Experience the World Through a Cat’s Eyes: Stray Game Review

Stray is an action-adventure game developed by BlueTwelve Studio and published by Annapurna Interactive. The game follows a stray cat who finds itself in a mysterious neon-lit city filled with robots, and the player must help the cat navigate through various challenges to uncover the secrets of the city.

BluTwelve Studio was born out of two ex employees from Ubisoft, Koola and Viv, who started their Stray project as a blog, which got the attention of one of the most important video game publishers, Annapurna, known for publishing awesome games. Ultimately, with the help of Annapurna, BluTwelve Studio was born and along with it, one of the most interesting indie games in recent history, the Stray game.

What makes this game such an interesting concept? One of the most unique features of Stray is the ability to play as a cat, which brings a different perspective to the game world. As we know, cats have been loyal pets for centuries, even Egyptians had a special spot for our feline friends, so having a game where you control one of the most popular human companions, is no surprise it would become so popular with audiences

In terms of gameplay, Stray features a mix of exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat, all of which seem well-integrated into the game’s story and world. The cat’s abilities, such as its agility and ability to interact with certain objects in the environment, add another layer of depth to the gameplay.

Along the way, the unnamed cat will encounter both friends and enemies. As you explore the intriguing underground city, you’ll get to know its residents; a population of robots who apparently were left behind from their ancestors, the humans. Being created by humans, the robots retain their memories and try to live as their human counterparts. The game’s story has been noted for its interesting and thought-provoking themes, such as the relationship between humans and robots, and the idea of what it means to be alive.

I think that this is what makes it one of the standout features of Stray, the game’s world-building and storytelling. The city is filled with interesting characters and lore that players can discover through exploration and interactions with NPCs. The story itself is thought-provoking and raises questions about the nature of consciousness and the relationship between humans and machines.

The cat’s main companion is another small, portable robot, with a mysterious past, trying to escape to the surface to reconnect with its own lost memories. The game’s art style is also visually stunning, with a neon-lit cyberpunk-inspired city that feels immersive and alive. Even though levels are fairly linear, there is also a big deal of exploration, thanks to the cat’s small size, we can reach small corners and tall roofs and discover this world that feels very much alive.

Combat in “Stray” is relatively straightforward, with the cat using its claws and other abilities to take down enemy robots. The combat is not particularly difficult, but it does add some variety to the gameplay and helps break up the exploration and puzzle-solving sections. The most thrilling moments are when the cat has to escape the tiny matter-eating creatures that plague the game, but add a sense of adventure, every time we have to evade the little enemies.

The cat has a variety of abilities that allow players to interact with the environment and overcome obstacles. For example, the cat can climb, jump, and balance on narrow surfaces, and can interact with objects in the environment to solve puzzles and progress through the game.

Overall, if you enjoy exploration-based games with a unique premise and a well-realized world, the Stray game is definitely worth playing, especially if you are in love with cats, being able to step into the shoes of our favorite pet gives a lot more entertainment and can appreciate the game even more.