Table of Contents
Intro
Recently, I got myself a PlayStation Plus Extra subscription which include quite some games (about 300). Stray is one of them. It’s not a game I would normally spend my money on, but after completing the story I’m glad I got to play it.
Meow
Stray is a third-person action adventure game. Or actually: a third-cat action adventure game. What differentiates this game from other action adventures is that you’re playing as a cat. A stray cat, that is.
Story
In the beginning of the game, you get separated from your cat friends. You find a talking drone robot who has lost his memory. He’ll guide you back to the surface if you help him regain his memories.
The journey starts in a cyberpunk city devoid of human life. In the absence of humanity, robots have developed themselves and formed a society. They are the key to progressing in the story.
Gameplay
The story is told through multiple chapters. Each chapter is played in a semi-open area. It’s actually a lot like Uncharted: you explore, solve some puzzles and shoot or run from some baddies.
As you’re a cat, exploration is largely done vertically. This means you’re jumping and climbing everything you can. Often, when you’re stuck, the solution is somewhere above you.
The baddies are mutated rats which devour everything they encounter, including cats. Luckily, you have a drone buddy who helps you counter these pests.
Controls
Being a cat has some disadvantages. You can’t speak, yield a weapon or even pick up things. This is where your drone buddy comes into play. He’ll speak for you, stores any found items and sometimes acts as a weapon.
Climbing and balancing, on contrary, are second nature to a cat. And because you’re small, you have a pretty large playground. You don’t have infinite freedom, however, as you’re only allowed to climb what the developers find necessary. If no button prompt appears at a ledge, you can’t climb it.
Speaking of the developers (BlueTwelve Studio), it’s clearly visible they have done their homework on cat-behavior. Right from the start of the game, you’re able to do what cats do the most: wreck stuff. Put your claws in everything you find and throw every loose object from shelves and ledges just because you can. If you find a nice spot to chill, you can curl up in a ball and take a nap after which the purring will start to sound from your controller’s speaker.
Conclusion
Stray isn’t a very long game, but the uniqueness of playing as a cat combined with the good story makes this game a must-play.
Stray
Pros
- You're a cat
- Unique story
- Well designed world
Cons
- Movements feels restricted sometimes
- Story on the short side + weird ending
