Stray Reviews
Stray is a wonderful exercise in organic worldbuilding with enough heart to hold its own against the best of this year. Despite having no people in it, Stray is one of the most human games I've played this year.
While I didn’t have a good impression of Stray in its first hour, the succeeding adventure won me back with its interesting story and lore. If they did away with the button prompts and the curated cat activities, the exploration and experimentation by the player could really stand out, allowing for a more organic experience. Stray really comes alive once B12 has been introduced and then the world fully comes into view. B12 and the cat’s dynamic completed the game and really opens up the world, introducing the culture and society of the Companions. In a world that’s devoid of humanity, these AIs really capture what it is like being human, warts and all. For a game that’s about the end of humanity, it is actually quite hopeful and bittersweet. This year alone, most of the games I’ve reviewed dealt with a post-apocalyptic scenario with varying levels of bleakness. Stray stands out from the clowder, so don’t let its limitations lead you astray.
Stray has a great world and it is superb that the everyday life and actions of a cat is key to success here. The game could be much more wholesome than it is, however. And as a wholesome game, I would've like it more. Fighting and stealth passages are the weakest in the game.
Review in German | Read full review
Stray is a brilliant but short experience that leaves a good taste in one’s mouth. Though the story itself is not the most enticing part, Stray is fun and cute in many more ways. The gameplay, the level design, the characters, and the world are intriguing enough to keep playing and wanting more. It is wholesome, and the main character is a cat! What more can a person want?
Stray is a lovely, thought provoking experience that nails the feeling of being a cat.
Stray is more than a cute cat Simulator, bolsting an interesting narrative and a world that's great to explore, although some finicky platforming holds it back from feeling fully realized.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
Despite having an interesting theme, Stray fails to be a good game. It's fun, particularly during the exploration periods when you can observe the neon-lit world through the eyes of a cat and scale skyscrapers and other seemingly unreachable locations. It falls flat when it tries to use exciting action to excuse the fact that it is a video game; the fighting is as uninspiring as it is pointless. It may be brief, but there is no compelling reason for it to be expanded upon.
A tribute to the true cat lovers. Any gamer who loves cats is bound to fall in love with the great details of the cat looking just like real ones. But when you turn the eyes to where cats do not exist, you will face simple, linear game structure made out of monotonous puzzle and short volume.
Review in Korean | Read full review
Despite this, Stray has charm to spare and a wonderful world well worth exploring. It would have been nice to have a bit more variety in your objectives and to have to spend a bit more time actually thinking about what to do, but it’s never less than fun to play.
Where dogs are usually considered "man's best friend," Stray suggests that cats may be robot's best friend. This is a game that wears its heart on its sleeve and expertly weaves its themes into everything the player does. There will likely be many people who buy this game because they want to play as a cat and their itch will be scratched, but there's also a high chance they will come away moved by its story of companionship and get caught up in its soothing and equally mesmerizing atmosphere. There are a lot of amazing looking games coming this fall, but Stray has already cemented itself as a contender for awards season.
Cats are nimble, acrobatic, and even headstrong creatures at times. Stray takes those concepts and runs with them. Over five to six hours, you’ll enjoy plenty of heartaches, cute cat photos, and a new world to fall in love with.
Stray is a very fun game with its gameplay, world and music. It has a gameplay and story presentation that will not tire you much.
Review in Turkish | Read full review
Stray is a surprisingly fun game with beautiful visuals and just the right amount of challenge. If you're a pet owner who's into puzzle platformers, you'll have a great time here.
Although it doesn't offer much of a challenge, you'll hardly care; traipsing through BlueTwelve's lovingly-crafted cat adventure game on four feet is a pleasure, and the game's pacing, art design, and overall look and feel make it one of the best games to come out so far this year.
Ever since Stray was formally unveiled via a teaser trailer at PlayStation’s June 2020 Future of Gaming event, it became one of the most anticipated games of this generation. The appeal is easy to understand: who doesn’t want to control an adorable kitty as they explore a mysterious city? But Stray is more than just “the platforming game with the backpack cat”; it also features one of the most well-realized cyberpunk worlds of the last few years. Stunning art direction and immaculate vibes make Stray a journey worth savoring.
Stray is a delightful time made by a team who clearly cares about the relationship one has with their own animal.
Stray astounds with its beautiful graphics, quirky characters, and puzzles that bring out the best and worst in a cat.
It really feels like a cat’s journey, with some rich story-elements, and a nice balance between relaxed exploration and intense action sequences.