"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."
Engaging and nicely balanced gameplay with a good challenge that feels rewarding.
Visually impressive with a colorful, comic book style that enhances the overall experience.
Unique mechanics like the rivals system add depth and encourage fast-paced play, making each run exciting.
Melee combat feels underwhelming and less effective compared to ranged options, leading to frustration.
The final boss presents a significant difficulty spike that can be discouraging for players.
Progression can feel slow and grindy due to multiple currencies and the need to complete runs to unlock weapon traits.
gameplay
91 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
59%
3%
The gameplay is highly praised for its fun and addictive mechanics, drawing strong comparisons to Hades with its engaging combat and unique features like the rivals system, which adds depth and competition. While the core gameplay loop is satisfying and polished, some players feel it lacks long-term replayability and may become repetitive after a short time. Overall, it offers a solid experience for roguelite fans, though it may not fully stand out in the genre.
“Fun gameplay, addicting power-ups, and the need for 'just one more run' is really high for this game.”
“The gameplay loop feels nice, the combat is fantastic, switching from melee to guns and back with ease, plus it has decent rumble support which helps it feel more alive.”
“I love the rivals system they've implemented where an AI rival adds traps to rooms to hinder your progress, such as gas pipes you have to disable or shields to enemies, etc. It's a really interesting mechanic that adds depth.”
“Awful mechanic, easy uninstall.”
“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.”
“Redacted makes a strong first impression thanks to great production values across the board, but it feels like the gameplay is missing something.”
graphics
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
34%
6%
The graphics are widely praised for their stunning comic book art style, featuring vibrant colors and flashy effects that enhance the overall experience. Many reviewers highlight the unique visual touches and polished finish, comparing the visuals to a blend of various popular games while appreciating the humor and personality infused into the art. Despite some mixed feelings about the over-the-top nature of the style, the consensus is that the graphics significantly elevate the game's appeal.
“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.”
“The graphics are beautiful to look at, like a comic book kind of style.”
“I also hate the art style for the same reasons I listed above.”
“Graphics look [spoiler]redacted[/spoiler] come on.”
“[Ranged combat is eventually satisfying and frenetic, tangible short- and long-term progression, rivals introduce another compelling random element, the vibrant comic book art style is a visual delight].”
music
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
44%
9%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its energetic rock and punk rock soundtracks, which enhance the fast-paced gameplay and vibrant art style. Many reviewers noted the dynamic and fresh quality of the music, comparing it favorably to titles like Hades and Hi-Fi Rush, while some mentioned minor repetitiveness. Overall, the soundtrack is described as a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's unique atmosphere and engaging experience.
“The soundtrack is amazing and fresh, the dialogue is nice and not cringe.”
“Love the music, love the art style, feels like a mix of Hades, Hi-Fi Rush, and zombie sci-fi.”
“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 '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.”
humor
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
90%
10%
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with many players finding the dialogue and character interactions genuinely hilarious, reminiscent of titles like Borderlands. While some jokes may feel dated or overdone, the overall comedic tone, combined with a unique art style and engaging voice acting, adds significant personality to the experience. However, the humor's effectiveness can vary, with some players noting a slow start and a reliance on references that may not resonate with everyone.
“Lastly, the dialogue is hilarious as the cherry on top.”
“A fun roguelite action game with a decent infusion of humor.”
“Fun combat and hilarious dialogue, but has a difficult learning curve.”
“Not playing a game like this for the story anyway, but it does take away from the fun when you're metaphorically jabbed in the ribs every two seconds by someone telling an unfunny joke.”
“As annoying as it was to hear the voice of a mysterious observer mocking me with unfunny quips for getting hit or dying, the fact that he slowly changes his tune as the run progresses and he gains some confidence in you is actually pretty cool.”
story
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
55%
17%
The story in [b]redacted[/b] is minimal and often criticized for its poor writing, particularly regarding the dialogue of non-playable characters, which detracts from the overall experience. While some characters are charming and well-designed, the game prioritizes gameplay over narrative, making it less engaging for those who appreciate story-driven experiences like in Hades. Overall, the game is recommended for fans of the roguelite genre, but those seeking a rich narrative may be disappointed.
“Nice story works great on deck.”
“Great graphics, good story and dialogue.”
“Great tie-in story to Callisto Protocol with a focus on challenging action gameplay and roguelike mechanics as opposed to survival horror.”
“Pretty bad writing with its speaking characters (which the player is not), particularly with the shadowy figure who follows you throughout as a sort of semi-narrator for your journey. The other characters, although decently charming and having pretty good character design, are not enough to save the lack of story. Luckily, this game isn't story-heavy like Hades, where you can chat with NPCs, so if you can, you just ignore what the characters are saying.”
“Also barely any story in the game.”
“Storywise, this one lags behind by some degree and lacks the charm of Hades. Other than that, it's highly recommendable if you're a fan of the roguelite genre.”
replayability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it highly enjoyable with satisfying meta progression and a variety of weapons that enhance replay value, others feel it lacks longevity and can lead to burnout after a short playtime. Suggestions for improvement include introducing different boss options to further enhance replayability. Overall, opinions vary significantly among players.
“Loving this game so far, it's got so much personality and is very replayable.”
“Extremely fun game, very replayable, combat is so satisfying.”
“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.”
“The game has very satisfying meta progression, and a good variety of weapons/upgrades that help to keep replayability high.”
optimization
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
27%
18%
Overall, the optimization of the game is highly praised, with users reporting fantastic performance, smooth gameplay, and no crashes or bugs. Many commend the developers for achieving such a high level of polish, especially for a game built on Unreal Engine. However, there are some mixed feelings regarding controls, particularly for keyboard and mouse users.
“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).”
“And I'm surprised how well optimized it is for a UE game.”
“Performance is fantastic.”
“Performance is [spoiler]redacted[/spoiler] are you kidding me”
“Maybe [redacted] is not optimized for keyboard and mouse, or perhaps I suck at roguelikes, but I am not having a great time playing this game.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game is seen as a double-edged sword; while some players appreciate the fun combat and challenging resource farming, others find the progression tedious and overly grindy compared to similar titles like Hades. The need to unlock enjoyable weapons and the repetitive nature of tasks can detract from the overall experience for some players.
“I don't think it's objectively bad, but some may find it to be far too tedious.”
“It is more grindy than Hades in its progression without the added story bits that Hades gives you for your grind (nectar).”
“It takes a while to unlock any enjoyable weapons; melee combat is unremarkable, and the hunt for passcodes quickly grows tedious.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game generally runs well and is visually impressive, but users have reported occasional freezing issues that can result in lost progression.
“And it looks epic and runs great!”
“The game freezes (for the first time since I've started playing) and I lose all progression.”
character development
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
Character development in the game is criticized for its poor writing, particularly regarding the semi-narrator and speaking characters, which detracts from the overall experience. While some characters possess charming designs, the lack of depth in their development and storytelling is evident, especially when compared to more narrative-driven games like Hades. Players can largely overlook the dialogue, as the game is not heavily focused on story.
“The character development and story aren't near the same level as Hades, but it's clear that was no accident.”
“The characters feel one-dimensional and lack the depth needed to make their journeys engaging.”
“I found the character arcs predictable and uninspired, making it hard to connect with them.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game initially raised concerns about being a cash grab; however, players found the experience to be enjoyable and well worth the investment, indicating a positive reception overall.