Relooted Review – A Stylish Afrofuturist Heist That Balances Brain and Speed

Introduction

I don’t get to play many single-player heist games these days. I missed the boat on the Sly Cooper era back in the 2000s — I was deep into God of War and Kingdom Hearts at the time — so when Relooted popped up with its Afrofuturist heist premise, I was immediately intrigued.

Set near the end of the 21st century, Relooted imagines a world where a Transatlantic Returns Treaty promised to return African artifacts from Western museums… until a loophole allowed those same museums to quietly pull items from public display to avoid repatriation.

So what do you do when diplomacy fails?

You re-loot them.

Narrative

You play as Nomali, a gifted parkour athlete who carries the weight of her family on her shoulders. She’s tasked with reclaiming 70 real-world African artifacts of cultural, historical, and spiritual significance.

Nomali is easily one of the strongest parts of this experience. Her voice acting is solid, and the warmth she shows toward her family feels genuine. Her playful banter with friends and her very real frustration with her overly confident, always-annoying little brother Trevor feels authentic. When she’s exasperated with him, I felt that. I know that. Trevor never really gets a redemption arc — he’s just annoying. Honestly? That’s real life.

That said, voice acting quality varies. While Nomali and a few supporting characters perform well, others sound stiff and robotic, occasionally pulling you out of otherwise emotional or tense moments.

Narratively, Relooted isn’t overly complex, but it doesn’t need to be. Its premise is bold, culturally grounded, and politically charged without feeling preachy. It’s a strong foundation that gives emotional weight to every artifact you reclaim.

Gameplay

At its core, Relooted is a puzzle-platformer heist game that feels like Assassin’s Creed meets an African Oceans-style caper.

Each level is split into two distinct phases:

The Planning Phase (Puzzle)

Before grabbing the artifact, you carefully navigate museum interiors filled with locked doors, reinforced glass, pressure plates, sensors, and environmental obstacles. You move tables, manipulate shutters, and map out your escape route.

This part leans heavily into puzzle mechanics. It’s methodical. Thoughtful. Slower.

And I’ll be honest — I’m not usually a huge puzzle-centric gamer. But what makes it work here is knowing what comes next.

The Escape Phase (The Thrill)

The moment you grab the artifact, alarms blare and everything shifts gears.

Now you have to run.

Security drones swarm. Timers tick down. And you sprint, slide, climb, swing, and wall-run toward your exit vehicle as fast as possible.

These sequences are where Relooted truly shines. The platforming is snappy and kinetic. Timing button presses for speed boosts makes Nomali feel unstoppable when executed correctly. Hitting a perfect extraction and earning a high grade is incredibly satisfying.

There is some minor jank in movement — especially when gauging jump height and distance — but overall, the sense of urgency and speed carries these moments.

Visuals & Representation

One of the first things that struck me about Relooted is how beautifully it represents Black characters and African culture.

The Afrofuturist art direction is vibrant and confident. The color palettes pop. The UI patterns and interface designs incorporate African-inspired motifs that give the game a strong and distinct identity.

As a Black male gamer, I genuinely appreciate seeing more Afrocentric representation in games. Some studios hit the mark, some miss — but I respect the swing. Representation matters. Seeing African music, cultural humor, character designs, and storytelling centered in a stylish, futuristic setting is refreshing.

This game feels intentional about its identity.

And that matters.

Performance

On Steam Deck LCD, the game runs very well. I played with most settings on High and lowered post-effects, and performance stayed smooth. With LSFR enabled, it felt close to a locked 60 FPS.

On Xbox Series S, performance is equally stable, with no major issues to report.

There’s a bit of movement jank at times, but technically speaking, the game holds up well across platforms.

Pros

Relooted succeeds because it understands contrast. The slower, thoughtful planning phases build tension, and the explosive escape sequences release it in exhilarating bursts of speed. That rhythm makes each successful heist satisfying. Nomali is a strong protagonist whose emotional grounding keeps the experience human, and the cultural representation is vibrant and meaningful without feeling forced.

The Afrofuturist aesthetic gives the game a distinct visual identity, and performance across platforms is solid. Even as someone who isn’t typically drawn to puzzle-heavy experiences, I found myself enjoying this more than expected because of how rewarding the chase sequences feel.

Cons

While the formula works early on, the game begins to feel repetitive in its later hours. You’re still moving tables, navigating shutters, and solving similar environmental layouts deep into the experience. The mechanics don’t evolve significantly, and because of that, the game starts to feel “samey” faster than it should.

It also slightly overstays its welcome. Trimming the experience by about a fourth may have made it tighter and more memorable. There’s always a balance between value for price and pacing, and Relooted leans just a bit too long for its own good.

Voice acting inconsistencies also occasionally break immersion, particularly when secondary characters deliver lines with a robotic cadence.

Overall / Should You Play It?

Relooted is a game I’m glad exists.

It may not stick with me for years, and with the pace I’m playing indies right now, it might not even survive to my year-end memory list — but I’m genuinely glad I played it.

It’s stylish. It’s culturally confident. It offers thrilling escape sequences that elevate what could’ve been a standard puzzle-platformer into something more energetic and memorable.

And to all the review-bomb noise out there? Ignore it. Play the game yourself and decide.

If you’re looking for an 8–12 hour puzzle-platformer heist experience with heart, speed, and strong representation, Relooted is worth your time.