Disney once sang that “everybody, everybody wants to be a cat”, and now we finally can in a video game called Stray. This game is by far the game where you can be the most “cat you’ve ever been, who knows where it’s at”…
On the surface Stray is a cat simulator where you scratch on things, knock down objects just because you can, meow, purr, nap, and gracefully traverse around platforms. There’s even a trophy to nap for an hour, and it’s one of the most chill trophies I’ve ever achieved. The cats movement, gait, sound effects, and behavior accurately mirrors a real cat. It’s almost impossible not to say “awww” every few seconds…
Okay, so maybe you’re not a “cat person” (wtf is wrong with you they’re cute af), and you may be wondering if this game is for you. I would say, probably yes. The game has simple but satisfying puzzles and implements gameplay elements that force you to think like a cat. There’s so many times where I tried to solve a puzzle as a human and failed, then remembered something as simple as being able to crawl under something to get an advantage. The gameplay is chill and simple, thus making Stray a perfect game to complete over a weekend.
It’s really short — which I appreciate — because it didn’t dwell on gameplay mechanics and very quickly moved onto the next thing to keep the pacing refreshing. I love when games don’t bloat the time with repetitive gameplay actions and this game truly respected my time. For instance, Stray introduces a splatter type weapon that wipes out the infected creatures plaguing this world called Zurks. This weapon was introduced and utilized creatively in one chapter and then taken away and allowed the player to move on to the next creative gameplay mechanic.
The most impressive aspect of Stray is the environments. This gorgeous Cyberpunk city influenced by Japan was a delight to explore. The neon lights, claustrophobic alleyways, and wet grounds made for really good screenshot material. Coupling this gorgeous environment is a dope ambient soundtrack. “Everybody is picking up on that feline beat”, because this soundtrack is a bop. Short games don’t bother me especially when a game is included in a service like PlayStation Extra. If you have that service, why not give it a try? The only flaw to this shorter experience is it made certain story beats feel unexplored.
The premise: You play as a Stray cat who got separated from his cat family as he falls into this underground city. As he tries to find his way back outside, he meets a colony of robots who adopted the behaviors of their human masters who have gone extinct. Now the robots live as if they were human but there’s this apocalypse where parasites called Zurks are eating everything and everyone, including robots. These robots aim to get out of the city and to the outside, and somehow this cat is the hero of this story.
There’s some really cool philosophical dialogue among the robots that reminded me of some themes in Nier: Automata but not nearly as deep. The cat gains a bond with these robots and there’s truly some heartfelt moments, but I didn’t get the closure I wanted with the cats family. I’m hoping they’re leaving this for a sequel which seems immanent at this point. With a more than serviceable story, overall Stray is a very chill cat exploration.
4/5 Kitty Whiskeys.
-Dee Assassina