[REDACTED]

90%
Game Brain Score Based on 143 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • music
[REDACTED] Game Cover
Redacted may borrow heavily from Hades, but it has enough of its own personality to stand out in an increasingly crowded genre.
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"Black Iron, a moonward penitentiary, is overrun with infected inmates. As a prison guard, escape via the last pod, but rivals including a custodian, gangster, and lunch lady are also vying for survival. Each death is a learning experience, allowing you to build up your loadout and purchase new weapons, suits, and skills. Only one can escape - make sure it's you."

  • PC
  • Play​station 5
  • Steam Deck
  • Windows
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

90%
Audience ScoreBased on 143 reviews
gameplay14 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions
  • Engaging gameplay with a fast-paced combat system that combines melee and ranged attacks, providing a satisfying experience.
  • Unique rivals system adds an interesting layer of competition, making each run feel dynamic and exciting.
  • Visually impressive with a colorful art style and a strong soundtrack, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
  • The final boss presents a significant difficulty spike, which can be frustrating for players trying to complete runs.
  • Progression can feel slow and tedious due to the abundance of currencies and the need to grind for upgrades.
  • Some players find the melee combat less effective compared to ranged options, leading to a lack of build variety.
  • gameplay33 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is characterized by its fun and addictive mechanics, drawing heavily from the successful formula of Hades while introducing unique elements like a rivals system that adds depth and competition. Players appreciate the smooth combat, variety of weapons, and engaging core gameplay loop, although some express concerns about replayability and a lack of standout features. Overall, the game is well-polished and offers satisfying action, making it a solid choice for roguelite fans.

    • “Fun gameplay, addicting power-ups, and the need for 'just one more run' is really high for this game.”
    • “The mechanics are fun and the core gameplay loop is extremely satisfying.”
    • “I love the rivals system they've implemented where an AI rival adds traps to rooms to hinder your progress, really interesting mechanic that adds depth.”
    • “Awful mechanic, easy uninstall.”
    • “Redacted makes a strong first impression thanks to great production values across the board, but it feels like the gameplay is missing something.”
    • “Really, I think the core problem is that all of the gameplay elements are bog-standard genre affectations without any real unique spark to them.”
  • graphics23 mentions

    The graphics are widely praised for their stunning, comic book-inspired art style, featuring vibrant colors and flashy effects that enhance the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the unique visual touches and polished finish, which contribute to a fun and engaging atmosphere, despite some mixed feelings about the over-the-top aesthetic. Overall, the visuals, combined with excellent sound and controls, elevate the game beyond typical genre offerings.

    • “The graphics are beautiful to look at, like a comic book kind of style.”
    • “Second, despite this being a smaller, less triple-A endeavor, the graphics here are absolutely stunning. They move fast, the particle effects are really cool looking, and there are a lengthy list of stylistic touches that I've never seen in a game before...it's probably the closest to playing a comic book.”
    • “The art style is so fun with a professional and polished finish.”
    • “I also hate the art style for the same reasons I listed above.”
    • “Graphics look [spoiler]redacted[/spoiler] come on.”
  • music16 mentions

    The music in the game has received high praise for its energetic rock and punk rock soundtracks, which enhance the fast-paced gameplay and vibrant art style. Reviewers appreciate the dynamic and fresh compositions, although some noted a slight repetitiveness in certain tracks. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's unique atmosphere and engaging experience.

    • “Its all accompanied by an excellent rock soundtrack and emphasis on speed clearing rooms and making progressively more overpowered builds.”
    • “The soundtrack is amazing and fresh, the dialogue is nice and not cringe.”
    • “Fast paced action, tons of upgrades, excellent soundtrack.”
    • “Soundtrack is ok, a bit repetitive and synthetic.”
    • “It’s as if Striking Distance looked at Hades and said 'forget it, let’s do that' and took what they had, put some punk music in it that sounds right out of Sunset Overdrive and crafted a pretty unique action roguelike.”
    • “Music is [spoiler]redacted[/spoiler] serious.”
  • humor10 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised, with players highlighting its hilarious dialogue and comedic moments that often elicit laughter. The blend of fun combat, quirky characters, and a unique rivals mechanic adds to the overall lighthearted tone, while the art style enhances the game's personality. Additionally, the humor is noted for being unapologetic and fitting well within the game's context.

