Stray Reviews
Best of all though is the experience of playing as our cat hero. In that regard, Stray really is a game like no other. And the team at BlueTwelve Studio have done a tremendous job at realising the feline fantasy. Even though it’s disappointingly short, Stray is a must-play game this summer.
Stray is just infectious. At one moment, fun and silly, in another, heartbreaking and emotionally engaging But all throughout it is a game where you truly sit back and marvel at its animation. Where you applaud its design and narrative implementation. Stray is like nothing else out there, and yet it’s also a game you’ll feel right at home with. A truly special title that will hold a place in my heart for years to come.
Stray is an adventure with a simple but effective story, a varied and well-paced development, and a cat as the protagonist, what more could you ask for? In addition, the cyberpunk setting is perfectly represented and visually the BlueTwelve Studio game is remarkable. We have no excuse not to accompany our beloved feline on his journey through the abandoned city in search of the exit to the outside.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
Without being particularly long, Stray manages to captivate me with its gameplay, scenarios, dialogues and exploration. It's fun, emotional, thoughtful and with constant surprises. Perhaps it could have done with less linear areas but it is, without a doubt, one of the great games of 2022.
Review in Spanish | Read full review
This is a game I didn’t know I needed to play until I did. I have even watched a few streamers play it, just to see if they were as entranced as I was. Please don’t discredit the story. It is quite tragic, but it’s wholesome once you start to uncover the truth. It’s a lot more in-depth than I initially thought it would be and definitely worth the playthrough. Everyone should play this, and even though personally it will not be my pick for game of the year, there are so many other aspects of the game that are award-worthy, and they are well earned.
Even with these issues, though, Stray is undoubtedly one of my favorite gaming experiences of the year. The freedom of exploration offered by the novel protagonist, the dense world-building, and the atmospheric sound design all coalesced to provide an emotionally-moving and poignant game that I still can’t stop thinking about. I have a couple trophies left to get, but even if I didn’t, I’d still boot up the game just to walk around the city, drink in the sights and sounds, and find a comfortable place to catnap so I could listen to the stray purr contentedly. Despite its short length and some technical issues, Stray is definitely going into my list of impactful games and I’m really happy I had the chance to play it.
In Stray you are not a human or a monster, but a cute cat. Move in a humanless world in which you as a cat have to find your way back to your friends. Stray is breathtakingly beautiful and you will be amazed at how cute this game is. There could have been just a little more in it, for example by being able to change the appearance of your cat itself to your own cat, for example. Nevertheless, Stray is a fantastic game and well worth playing. If only because of that magical feeling that you play as a cat.
Review in Dutch | Read full review
Long story short: it's worth digging your claws into BlueTwelve's debut hit.
Stray is simply divine. It's indie games like this that can rival the quality and sheer joy of playing of AAA games ten times the budget. The game is everything I had hoped for and then some. In the future whenever I'm thinking back to my 2022 gaming year, Stray is going to stand out as one of the year's highest quality games.
While Stray is an extremely short game, it uses its runtime to tell a great story from an extremely unique perspective.
Stray is the perfect game to rest. Be in a trance and let yourself be guided by the path in front of you. The game does not ask its player to put himself in a stressful situation. This is not too much in a world where there are many sources of stress and conflict. The puzzles are relatively easy for young and old alike. Well, we agree that if the game asked us to embody a dog it would be even better. Who knows, maybe the idea is already germinating in the studio's head. For now, we'll just purr and bend our backs. And let's not forget the nap. I like naps.
Review in French | Read full review
It’s been a while since I've been this engrossed in a video game world, but Stray is a journey that wouldn’t have worked if it wasn’t explored through a cat’s perspective. I sucked in as much of the game as I could because it was a joy to do so, and I was left emotionally invested towards the end. Some will be turned off by Stray’s short campaign, but there’s enough here to make the experience feel complete.
You won't find a better representation of a cat in a video game, this stylish narrative adventure innovates strongly overall but feels derivative in others, but Stray is at its best when you're just being a cat roving through this compelling world
Stray is a fantastic exploration game, and the execution of playing as a cat has paid off extremely well. Stray is a solid fit regardless of age, and its low cost is justifiable to the amount of content and enjoyment you get from the game.
It’s a bitter-sweet game with a refreshing lens on the post-apocalyptic trope developers keep milking. What makes it stand out is that it deviates from the crowd that tries to scratch the superficial itch to just wreak havoc in the digital world, it’s a landscape of purrsibilities. So, go ahead; go astray.
There is something very satisfying about a game exceeding your expectations. Amazingly, a simple concept could be delightful. Almost every aspect of Stray is great. An epitome of what an indies game should be. It is a shame that the story was short.
If you were hoping for a truly complete and well-made game, Stray makes no claim to be so. It feels like a perfect summer break, but with obvious flaws on the game design side. It's obviously not for everyone, and perhaps the low price on Steam at launch may tempt you to buy it, but take it as it comes: a nice diversion from the vast amount of games that take you hours and hours of gridning. Tackle it lightly and you won't be disappointed, or at least not entirely.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Stray is a hack, as it takes things the internet endlessly reproduces as memes — cats, cyberpunk aesthetics, lo-fi, vaporwave — and condenses it into a single product that has gotten enough exposure to be intensively commented on by its audience. It is not necessary to do more than the minimum, as it takes advantage of loopholes in the system to succeed in its objective. In this respect, Stray is, without a doubt, an unquestionable success.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Stray is as good a weekend binge as any, even if it failed my little cat-owner heart or made me grimace over rice paddy hats. As a video game, Stray is far from perfect, but as a cat-riding-in-a-bucket simulator, it’s pretty incredible.
Stray is a beautiful platforming adventure with a meaningful story. The characters, environments, exploration, and soundtrack make this game truly stand out, even if the ending leaves more to be desired. Restrictive gameplay keeps Stray from reaching its true potential, but BlueTwelve Studio’s ambition shines through its gorgeous art direction and engaging exploration. Stray is an unforgettable experience and is one of PS5’s best independent titles.