Stray review. Feline cyberpunk for everyone

The cat animations in Stray are so good, it’s like a cat made them – maybe even Ratatouille-style to take advantage of the development team’s opposable thumbs. There are plenty of kittens on this credit list, so it all makes sense.

From the short chirp our nameless feline hero makes as he takes a big leap, to the way he moves between objects and runs along the railing, everything has been thought out and brought to life with meticulous detail.

The advantages of the game

The fact that you’re a cat in a world full of robots fills everything you do with a real sense of wonder. After all, you’re a tiny lost drifter trapped in a locked city long abandoned by humans.

It’s a place built for decades on rubbish, where robots live a rather sad life in makeshift homes. And yet, somehow, it’s also quite beautiful. On PS5, the world of Stray is a stunning place to just exist in, which is odd for a rubbish city.

The ray tracing allows you to see the neon lights reflecting in the accumulated underground water, and you can almost feel the light smog that hangs in the air around you. Stray is able to create an atmosphere quite unlike anything else.

Features

Even though it’s a land of robots, developer BlueTwelve Studio has made sure that every part of it feels accessible. He’s created so many elements that being a cat in this world is very rewarding.

Whether you’re bumping into piano keys, stirring a game of mahjong, typing a set of letters into the computer, knocking paint cans off ledges to slap them onto the pavement below, walking along said paint to leave little paw prints in the street, finding different places to sleep for a nap, or clinging to anything you can. After all, you’re a playful young cat, and that’s exactly what cats do.

This playfulness also extends to how you can communicate with the cat at your command. You can meow on cue by pressing the circle button, which causes the DualSense controller to emit a cry, which is later joined by the purr of a sleeping kitten when a break is taken. It’s a simple but effective way to make players feel connected to the orange striped cat, and it’s truly delightful.

Atmosphere

There’s so much more to Stray Hero than that. Soon into the story – which lasts between 6 and 10 hours, depending on how much you stick your inquisitive nose into every corner – you’re joined by B-12, a tiny drone. It serves as your primary link to the world.

With B-12, you can communicate with the robot civilisation, start conversations and find your way back to the outside world. Through these simple interactions, you’ll push the narrative forward, which is a touching tale of friendship and adversity in equal measure.

While the game’s atmosphere does an excellent job of conveying the city’s story organically, the interactions will push back more of its rusty layers. A conversation with the robots will provide insight into their lives, how humans have ceased to exist and how depressing living conditions can be.