platformer. What does that mean in practical terms, and what sets it apart from more traditional platformers?

It mostly comes down to the amount of pain in the butt that we have to overcome while developing it! The main difference is the way the story is connected with the gameplay. All the camera work, VFX, overall cinematography – this is something that is usually not present in traditional arcade platformers.

The second main difference is level design: level structure and design can be absolutely abstract and random in classic platformers. In a cinematic platformer we have to make level design believable: we have to incorporate all platforming elements in a 2D manner, while keeping the surroundings grounded, as if this is something that could happen in real life.

What is the intended balance between melee and ranged combat, and is there a preferred style you expect most players to lean on?

We’re locked within a 2D framework, so our main focus is melee combat. Ranged combat is a part of core combat, but it’s mostly a method of getting rid of the most annoying enemies. Our game rewards aggressive playstyle. Your gun charges when you hit enemies. If the player is being passive and rolls a lot, they will lose gun charge. And since the Huxley (the name of the gun) is your most powerful option in combat, you really want to keep it charged. The protagonist – R.E.A.C.H. – also gets progressively faster in his attacks if you chain a combo without being hit or without being passive for too long.

"Ranged combat is a part of core combat, but it’s mostly a method of getting rid of the most annoying enemies."

The lighting in the trailers and screenshots stands out a lot. How did the team achieve that look, both artistically and technically?

Lighting is the core component of any cinematic scene, and with Replaced the goal has always been to make the game look and feel as cinematic as possible throughout the whole experience. To make it look like it does in the videos and screenshots, while running decently on the lower-end hardware, we have spent a lot of time developing our own Scriptable Rendering Pipeline for Unity, combining some of the great visual features and post processing effects found in Unity’s HDRP with the tailored performance optimizations specific to our game.

After that it’s all about carefully planning out the scenes to not only support the game design needs, but also have space for dramatic lighting opportunities, all while navigating the peculiarities of this particular style.

Roughly how long is the game expected to be, and how much optional content is there for completion focused players?

We’re not forcing any side-content on players, so it really depends on your playstyle. I would say that the average might be around 8 hours, and 11-12 if you’re really searching for optional stuff.

Is there a specific reason Replaced is not coming to PS5?

When we first started developing Replaced and speaking to the various platform partners, we decided to launch it as an Xbox-first and Game Pass title as we felt this was the right fit for us.

"We’re not forcing any side-content on players, so [the game’s length] really depends on your playstyle."

What resolutions and frame rates are you targeting on Xbox Series S and Xbox Series X?

We’re still in the process of final polishing (the game is rather heavy graphics-wise), but we hope that we can lock it at 4K/60 for Series X and 1440p/60 for Series S.

Do you have plans to bring Replaced to Nintendo Switch 2?

We can’t confirm any additional platforms at this time.

He meets up with Susan, who stays at the local arcade while her mother works in the mines. After some small talk and R.E.A.C.H. revealing his need for binoculars, she offers to think about it if he can retrieve a rectifier. Eventually, he meets up with the Council, headed by the Matriarch and Ironwood, after a tense conversation with Tempest.

While keen to help, R.E.A.C.H. is advised to explore the Station as she finishes up some other work. Throughout all of this, players can engage with various NPCs and select dialogue choices, whether it’s learning more about Ironwood or what Tempest meant about Prospero. Shortly after meeting with Tempest, R.E.A.C.H. discovers some electrical components and returns to Susan.

Unfortunately, she isn’t giving up the binoculars yet, instead inviting him to beat her high score in an arcade mini-game. There isn’t really any combat, but this entire walkthrough highlights the sheer attention to detail, whether it’s the bustling marketplace or the dim glow of the arcade’s neon signs.

Arriving on April 14th, Replaced will be available for Xbox Series X/S and PC. Check out this overview trailer for more details.

“As a small team working on our very first title, we’ve poured everything we have into this project,” wrote Sad Cat Studios on Steam. “While the game is technically finished, reaching this final stretch has shown us that we need just a few more weeks to ensure the experience is exactly what you deserve. We want the version of Replaced you play on day one to be polished, stable, and true to the vision we’ve shared with you.”

