I’ve recently started playing a video game named ‘Stray.’ This game is very different from most games I’ve played, and if there was one thing I would say about this game it would be that it is unique and wholesome. 

The game came out in 2022 and has had major success, winning the PlayStation Game of the Year, Best Independent Game, and Best Debut Indie Game selling over 2 million copies since its release. 

The gameplay is structured in the 3rd person point of view following an orange tabby cat that has fallen into a walled cybercity with no access to the outside world.

Living among the city are robots and mutant bacteria that attack anything that moves. The tabby cat befriends a robot called B12 and they set out on an adventure together to finally escape the city. 

‘Stray’ is shorter than most games created nowadays. It took me four to five hours to complete but I believe it’s possible to complete within two hours. The length of the game is one thing that the creators could improve upon because I think it ended too soon and, honestly, I am hoping for a sequel to the game. 

Like I said before, the storyline is one-of-a-kind and fantastic yet at the same time simple and emotional. As the orange tabby cat you get to meet others, explore, and learn about the world around you in an immersive way. The game is about the world you get to explore rather than just playing as a cat. Another edit the creators should make is the addition of more side quests, this can help make the game longer as well. 

What the gameplay lacked in combat it seemed to make up for in parkour. The parkour is simple yet complex, it is easy to move around and traverse the world and you will most likely encounter puzzles along the way that are challenging but are able to be solved without too much effort. 

 A form of the mutant bacteria is called, “The Zurks,” which are small mutants with mouths that chase and grab onto the cat so you have to run away but, the cat lacks self defense and it is difficult to kill the mutants unless it is during a specific segment of the game. 

If you are a gamer that is into combat-heavy games, I would not recommend this game. As a cat owner, the cat characteristics implemented in the game are on point with how an orange tabby moves, randomly cleans itself, claws furniture and other objects, drinks water, and in general just messes things up. You don’t have to be a cat lover to play this game but I would recommend it to any cat loving gamers. 

Overall, the atmosphere and environment of the game is immersive and captivating. The cybercity is mostly dark but the aesthetic of the neon lights and the abandoned buildings tie it all together and make everything really pretty to look at. The style of the buildings, and interiors are amazing and fit the world well. 

You can tell that this story did require worldbuilding and I think they did a great job at letting you get to know their creation. I think this game is ‘purrfection,’ with a few flaws like all games.

The price of the game is around twenty to thirty dollars and is on most platforms, including PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. 

Trailer Link: