Colonial Injustice, Cyberpunk Heists, and the Africanfuturist Fantasy That Is Relooted

Colonialism isn’t just about flags and borders—it’s a centuries-long heist, a systematic erasure of culture, and a brazen theft of humanity’s most treasured artifacts. Today, museums in former colonial powers still proudly display looted treasures under the guise of “preservation.” The British Museum clings to the Rosetta Stone, the Benin Bronzes, and Ethiopia’s Maqdala treasures, despite decades of diplomatic pleas for their return. For many African nations, patience has run thin—and in Relooted, that frustration explodes into a righteous, adrenaline-fueled fantasy of reclamation.

Developed by South African studio Nyamakop, Relooted is a 2.5D heist-’em-up platformer that flips the script on colonial theft. You play as Nomali, a world-class parkour athlete from Johannesburg, leading a ragtag crew of thieves from across Africa. Their mission? Steal back the artifacts stolen from their homelands and anonymously return them to the Museum of Black Civilisations in Senegal—a real institution, not just a narrative flourish.

Each mission is a cerebral puzzle of planning and execution. Before the alarm sounds, you must scout the level, identify robot guards, exits, and additional loot, then coordinate your team’s unique skills—lockpicking, acrobatics, hacking—to pull off the perfect heist. The real thrill comes in the getaway: once the artifact is snatched, you must execute a flawless escape route, dodging drones and avoiding capture. It’s part Ocean’s Eleven, part Mirror’s Edge, and all righteous fury.

The game’s Africanfuturist lens reframes the Global North as cyberpunk playgrounds—the US is “the Shiny Place,” a neon-drenched hybrid of Las Vegas and New York, while European mansions loom in rain-slicked, gothic gloom. Stages are tight, usually lasting five to ten minutes, demanding precision and replayability. While the graphics lean toward dated Pixar-style animation with stiff character faces, the parkour animations are fluid, the colors are vibrant, and the soundtrack—a fusion of electronic beats and traditional African instruments—elevates every chase and stealth sequence.

Relooted is more than a game; it’s a history lesson wrapped in righteous rage. Did you know the modern Republic of Benin and the historical Kingdom of Benin (now in Nigeria) are distinct? Or that the legendary masks of the Kingdom of Benin were looted by British forces and never returned? The game’s mission briefings drop these truths like bombs, grounding its fantasy in the grim reality of colonial plunder.

For me, as a South African whose ancestors endured British colonization, Relooted is deeply personal. It’s a cathartic outlet for the anger at centuries of theft and exploitation—a reminder that Africa’s wealth wasn’t just material but cultural, intellectual, and spiritual. One study estimates Africa lost $152 trillion to colonization between 1960 and 2010. Imagine where the continent would be today without that theft.

Relooted doesn’t just entertain—it educates, empowers, and enrages. It’s a call to remember the past, celebrate Africa’s resilience, and dream of a future where justice isn’t just a fantasy. If you’ve ever wanted to feel the thrill of reclaiming what was stolen, this is your game.

Relooted is available now on Xbox and PC.

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