It also addressed the reaction to its Steam demo, and while “nerve-wracking” to release, “Seeing your gameplay, reading your reviews, and hearing your excitement has been overwhelming in the best way possible. We are constantly reading your comments, and that feedback is helping us make the final tweaks that will make the full game shine.”

“We are super close to the finish line, and we can’t wait for you to experience the final results of years of hard work.”

Looking back on its initial announcement from E3 2021, Replaced has definitely come a long way. The graphical style has evolved into something truly stunning, but it’s also worth noting the real-world issues that Sad Cat Studios faced during development. Based in Ukraine, it saw numerous setbacks due to Russia’s invasion in 2022. Of course, the team has also insisted time and again that it doesn’t want to “release a sub-par game.”

The current demo offers a very small slice of the game, introducing players to R.E.A.C.H., an AI developed by Phoenix Corporation, suddenly trapped in a human body. Escaping confinement to Phoenix-City, players take on hostile bandits while coming to terms with this alternate 1980s America.

Its exploration and platforming are pretty straightforward, and you can also get a feel of the Free Flow combat, inspired by the likes of Rocksteady’s Batman: Arkham series. Of course, there’s a lot more to look forward to, including free roam and taking on requests from other NPCs.

Replaced will be available for Xbox Series X/S and PC on release alongside Game Pass. Stay tuned for more updates leading up to its new release date.

But dig a little deeper, and you’ll see more notable differences and mechanics that translate the very nature of Lost in Random – the rule of randomness – into a compelling action rogue-lite experience. It’s not reinventing the genre or going beyond what genre fans know – but it is leveraging all those differences in some fun ways.

Following up directly on the first game’s conclusion, Lost in Random: The Eternal Die follows Aleksandra, the former Queen, as she battles the Black Die. The latter afforded a great deal of power, but after a tragic incident caused her to confront it, Mare the Knight, its new master, trapped her inside. Fortune, Aleksandra’s personal die, who only recently came back to life, is with her, though, and together, they search for a way to defeat Mare and escape the Black Die.

"Of course, the main component of Lost in Random: The Eternal Die is combat, and there’s plenty to be had. Each of the four realms has a unique gimmick to it, offering just enough flavor to distinguish them beyond the art direction."

Such a premise leans well into the ever-changing biomes and Mare’s plan to use Aleks’ memories against her. This highlights the nuanced character development of our anti-hero, who acknowledges her past misdeeds yet fully focuses on revenge rather than any heroic ventures (like saving others trapped within the Black Die). However, as she gets to know them, Aleks’ mindset shifts in that direction while cherishing some of the better memories with her sister, Natalya. It’s a sweet redemption story of sorts, though a lot of your emotional attachment will hinge on the events of the previous game and full knowledge of all the terrible things Aleksandra did.

Without it, you’re left wondering as to the significance of that adult Sixer or why Aleks doesn’t want to fight a certain boss. The Eternal Die does a decent job explaining eventually past events like the No Dice War and what happened with the Witches, so it’s not a dealbreaker, plus the Journal is rife with lore to fill in the blanks. However, my connection to the newer characters ranged from surface-level intriguing (Chance) and beloved (Rack, who doles out different weapons, or Mannie Chex, who sells different items between realms) to indifference (Sophia Firbase, the Rug Reader, take your pick).

Still, there are more hits than misses, if only narrowly, and I’m always keen to hear Rack’s next joke and how Aleksandra will react with disdain. Additional conversations and developments unlock across multiple runs, and it’s acceptable, though nowhere near the sheer amount of Hades. There is some cleverness to the writing – hats off to whoever came up with the Discard pile, a venerable trash heap where you end up after every run.

Of course, the main component of Lost in Random: The Eternal Die is combat, and there’s plenty to be had. Each of the four realms has a unique gimmick to it, offering just enough flavor to distinguish them beyond the art direction. The room variety is also solid, whether you’re dealing with traps and Elites or completing a minigame.

Each of the four weapons contains multiple upgrade paths, which can bestow new abilities and passives, like the sword unleashing whirlwinds or the mace creating pools of poison. You have the standard attack and Charged Attack on top of throwing out whatever Card is equipped. Cards can be discovered throughout runs and add another attack on top, like an orb that inflicts weakness or a cone-shaped breath of fire. However, Perfect Card attacks can provide additional effects. That seeking attack may go from two projectiles to five, or that weakening orb will explode and inflict Weak in a larger radius against foes.

