Stray Review

Not pur-fection, but I'm feline fine.

As I lay on a pillow, curled up into a ball, a robot strums an incomprehensibly horrid tune next to me. But this stray is comfortable all the same. I arise from my rest, stretching and then making my way to a nearby doorway to sharpen my claws. Next thing you know, I am climbing conspicuously arranged air conditioners and building fans all the way to the top of a nearby abode, where I then sit neatly within a bucket on a long zipline. Suddenly, I am in a sludge-filled arena with dozens of strange creatures who are scrambling to devour me. Sprinting and weaving between dividers, jumping over railings, and scrambling beneath the pipes, I make my escape — just in time to pull a nearby lever and complete my mission. Such is the life of a stray cat in this world.

Publisher: Annapurna Interactive

Developer: BlueTwelve Studio

Platform: Played on PC (Steam)

Availability: Released on July 19, 2022 for PS4, PS5, and Windows PC; August 10, 2023 for Xbox one and Series X/S; November 19, 2024 for Nintendo Switch.

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Stray is ostensibly a game about being a cat. Just a regular cat, though — no powers or special abilities; only carrying a little bot who assists you. Slinking and pawing your way through the world as you climb through the neon-lit streets of Dead City, the game nails all of the mannerisms, sounds, and animations of a typical cat. Purrs and meows are cute as heck, while ear twitches and sleeping animations feel so familiar I couldn’t help but draw comparisons to my own orange cat, Cheddar. Each little quirk and tic from the unnamed cat drew a smile from me, and I ended up calling the game a “Cheddar Simulator” when talking to my wife. I often imagined the little demon resting in my lap scurrying about a city and causing trouble in a similar way.

The camera is a big part of making that work well. In keeping low and close, you see the world from the perspective of a cat, even if the actual view is not first person. The robots and environs tower over you, creating a daunting landscape that you must navigate as such a small creature. There are some issues that come with such a tight camera, of course. Narrow rooms or pathways make viewing the scenery with any sort of clarity a major struggle, and in really cramped spaces, the camera can move erratically. Most of the time, it’s not much of an issue, but those who struggle with motion sickness may find themselves grappling with it — I know I did. That perspective helps frame the narrative, as well. As you follow the story, the events become much bigger than yourself or any one character, crafting a heartwarming and moving tale in a bleak world.

Gameplay revolves around exploring the walled cyberpunk city via platforming elements, and solving puzzles to enter new areas or unlock secrets. The puzzles are far too easy to call this a puzzle game by any metric, but they are engaging enough to keep things moving. Those light puzzles do serve as another reminder of just how cute your cat is, though. Mischievously knocking paint cans down onto unsuspecting citizens or carrying objects in your mouth as you trot away from your unsuspecting victims, this curious cat is just a joy to play. You can also talk to the robot citizens to learn more about them and the world, and there are a small number of collectibles to gather in your time here. Those small activities can really help flesh out the world around you, which then deepens your connection to both the world and those same characters.

Neon-lit streets give way to desolate landscapes for your little orange avatar to navigate.

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Those characters are the heart of the story, in many ways. Each robot wears their emotions in quite an explicit way by showing their feelings through emoticons on their faces (screens, really). The animation work here is excellent, as well. The bots have very expressive movements and distinct body language that help the player understand the vibe of the text during the conversations. They’ve also built a living society full of love, fear, loneliness, and hope — much like our own hellscape. While I’m not sure the rabbit hole goes particularly far down, the game uses these moments to explore themes about the relationships we have with each other and our environment, and calls into question what we would do to build a better world for those who come after, even if we don’t live to see the fruits of our labors.

While the moment to moment gameplay of solving puzzles and running through the streets is serviceable, I find Stray’s biggest strengths to be the way it uses every element of its gameplay to elevate the basic premise of playing as a cat. From the way the world is put together to the camera angles and minor activities — each aspect serves a purpose. Stray never overstays its welcome, either. With chapters moving at a brisk pace, and collectibles being kept to a very manageable number, I never got the sense that I was stuck in one place for too long. After all, we know orange cats aren’t very good at sitting still.

Verdict

Stray is a lovely platforming adventure game that sees you playing as a cat in a somewhat dark, but ultimately hopeful world. Much of the gameplay revolves around exploring your surroundings or solving puzzles, but the real highlight is just how well it nails its animations and tone. Playing as a cat is such a joy thanks to all of the little inconsequential ways the game lets you do it, like scratching up carpets or knocking objects down from counters. I was fond of the story, as well, and would love to see more from this team in the future.

Image Credits: Taylor Rioux