From its opening moments, Relooted doesn’t just ask you to play a heist game – it asks you to feel purpose. In place of high-tech mercenaries or slick cinematic cutscenes, Nyamakop’s Africanfuturist 2.5D puzzle platformer centers on Nomali and her eclectic crew of everyday Africans – a hacker, an acrobat, a thoughtful grandmother and others – united by a mission that feels bigger than any single score. Their goal isn’t cash or fame, but to reclaim more than seventy real-world artifacts taken from their homelands and locked away in Western institutions, turning the act of thievery into a kind of resistance and cultural restitution.
Narratively, Relooted is both ambitious and uneven. On the one hand, the choice to anchor its heists in the context of colonial looting and repatriation gives it a resonance rarely seen in indie games: every recovered mask or statuary piece carries a bit of real-world history and meaning, briefly contextualized before you set foot inside its museum vault. This commitment to theme helps the story transcend typical heist fare and fosters genuine empathy for its characters and their cause.
Yet this strength is also a narrative weakness: not all characters land with equal nuance, and some dialogue slips into stereotype or feels like framework rather than fully developed arcs. Despite a strong premise, moments that should deepen emotional impact – especially those involving Nomali’s younger brother – sometimes feel lighter than the game’s own lofty goals. The uneven writing occasionally makes the story feel more like thematic scaffolding than emotional core, even as it rewards players who care about the subject matter.
Those narrative threads are woven into a gameplay loop that is, at its core, thoughtful and cerebral. Each mission unfolds in three clear acts: reconnaissance, setup, and execution. You explore layouts, assess security blind spots, place crew members and plan an escape route – quirks, traps and all – before finally snatching the artifact and sprinting for freedom. The satisfaction of watching a plan unfurl perfectly can be immense – a triumphant blend of strategy, timing, and spatial logic – and it rewards players who invest in preparation over reflexive twitch reactions.
However, that same structure is a double-edged sword. The heavy reliance on setup over improvisation means gameplay can feel repetitive after a dozen or more heists, especially when core mechanics don’t evolve dramatically over time. The automatic nature of Nomali’s parkour sometimes gives players a sense of limited agency: the platforming loop is designed to flow, but it occasionally interferes with precision or player intent, and certain movement mechanics can feel inconsistent or clunky.
This tension carries into the game’s controls and technical performance on Xbox. Many players will appreciate the intuitive button mapping and the way Nomali’s momentum feels rewarding once you’ve internalized the pacing. Yet there are bouts of inconsistency – whether misreads on wall jumps, odd cooperative partner behavior, or momentary glitches during escape sequences – that can drag promising runs down. These aren’t catastrophic, but they are noticeable, especially when a perfect heist hinges on split-second execution.
Visually, Relooted is distinctive, if not technically cutting edge. Environments pop with color and creative design, conjuring a future where Johannesburg’s urban sprawl meets cyberpunk sensibilities. Characters and objects are stylistically expressive, helping each museum locale feel unique, though some animations and facial work lack polish, reminding you this is very much an indie title with budget constraints.
Contributing to the game’s identity is its soundtrack, a rich fusion of electronic and African-inspired rhythms that underscores both planning and execution phases with equal vigor. Sound design builds tension beautifully once alarms blare, and Nomali’s voice acting – confident and clear – helps anchor otherwise brief cutscenes, though secondary performances vary in quality.
Ultimately, Relooted is a rare indie standout: a heist game that isn’t content to merely thrill, but challenges you to reflect on history, ownership, and justice. While its pacing can lag and its mechanics aren’t always impeccable, the joy of orchestrating a clean getaway, the vibrant world it paints, and the boldness of its premise make it well worth experiencing – especially on a console, where it feels well at home.
Score: 7.2/10
Press Play Media 