"Then there’s the Relic system, which is probably one of the more unique upgrade systems I’ve ever seen in the genre, at least on the action side."

None of this would matter if the combat doesn’t feel sleek and responsive, and Stormteller Games excels there. Everything, from cancelling attacks to narrowly dodging, feels great, accompanied by a strong assortment of enemies. I could have done with less aggressive tracking on some ranged enemies or the lack of Timestop on another enemy type, but most strike a good balance between fun and challenging. The bosses are equally endearing, even if they feel a little too limited.

But what really sets The Eternal Die apart is the dice mechanics. Fortune serves as a projectile that can be tossed at enemies, and depending on which face it lands on – and the Relics equipped – it can activate different effects. Those minigames are also dependent on die rolls, whether it’s the face determining the difficulty of an optional encounter (and the reward) or a little faux board game where you move spaces according to roll. It can even influence how much health is recovered from a healing station, for better or worse.

Then there’s the Relic system, which is probably one of the more unique upgrade systems I’ve ever seen in the genre, at least on the action side. You start with a single space to which a Relic can be equipped, whether it’s an element added to Charged attacks, the second hit from an enemy dealing 40 percent reduced damage, etc. This opens up the eight neighboring squares, which you can equip with more Relics. Alternatively, you can toss in Pearls of varying colors.

When matching three of a kind, they’ll boost a specific stat like weapon damage, card damage, or luck (which influences Multicasts) and then shatter. However, Relics can also have colors – up to three depending on the rarity – and upon matching with two Pearls – or each other – can consume the color and stay on the board. So play your choices well, and it’s possible to match multiple colors with a single Relic to obtain stat upgrades. You also have the option to dye them, which is good for colorless Relics, but even better for those that don’t make three-of-a-kind.

It’s an ingenuous system, one that rewards you for balancing out Relic choices – because some are much better than others, like the slowly increasing critical hit chance until the next hit or Perfect Card Attacks inflicting status ailments – with stat upgrades. If I lean into dice damage, then Fortune will deal more damage when thrown.

"How much mileage you’ll get out of it ultimately depends on your skill, but don’t let the Hades comparisons dissuade you. Imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery, and throughout its admittedly short run time, The Eternal Die aims to please."

Weapon damage is still important, especially in conjunction with Weak and status effects dealing damage over time. Conjurations are another solid area since even holding Fortune or leaving it on the ground can result in seeking icicles or a poisonous cloud, depending on the Relics. Couple this with a ability that increases evade chance while carrying Fortune, and you can forgo the dice throwing altogether. Alternatively, lean into it more with a ability that allows for recalling Fortune with a button press rather than picking it up manually (albeit with a three-second cooldown).

All of this combined makes each run feel pretty unique from a build crafting perspective and had me itching to get back in after another failed run. Though some Relics will start looking familiar sooner than you think, I was surprised with even more options over subsequent playthroughs. Even after finishing the story and fully upgrading two and a half weapons, there are still dozens of Relics yet to be discovered.

There is a post-game with Sigils that up the difficulty of the bosses while granting them new attacks and the Corruption Decrees. The latter gives you three choices of modifiers to add to a run. With each Sigil, the number of selected modifiers increases, upping the challenge and feeding further into the chaos of randomness.

Despite the distinct shift in perspective and structure from its predecessor, Lost in Random: The Eternal Die is a good rogue-lite, which introduces enough of its own twists on top of the clear inspiration to ensure a fun time. It looks sharp, and the sound production, from the voice acting to the effects, is strong, even if the rock tracks can sometimes become monotonous. How much mileage you’ll get out of it ultimately depends on your skill, but don’t let the Hades comparisons dissuade you. Imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery, and throughout its admittedly short run time, The Eternal Die aims to please.

This game was reviewed on PS5.

The original Lost in Random seemed like a self-contained game. What inspired the decision to make a sequel?

When we developed the original Lost in Random, we felt it had a pretty open ending and left us with several unanswered questions. One of them was: “What really happened to the evil Queen Aleksandra, at the end?”

