Stray

The Dystopian Cat Simulator We Never Knew We Needed

Set in a post-apocalyptic city where humans no longer exist, Stray puts players in control of an adorable orange cat trying to find its way home after being separated from its fellow felines. With an amazing attention to detail and love put into the model and animation of the little protagonist, Stray offers moments of wholesome respite amid insane chases and navigation puzzles.

While I certainly anticipated enjoying Stray ever since it was first initially teased, I admittedly didn’t realize just how much I would enjoy it. Playing as the small little Stray puts players into a character perspective that we don’t often get to experience with our small orange friend, and the work that went into crafting the navigation and puzzles to progress the game in respect to the fact that the character solving them would be a cat definitely means you have to change your mindset just a little. Whether it be uncovering a panel by clawing at it like a scratching post, or running across a keyboard to insert gibberish, every puzzle and interaction makes you consider how a cat would interact with the objects involved.

The thing that caught me most off guard was just how often I was having to direct the cat protagonist through chases. However, this was far from a bad thing as it helped maintain a natural rhythm to the game’s pacing and give moments of actual tension amid what is an altogether pretty calm and relaxing experience. This was also another item where I have to give props to the developers at BlueTwelve Studio. Chases can often feel like some of the most frustrating parts of any video game, from bugs to lack of clarity on where it’s safe to run. In Stray, I didn’t run into any of this frustration though. Even on occasions when I had to take a moment to consider where I needed to go or what to do to unlock the progress before me, BlueTwelve made spaces where I could loop around enemies and actually take that moment as needed.

All in all, Stray provides a story that is heartfelt and enjoyable, with an attention to detail that shows just how much care BlueTwelve Studio put into their game. Be sure to try and find all the nap spots and collect all the pins, when you pick up this little kitty’s tale for yourself.