Cat lovers everywhere are boosting the new video game “Stray” as it reaches over 60,000 “overwhelmingly positive” reviews online.
“Stray” allows players to explore a world just like a cat would, with the options to stretch, scratch, meow and be friends with other cats.
“Stray” is a third-person adventure game where the main character is a curious stray cat. The game is striking with details throughout the entire journey. From the beginning where you wander through an industrial world that has been taken back by nature, to the neon-lit alleys that hold feelings in each shop along the way.
The game “Stray” was released on July 19 by developer BlueTwelve Studio, “a small team from the south of France mostly made up of cats and a handful of humans,” according to stray.game, and by publisher Annapurna Interactive.
“Stray” can be played on PC through Windows, Playstation 4 and Playstation 5. It is currently available for $29.99 on Playstation and on Steam for PC.
In the “decaying cybercity and the murky environments of its seedy underbelly,” the player can “roam surroundings high and low, defend against unforeseen threats and solve the mysteries of this unwelcoming place inhabited by curious droids and dangerous creatures,” according to stray.game.
The cat has been separated from its family, left to its own devices to survive in the environment around it.
The “stray cat must untangle an ancient mystery to escape a long-forgotten city.”
On initial purchase of the game, one may think that it’s just a cute cat game where you can run around and do cat things for a few hours.
While that is not completely untrue, the story quickly develops into so much more than just a cat playing around in the grass with its friends – although it is pretty adorable to do all of that in the beginning of the game.
“Stray” allows players to “see the world through the eyes of a cat and interact with the environment in playful ways,” according to stray.game. Players can “be stealthy, nimble, silly, and sometimes as annoying as possible with the strange inhabitants of this mysterious world.”
As the game progresses, the cat meets different characters – each with vastly distinct personalities – with a small flying drone, known as B-12, being one of its closest friends. The duo works together to solve puzzles to finally get out of the environment.
Although “Stray” is not listed as a horror game and is far from it, the missions will guide the player through some incredibly lonely and desolate places that may lead to quick chase scenes like other platforms often have.
One large spoiler that can be given is this: the cat never dies and there is no blood or gore in the game. The only warning this game comes with is that the player will most likely want to adopt a cat after finishing the game.
Apart from the game being a fun way to see how cats act, multiple online fundraising services around the game have helped to raise money for animal shelters and other cat-connected organizations.
“I certainly hope that maybe some people will be inspired to help actual strays in real life,” said Swann Martin-Ragetsa, game producer at BlueTwelve Studios.
If you have the ability to play “Stray,” I highly recommend it to any style of gamer.