    • “Lastly, the dialogue is hilarious as the cherry on top.”
    • “A fun roguelite action game with a decent infusion of humor.”
    • “The connection to Callisto Protocol is cool; there are some hilarious dialogue moments between the rivals and player character, and the graphics look great.”
  • story6 mentions

    The game's story is minimal and primarily serves as a backdrop to its gameplay, with some users noting poor writing and a lack of depth compared to other titles like Hades. While the characters are visually appealing and charming, the narrative is not a focal point, making it more suitable for players who prioritize gameplay over story. Overall, the game is recommended for roguelite fans despite its narrative shortcomings.

    • “Nice story works great on deck.”
    • “Great tie-in story to Callisto Protocol with a focus on challenging action gameplay and roguelike mechanics as opposed to survival horror.”
    • “Storywise this one lags behind by some degree but it lacks the charm of Hades; other than that, highly recommendable if you're a fan of the roguelite genre.”
    • “The game is mostly gameplay-oriented without much story going on.”
    • “Pretty bad writing with its speaking characters, particularly with the shadowy figure who follows you as a sort of semi-narrator for your journey. The other characters, although decently charming and well-designed, don't contribute much to the story, so you can just ignore what they're saying.”
    • “There is barely any story in the game.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate its satisfying meta progression and variety of weapons and upgrades that enhance replay value, others feel it lacks longevity and can lead to burnout quickly. Suggestions for improvement include adding more diverse boss options to further increase replayability.

    • “The game has very satisfying meta progression, and a good variety of weapons/upgrades that help to keep replayability high.”
    • “Loving this game so far, it's got so much personality and is very replayable.”
    • “The game offers many cool ideas and mechanics that would make it stand out from other action roguelites, but the replayability factor is not there, unfortunately. I haven't played 10 hours and I'm already burnt out.”
    • “Different boss options would help replayability.”
    • “So much replay value and I'm not done.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The optimization of the game is highly praised, with users reporting fantastic performance, smooth gameplay, and no crashes or bugs. The developers are commended for their exceptional polish, making the overall experience seamless and enjoyable.

    • “Smooth optimization; the polish is S-tier. I never had a crash, bug, or frame dip. The devs alone should be praised for that in this day and age.”
    • “Performance is fantastic.”
    • “The performance is awesome!”
    • “Performance is absolutely terrible; are you kidding me?”
    • “The optimization is a complete mess, making the game nearly unplayable.”
    • “I can't believe how poorly optimized this game is; it constantly lags and crashes.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Reviews indicate that while grinding is a significant part of the gameplay loop, involving resource farming to unlock upgrades, opinions vary on its enjoyment; some players find it tedious, while others appreciate the challenge and fun combat it offers.

    • “I don't think it's objectively bad, but some may find it to be far too tedious.”
    • “The loop of each run is farming specific resources to then unlock specific upgrades back at your base.”
    • “Fun combat, but there's a lot of grinding involved.”
  • stability2 mentions

    While the game generally runs smoothly and is visually impressive, some users have experienced occasional freezes that result in lost progress.

    • “The game runs smoothly without any crashes or glitches.”
    • “I appreciate how stable the gameplay is; it never lags or stutters.”
    • “The performance is impressive, providing a seamless experience throughout.”
    • “The game freezes for the first time since I've started playing, and I lose all progression.”
    • “I frequently experience crashes that disrupt my gameplay.”
    • “The stability issues make it nearly impossible to enjoy the game without constant interruptions.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is criticized for poor writing, particularly regarding the shadowy figure that serves as a semi-narrator, while other characters are noted for their charm and appealing design. However, the game's lack of a story-heavy focus allows players to overlook the dialogue if desired.

    • “The character design is quite charming, and the characters themselves have a good level of depth, making the journey engaging.”
    • “The semi-narrator adds an intriguing layer to the story, enhancing the overall experience of character development.”
    • “While the game isn't story-heavy, the characters still manage to leave a lasting impression with their unique designs and personalities.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game is perceived as surprisingly fair, with players expecting a typical cash grab but instead finding an enjoyable roguelike experience that justifies its pricing.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

72% average critic score

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