Review: Stray, the game

Explore one of your nine lives in this cat simulation.

If you have ever wondered what it is like to be a cat then look no further. Annapurna Interactive's latest release, Stray, is every cat person's dream game. Stray is an adventure video game that follows a stray cat that finds itself in a walled city occupied by robots, machines, and creepy crawlies. Accompanied by a drone called B-12, the stray cat has to navigate through this dystopian city and attempt to discover the mystery of the "Outsiders" and finish what they started. Check out the trailer below to catch a glimpse of some gameplay. Obviously, there are some spoilers ahead.

From the moment the game began I knew it was going to be wholesome. You start as as the adorable, unnamed orange cat playing and walking alongside your other feline pals until a mistaken leap sends you plummeting into the sewers leading you into a cyberpunk, dystopian city no longer inhabited by human life. You instantly care for the cat from this moment. I can easily say that I definitely wasn't the only one to go "NOOOO!" when the cat fell into the unknown. The game felt a bit lonely and quiet until you are paired up with your drone companion, B-12, who is able to translate the robot language and aids you by giving context to the strange city through their memories that are acquired along the adventure.

It is clear to see that the developers of Stray really cared about the authenticity of the cat protagonist. The movements, mannerisms, and quirks that we would expect from a cat were extremely evident. I was smashing the circle button every few minutes just to hear the cat meow and chirp because it genuinely warmed my heart. To see the cat get stuck in paper bags or freeze and roll after wearing B-12's harness for the first time were some of the best parts of this character. It is the little details that were included that made the cat so lovable and the game more enjoyable. Visually, Stray was such a stunning game. They really hit the nail on the head with executing the cyberpunk fantasy of the dark and neon walled city. The creativity behind the visuals and the interesting and futuristic soundtrack to match really complimented the game perfectly. When playing a video game, you want to be transported to the world in front of you and Stray definitely has that effect on you.

Stray isn't necessarily a hard game considering you have infinite lives and there isn't too much damage that can be inflicted on you besides from your enemies. The action scenes are when you have to escape laser shooting robot cops, Sentinels, or the Witchetty grub-type bugs, Zurks, that travel in packs and will essentially suck the life out of you if you don't get away or blast them. As it is repeated numerous times in the game, as a cat your best superpower is that you are swift and agile so you will spend most of the game evading your enemies rather than defeating them. If you love combat in your games, this element of Stray will not be very exciting for you. Especially if you are impatient like me and hate having to slowly creep around your enemies when you'd rather go on the heavy offense.

The stray cat and B-12 run from Zurks, Stray (2022)

The storyline of Stray was nice and had some tender moments, but I didn't really resonate with robots, I am not sure if this is because they were not human or that they lacked any exciting personality traits. With majority of the story told by those who were apart of the "Outsiders" when I had to move onto another member of the group and leave one behind, I was like "ok, bye" and did not miss the character once they were off screen. They felt like more of a crutch to the cat's ability to continue to the outside world rather than a deep, individual character. I didn't even really bother to talk with the NPC's unless I had to because the dialogue was uninteresting. When B-12 discovered that they were once human and then eventually sacrificed themself for the "Outsiders" cause I was a little bit sad but I predicted that it would go this way. I wish the ending saw the stray finding the other cats from the beginning and actually venturing into the outside world but we were robbed of this, which was a big disappointment. I had emotionally connected with the cat and wanted to see this reunion more than anything. This ending would've rectified my disappointment with the other aspects of the game, so it was definitely a missed opportunity.

Overall, Stray was good but not great. I would love to see a second part to this game that goes more into the depth of this post-human world and that focuses more on the cat's backstory than the robots. For about six hours of gameplay and a forty-dollar price tag I don't think it was entirely worth the purchase considering there are many incredible games out there with around fifty hours of gameplay for just double the price. I wouldn't recommend this game to every gamer. If you love simulation games, appreciate creative development, or are even just a cat lover, I think you would enjoy Stray. Otherwise, I wouldn't rush to play this one because I will not be rushing to play it again any time soon.