The main decision to make a continuation of the IP, however, was simpler than that. We just love this world, and there’s so much to explore within its unique style, vibe, and atmosphere.

On this note, we call the new game a spinoff. The Eternal Die picks up just after the first game, but you play as Aleksandra, the antagonist of the first game.

"We just love this world, and there’s so much to explore within its unique style, vibe, and atmosphere."

What kinds of gameplay enhancements over the original game will we see in the sequel?

Where the original game leaned more on story and ambiance through a linear progression, The Eternal Die focuses on incredibly tight, fast-paced combat and a great sense of skill progression. We’ve nurtured the essence of the Lost in Random world, with fully voiced characters in a dark fantasy world, but the gameplay shines more this time around.

How will the Relics play into the game’s combat?

Relics are the meat of the game’s combat. It is how the player grows stronger during a “run” through the dark, twisted realms of the Black Die. The player places the Relics they find on a board, matches colors and effects to create synergies, and evolves their arsenal during runs.

We’re super-excited about the Relic system and believe it brings several unique and interesting layers to the Roguelite genre, and to how upgrades and abilities are generally synergized.

While the world will be randomly-generated, will there be hand-crafted gameplay sections as well?

While the world is generated based on specific parameters, the actual gameplay- and combat- areas are handcrafted. We took this approach to ensure each area to not only look visually appealing, but also offer a nice flow and balanced difficulty.

"Where the original game’s combat has a slightly turn-based, strategic, boardgame-esque feel to it, we’ve cranked up both pacing and difficulty a lot."

How has the combat been improved over the original?

Where the original game’s combat has a slightly turn-based, strategic, boardgame-esque feel to it, we’ve cranked up both pacing and difficulty a lot.

Gameplay is more snappy and has a really neat flow to it. There’s so much to explore with the Relic system and a lot more enemy variety. It’s hard to compare the two games when it comes to combat.

The first game introduced you to being a Dice Weilder; As Even, you discovered and took those first fumbling steps as one. Now, as Aleksandra, you’re a seasoned Dice Wielder, and our chaotic combat really captures that.

Will exploration play a bigger part in Lost in Random: The Eternal Die?

Yes, but more in the mechanical sense. Our gameplay features and Aleksandra’s combat arsenal offer tons of play-styles and explorable “builds”, if you like. Each run presents new opportunities and strategic exploration.

But, of course, there’s a lot to find and unpack when it comes to the characters’ story, world lore, and Aleksandra’s past.

Will we get to see returning characters from the original Lost in Random?

A few! There are nods and hints back to the first game, for both characters and the world, scattered across our adventure.

The main returning character is our Protagonist – Aleksandra – and while she is heavily connected to the story of the first game, it was important for us to create a game that is available and meaningful for both new and returning players.

In short, both games will enrich the experience of the other, in whatever order you play them.

"Our gameplay features and Aleksandra’s combat arsenal offer tons of play-styles and explorable “builds”, if you like."

What board games were the biggest inspirations for dungeon designs and themes?

No specific board games were inspirations for the game. It is, like in the first game, a thematic inspiration if anything. The inspiration from Chess and various card games can be found, but not in gameplay, and more in aesthetics.

What resolution and frame rate will the game run on PS5, Xbox Series X, S and PS5 Pro?

We’re aiming for 60FPS on all four consoles!

NOTE: This interview was conducted prior to the game’s launch.

"To set a sequel on the high seas was actually planned for already when we made the first game. Well, it’s actually more of a big lake since it’s all set on one of the shards of the shattered Earth."

SteamWorld Heist was a great entry in the SteamWorld series, and fans have been waiting for a direct follow up for quite some time. What led to the long gap between releases?

We’ve been busy making other games! But ever since making the first game we’ve been talking about how much fun it was and how much we’d like to do another one, so it’s been simmering all this time. We also don’t want to make a sequel just to make more of the same; we want to make sure that it contains enough new great stuff to make both us and everyone else, whether fans of the first game or newcomers, excited about it.

What prompted the change from the space setting of the first game to the naval setting here?

