Stray Reviews
Stray is more than just a cat simulator; it's a love letter to cats and cat owners alike. It is an absolute spectacle from beginning to end, with a heart wrenching narrative and enough cat-centric puzzles to have you meowing for more. BlueTwelve Studio did an immaculate job bringing this project to life, immersing you in a dystopian world filled to the brim with mystery, all the while making you truly feel like an adorable feline. We need more games like this in the industry, ones that stand tall on their own and don't bank on the success of their inspirations.
Stray has managed to meet the lofty expectations put upon it once it became known that you would take control of a lone cat within a dystopia punctuated by scores of neon lighting. While some may say that it's hard to miss with a setup like that, what developer BlueTwelve Studio has managed to fashion from the composite parts is something truly special and has us yearning for more.
Despite one or two rough edges, Stray is a very enjoyable adventure. It's fairly straightforward, and gives you lots of opportunity to embody a cat, whether that's rubbing up against a robot's legs, clawing at furniture, or finding cosy places in which to snooze. The narrative doesn't quite reach the emotional hit it's looking for, but it slowly shows its hand throughout, with plenty of interesting details to learn. Pairing a common pet with moody sci-fi has worked well, resulting in a unique, engaging game with strengths that outshine its flaws.
Stray is an average game, a fairy tale about a missing kitten who wants to return to the surface. The scripted parts are also its strongest and most effective narratively, while the open areas feel much less focused. All in all, Stray is a simple, enjoyable game. Great for those looking for a nice adventure and a bit of social criticism.
Review in Italian | Read full review
If you go in purely to see the world in motion and walk through its immense cityscapes, you’ll be delighted by what’s on offer. But if you go in expecting a substantial gaming experience with plenty of input and deep engagement, you may end up disappointed. Falling somewhere in the middle, I can appreciate Stray’s overachieving presentation but wonder what could have been with this setting and this attention to detail had it not centered around a cat with limited room for gameplay systems.
Definitely, 'Stray' manages to captivate from its beginning to its last breath, taking us to a world where secrets are hidden in every corner and unusual relationships take center stage. The brave choice to present the narrative through the eyes of a cat adds a level of immersion and empathy that few games can match. The fusion between futuristic technology and the natural beauty of felines creates a unique and captivating atmosphere that completely immerses you in their history.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
“I’ll hack the machine and you’ll destroy some stuff,” says B-12 at one point in the final act. With that line, the game unintentionally reveals what it thinks of its cat protagonist. Despite being flesh and blood, the cat never needs food, water, or sleep; never hisses in anger at having to undertake a task; never bristles at the sight of a Zurk horde, at least not outside of one cutscene; and, aside from a few seconds of slower-than-usual animation, never seems injured by any major falls. Which is to say that if Stray had made even more room for moments that were alive to what it’s like to be a cat but also feel as one, then it might not have left us with the nagging feeling that the critter at its center is a calculated means to an end.
While playing Stray you can’t help but feeling if some things went differently during the development process then it could have been a great game. Unfortunately, while Stray captures the cat experience very well, it doesn’t score well on any of its core gameplay loops. While fine for a casual experience and not long enough to become annoyingly repetitive, Stray ultimately doesn’t stand on its own four paws as an engaging video game experience.
Stray is a changing adventure in its playful and fascinating proposal thanks to its powerful artistic direction. At the passing of the credits, summing up, one perceives perhaps the main limits of the work: a story steeped in mystery, coherent and exciting with its own scenario, but perhaps not entirely capable of leaving its mark as it should in the finale.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Stray gives us – despite small problems with the controls – the feeling of being a cat like no other game. And what more could you want?
Review in German | Read full review
A great deal of care went into Stray, and the attention to detail and its beautifully crafted world make it a unique, worthwhile experience.
BlueTwelve Studio was able to surprise us with a game that any type of player can try without problems, with intuitive gameplay that fans of independent productions will really like. The only problem is that in the end we are left wanting to have more adventures aside the little Kitty.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Stray is a wonderfully endearing game about humanity in a world without humans, delivering quality feline exploration/adventure, with some passable action thrown in.
For a dystopian narrative, “Stray” isn’t interested in preaching to the player. It doesn’t try to make grand statements about mankind’s hubris or shortsighted innovation. Instead, it walks you through a living, breathing city where robots have molded their own society from the ashes of another, and lets players make of humanity’s self-destruction what they will. And that impression will stick with you long after the game ends.
It's not going to unseat some of the bigger titles of the year, but as a fun and unique experience Stray is the cat's meow.
Stray is a puzzle-platforming adventure game which offers players a one-of-a-kind feline science fiction experience that delights in every way.
Stray is a very good surprise. It is not a simple game where you play as a cat but it's a poetic, touching and exciting adventure.
Review in French | Read full review
Though short, Stray is a delight of a game to experience. Forcing players to make organic progress feels like a genuine achievement, and viewing this world through the unique perspective of a cat gives the story considerable more weight. Stray is a game that you will think about even when you’re not playing it. Like a good book, its world pulls you in and you never want to put it down. It’s nice to see at least one cyberpunk game live up to the hype, eh?