Replaced vs Sword of the Sea
Pixel-art drama vs. airy flow-state gliding — choose between a heavy 11-hour sci-fi tale and a 3-hour ride.
Updated 27d ago
Buy Replaced for its gorgeous pixel-art and atmospheric storytelling, if you can tolerate lackluster combat.
Giant Squid's glide-and-grind traversal is pure flow — a worthy heir to Journey's throne despite the short runtime.
By the numbers
Prices checked Sep 8; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.
Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Sep 8.
| Measure | Replaced | Sword of the Sea |
|---|---|---|
| Value Replaced wins on value | ||
| Price now | $15.99 −20% · Steam | $29.99 Epic Game Store |
| All-time low | $14.99 | $20.99 |
| Cost / hour | $1.51/hr $15.99 · 11 h main story | $10.90/hr $29.99 · 3 h main story |
| Off its low | +7% low was Jul 2026 | +43% low was Mar 2026 |
| Main story | 11 h | 3 h |
| Health Too close to call | ||
| Steam reviews | 85% 10k reviews | 90% 2k reviews |
| Recent reviews | 90% 443 votes · vs 85% lifetime | 87% 47 votes · vs 90% lifetime |
| Peak players | 386 Aug 2026 · ↓ 40% MoM | 33 Aug 2026 · ↑ 3% MoM |
| Launch peak | 11% of Apr 2026 launch peak · as of Aug 2026 | 7% of Aug 2025 launch peak · as of Aug 2026 |
| All-time peak | 3,547 Apr 2026 | 493 Aug 2025 |
| Support | ||
| Last patch | 3 months ago | 12 months ago |
| Patch cadence | 1 in last 90 days | 0 in last 90 days |
| Steam Deck | Platinum | Gold |
Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.
What players say
Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.
Replaced
The hand-painted pixel-art and atmospheric world design is what keeps players coming back, even past 20 hours.
Combat pacing feels repetitive after a few hours, with bullet-deflect mechanics and limited enemy variety wearing thin.
from our May 2026 verdict
Sword of the Sea
Sliding and tricking across dunes is the hook that holds even veteran Game-of-the-Year voters, the movement so fluid it feels effortless.
Ending the game is a letdown — a third of players call it a quality cliff, and the collectible sprawl can sour the closing stretch.
from our August 2026 verdict
Key differences
Which one is for you?
Pick Replaced if
- You love hand-painted pixel art and don't mind clunky combat
- You're into slow-burn sci-fi stories about AI identity
- You want a 11-hour campaign that's not too long to commit
Pick Sword of the Sea if
- You value polished movement over story depth
- You're short on time and want a complete game in one sitting
- You prefer a calming, wordless atmosphere over heavy narrative
Bottom line
Pick Sword of the Sea for pure flow and style, if 3 hours feels right; for a longer, moodier sci-fi story with pixel art, choose Replaced.