To set a sequel on the high seas was actually planned for already when we made the first game. Well, it’s actually more of a big lake since it’s all set on one of the shards of the shattered Earth. We loved the shattered Earth setting that was established in SteamWorld Heist and SteamWorld Dig 2, and we knew we wanted to make games that were set on the actual shards as well instead of just looking at them from afar.

Besides that narrative reason, we also wanted to greatly expand on the exploration between missions. Having it set in a grounded environment, rather than the emptiness of space, provided a much more interesting world to explore. The lush Caribbean-like setting also fit the mood we were looking for.

The original Steamworld Heist had a lot of procedurally generated levels, while Steamworld Heist 2 seems to be going for handcrafted environments and characters. Are we to assume that this game will not have procedurally generated levels anymore, or will there still be some level of procedural generation involved?

There is still some procedural generation, but it’s more controlled and primarily serves to make it fun to replay the same hand-crafted missions by changing things around just enough that you don’t know exactly what will happen. So I wouldn’t call the levels procedurally generated, but they (and some other parts of the game) have carefully tweaked procedural elements. In fact, this is similar to SteamWorld Dig 2 which also has some procedural stuff in it; something I would assume most players do not know. Because after all, a good procedural system doesn’t feel procedural.

"There is still some procedural generation, but it’s more controlled and primarily serves to make it fun to replay the same hand-crafted missions by changing things around just enough that you don’t know exactly what will happen."

The original Steamworld Heist was made for the Nintendo 3DS originally. How has the scope of the game been impacted by the fact that even the weakest system of the ones that the sequel is targeting is several times more powerful than the 3DS was?

The 4K graphics would be the easiest thing to point to, but the graphical fidelity has been raised on all fronts: a highly dynamic lighting system that really makes the 2D come alive, gorgeous particle effects, more advanced animations and much more. There are also lots of gameplay changes with more things going on at the same time, especially with the naval exploration and combat on the world map, more advanced enemies and abilities, more and bigger bosses, and so on. Then there’s also the fact that we could now design the interface for a single widescreen from the start, instead of having to adapt the 3DS’ dual screen setup into something completely different for the other platforms; so that’s been a relief for development and it has allowed us to make a more cohesive and thought-through interface.

I wanted to talk about the job system. That’s always one of my favorite things in an RPG. You’ve introduced that to SteamWorld Heist 2, and also overhauled the gear system to go with that. Can you elaborate on the kind of character customization that might lead to?

We love job systems too! We’ve taken what we’ve liked in other games, including our own (you might recognize the cogs from SteamWorld Dig 2), and taken our own spin on it to best suit Heist. For players new to the concept, it should be easy to understand and use and you should be able to play the game on the lower difficulty levels without engaging much with it for the first half of the game to allow anyone to learn the game’s many features gradually. But once you do start to make use of it, you should discover a tremendous amount of depth; which you will need to master if you want to conquer the higher difficulty levels. Our goal has been that there should be as much synergy as possible between the abilities from different jobs, as well as with various pieces of equipment; any time you wonder if you might be able to combine ability X with ability Y, the answer should be yes.

Let me give two simple examples: Give the Sniper’s perfect aim ability to a Boomer who uses rockets; and suddenly you get to preview not just the path the rocket will take but also the size of the explosion to allow you to really finetune your shooting angle for maximum effect. Another example is the hammer-wielding Brawler job that has an ability that lets it move after making a kill. This is useful to let them get out of harm’s way after exposing themselves to make a melee attack. But then give them the Reaper’s “extra attack after making a kill” ability, and now the Brawler can move and attack after each kill; again and again and again.

"For most players we’ve seen an average of 35 hours, with more if you want to truly complete everything. And for those looking for even more, I can recommend replaying the game on the higher difficulty levels and using a different set of characters as you’ll likely find yourself enjoying the game in new ways."

Roughly how long will an average playthrough of the story mode be?

For most players we’ve seen an average of 35 hours, with more if you want to truly complete everything. And for those looking for even more, I can recommend replaying the game on the higher difficulty levels and using a different set of characters as you’ll likely find yourself enjoying the game in new ways. I’ve lost count of how much we’ve played the game at the studio but the many ways you can play it and customize your characters have kept it feeling fresh for us all this time, so I’m really looking forward to seeing everyone’s playthroughs.

While the first game had a space setting, SteamWorld Heist 2 opts for a vibrant, ocean-filled Shard. Unfortunately, something – or someone – is poisoning the water, causing Steambots to rust from its consumption. It’s up to the unlikely Captain Quincy Leeway to investigate while dealing with some confidence issues.

The tactical turn-based gameplay remains the same, with allies manually aiming their shots for maximum damage. However, you can now change a crewmate’s Job by equipping different weapons, mixing and matching abilities to devastating effect. If that weren’t enough, an array of new hats is also available.

SteamWorld Heist 2 will be available for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch on August 8th. Check out our review, where we gave it an 8 out of 10.

The story takes place on a Shard, a piece of the fabled destroyed Earth, full of extensive oceans. Its people have adopted a naval-focused life, which also means smugglers, scoundrels and pirates plying their trade on the waters. The irony of so much water after the crises other Shards have faced throughout the franchise isn’t lost on me, but trouble is brewing. A strange phenomenon is causing the drinkable water to go bad, rusting the innards of the Steambots.

"The plot is pretty straightforward, even if it’s fairly start and stop, sometimes leaning too much on building reputation in a region or gathering items for the next story event to occur."

Then there’s the Royal Navy, seemingly intent on keeping the Steambots down while serving the mysterious core. The cult-like Rattlers are also a problem, embracing the replacement of their parts with bones to counteract the rust. Other threats abound, as they typically do in a SteamWorld title, but none of this initially concerns protagonist Captain Quincy Leeway.

Sulking and missing an arm, he looks to retrieve his submarine and sail the high seas once more, hopefully living up to the legacy of his legendary mother, Krakenbane. His demeanor is bold and dashing in public but anxious in private, especially as he keeps failing upward due to his crew’s successes.

Other quirky characters also emerge, from the loyal Wesley Hotchkiss, who is strangely obsessed with dying heroically, and Daisy Clutch, the Oliver Twist-inspired, happy-go-lucky sniper to Sola Fathom, who cryptically hints at strange things in the depths. You’ll recruit various crewmates to join your cause, and they shine during some pre-mission briefings, cutscenes and conversations. Some missions also delve into their past, though it’s nothing too extensive.

Overall, I would have appreciated more focused development on each since their tales take a backseat to the water crisis and Leeway’s problems. They liven up the atmosphere, but there could have been some more scenes of camaraderie, celebration or just the crew living it up. A pirate’s life for me outside of the tactical heisting, sailing and outpost hopping, if you will. Otherwise, the plot is pretty straightforward, even if it’s fairly start and stop, sometimes leaning too much on building reputation in a region or gathering items for the next story event to occur.

"The naval combat is only one aspect of the gameplay – the other is the heists. Each heist requires a specific number of bots – the larger maps may necessitate four or five, while some challenge you to get through with only one."

A major new addition in SteamWorld Heist 2 is real-time naval combat. Exploring the overworld and fighting hostile ships is enticing, especially since it grants water and upgrade materials. It’s not too mechanically intensive in the opening hours – your guns fire automatically and have a cooldown while you manually pilot the vessel, attempting to evade attacks.

While those systems remain, the sub gains new features like diving underwater (necessary to defeat certain enemies and mines), boosting, and equipping different weapons. Torpedoes are good all-around, especially underwater, and cannonballs deal significant damage despite their slow projectile speed (making them ideal against big targets). However, gun turrets are better suited for nimbler targets.

With various ways to upgrade the sub, there isn’t too much thinking required when engaging in high-seas battles. Except for the tedious backtracking, the world map is fun to explore, laden with secret areas with light puzzle-solving or vendor-less locations selling hats.

That’s only one aspect of the gameplay – the other is the heists. Each heist requires a specific number of bots – the larger maps may necessitate four or five, while some challenge you to get through with only one. Since your crew has a cooldown, you must return to an outpost after every heist to rest. Recruiting more allies means more heists to tackle at a time, thus leading to more Bounty Points and better rewards. However, it can get tedious to return to an outpost, especially in the mid to late-game maps. You could end your day and return to the most recent one, but that means not being able to cash in any Bounty Points.

"It’s all standard fare if you played the original; the twist is that your crew isn’t limited to singular classes. By equipping different weapons, you can swap Jobs."

Like its predecessor, environments are presented from a two-dimensional perspective with various elevations, areas to take cover, environmental hazards, doors to open, and so on. Taking cover against enemy fire on the horizontal plane is a must, but you also need to keep the vertical plane in mind. Some walkways are open, which makes them fair game for shooting above and below. This can be turned to your advantage, especially when ricocheting rounds.

Each character has a turn with two action points – one to move, the other to shoot, though you can expend both for reaching greater distances. Some abilities don’t cost action points, allowing for more agency. Weapon aiming is manual, though – some have sightlines to indicate the direction of bullets alongside weapon sway; the risk vs. reward aspect can be sweet, especially as you bank a sniper shot into an enemy’s head after ricocheting off the wall beyond them. Be careful, as enemies can do the same, alongside flanking and intelligently using cover on higher difficulties.

It’s all standard fare if you played the original; the twist is that your crew isn’t limited to singular classes. By equipping different weapons, you can swap Jobs. Completing heists and garnering XP levels them up, unlocking new abilities. You can then switch and spend Cogs to keep passive and active skills unlocked from other Jobs.

Engineer plus Sniper allows for deploying cover at will, which meshes well with a passive that grants increased damage when you don’t move for a turn. You could also take a more passive approach as a Boomer + Engineer, deploying cover and, when an enemy rushes you, backing off to detonate it (which has unlimited range).

Of course, each Job has a starting passive only accessible if you use their associated weapon. Characters also have personal upgrades – as you progress and unlock new features in the submarine (including stat upgrades and extra crew slots), these can be purchased to add some more spice like Cornelius becoming invulnerable to all damage for a turn and taunting all enemies, which pairs well with Payback, a Brawler passive that deals damage to those attacking crewmates. It’s even possible to upgrade Job skills to make them more effective.

"Aside from some difficulty spikes, the mission design is pretty good overall. One level sees you battling several sword-wielding Royal Navy enemies while chasing after their cowardly boss."

While you get a hefty amount of water and Fragments for purchasing new weapons and upgrades several hours in, the Job progression can feel somewhat slow. The low amount of weapons initially available also discourages experimentation, and if you’re not satisfied with a Job’s abilities, it can be a slog to switch to something else.

Adding to this is the strange difficulty spike in some missions, particularly those against the Rattlers in colder environments since some areas inflict chill if you stand on them. The Rattlers themselves can eventually freeze you with their attacks and grow to exponential numbers, making for a miserable experience, especially if you’re 15 minutes into a relatively smooth sailing mission. Difficulty sliders are appreciated, but those mechanics and some of the alarm RNG can be annoying.

A system where each level-up grants Cogs for allocating to each Job’s skills – equipping their respective weapons can still unlock the previously mentioned passives – would go a long way towards alleviating this. It would also encourage trying different builds and set-ups, especially later in the game.

Aside from some difficulty spikes, the mission design is pretty good overall. One level sees you battling several sword-wielding Royal Navy enemies while chasing after their cowardly boss. Others involve surviving ambushes and even boss fights, whether it’s two conflicting factions going at it while you try to take them down and survive or a recurring nemesis who dons a giant mech. They’re pretty varied and enjoyable, with decent replay value if you want all the swag or to escape unscathed.

"SteamWorld Heist 2 is a pretty good sequel, offering a lot of the same strategic gameplay of the original with a brand new setting, likeable characters, appealing visuals, and excellent music."

The presentation is also incredibly solid – environments and characters are filled with details, and the SteamWorld aesthetic is still very pleasing. The music is the real star, though, with Steam Powered Giraffe offering an array of somber and epic songs that suit the pirating experience.

SteamWorld Heist 2 is a pretty good sequel, offering a lot of the same strategic gameplay of the original with a brand new setting, likeable characters, appealing visuals, and excellent music. Its hang-ups do sour the experience now and again, and long-time fans expecting a complete overhaul of the original might want to temper their expectations. However, this is still a solid turn-based experience with a wealth of customization and things to do in an appealing world.

This game was reviewed on PC.