Stray is one of those great short but sweet games. It doesn't even take 5 hours to beat (unless you focus on getting on all the collectibles, then you'll probably hit those 5 hours, maybe one more) but it managed to reel me in and invest me into this world and its inhabitants through the eyes of an adorable cat. Walking around this dystopian city would probably already fill me with wonder, but doing it through the eyes of a cat, jumping around on boxes and tubes just added to that wonderful feeling.
It's not really platforming in the sense that you can constantly fall down and lose your progress, but jumping around, as I said, is a pretty big part of the game. This makes it so that in the last hour or so it kind of lost some of the excitement for me, but it works and again, the atmosphere is simply top notch.
In terms of other obstacles you'll mostly be running from little meatblobs with glowing eyes, sneak past a bunch of drones or you will be looking around a large area for a specific item to give to a specific character so you can progress. These things as well are a lot of fun the first few times, but luckily as soon as it starts to get a little stale, the game is over.
The thing I come back to the most though is, again, world itself. It completely sucked me up from the moment that there weren't even any NPC's present. The levels and area's themselves just feel so well-realized and thought out, looking beautiful from any angle you look at it (which makes the lack of a photo-mode even more glaring). Once you do start to meet some characters though, they are also integrated into the world beautifully and really added to the kind of cute but somber vibe that is present all throughout Stray. I'd say it's absolutely worth your time.
It's not really platforming in the sense that you can constantly fall down and lose your progress, but jumping around, as I said, is a pretty big part of the game. This makes it so that in the last hour or so it kind of lost some of the excitement for me, but it works and again, the atmosphere is simply top notch.
In terms of other obstacles you'll mostly be running from little meatblobs with glowing eyes, sneak past a bunch of drones or you will be looking around a large area for a specific item to give to a specific character so you can progress. These things as well are a lot of fun the first few times, but luckily as soon as it starts to get a little stale, the game is over.
The thing I come back to the most though is, again, world itself. It completely sucked me up from the moment that there weren't even any NPC's present. The levels and area's themselves just feel so well-realized and thought out, looking beautiful from any angle you look at it (which makes the lack of a photo-mode even more glaring). Once you do start to meet some characters though, they are also integrated into the world beautifully and really added to the kind of cute but somber vibe that is present all throughout Stray. I'd say it's absolutely worth your time.
What I thought would be just a cat simulator with acceptable gameplay ended up being something far more impressive.
Stray is an adventure game akin to something like Journey, Abzu, or Gris. I make that comparison because Stray is a game that bases itself on very simple and basic platforming mechanics that are absolutely elevated due to the environmental storytelling and direction. It's less about platforming through challenging and complex level designs that evolve as you progress, but more so about placing you into an interactive experience.
Just the premise alone is so neat. You're in a world, long after the extinction of humanity, residing within a complex cybercity filled with colorful robotic citizens. However, the twist is that you are viewing this story all through the eyes of a feline companion. Something I never knew I needed to see until I had it in front of me.
I wouldn't say that the story and world itself is wholly original, but I think this game still has enough charm behind its direction that it still felt like it stood on its own. The robotic civilians are all very intriguing to observe and interact with, and the level designs are surprisingly dense, interconnected, and filled with character and environmental storytelling that really all just makes it feel less like sections of a game and more like an actual living, breathing world that you're getting to observe.
It's just a lovely, chill little experience and I was genuinely surprised by how much I ended up actually liking it. This will actually probably go down as one of my favorite games of 2022. Definitely a game everyone should check off their list of games to play this year. Also, the music is fantastic.
Cons:
- Not really a negative, per se, but the game only took me 4-5 hours to beat. I didn't mind that. I think any more would have hurt the pacing. However, it's also a $30 game so just be aware that you probably won't get a lot of mileage out of it.
- I think the story and world-building is interesting, if cliche. There's a lot of things presented in the story, though, that I wish were delved a little more deeper upon.
- The second half of the game is a bit weaker than the first. The slow unraveling of the setting is much more rewarding there, and I think the first, big, dense map feels more interesting and has more neat stuff to do and interact with than in the second half.
Stray is an adventure game akin to something like Journey, Abzu, or Gris. I make that comparison because Stray is a game that bases itself on very simple and basic platforming mechanics that are absolutely elevated due to the environmental storytelling and direction. It's less about platforming through challenging and complex level designs that evolve as you progress, but more so about placing you into an interactive experience.
Just the premise alone is so neat. You're in a world, long after the extinction of humanity, residing within a complex cybercity filled with colorful robotic citizens. However, the twist is that you are viewing this story all through the eyes of a feline companion. Something I never knew I needed to see until I had it in front of me.
I wouldn't say that the story and world itself is wholly original, but I think this game still has enough charm behind its direction that it still felt like it stood on its own. The robotic civilians are all very intriguing to observe and interact with, and the level designs are surprisingly dense, interconnected, and filled with character and environmental storytelling that really all just makes it feel less like sections of a game and more like an actual living, breathing world that you're getting to observe.
It's just a lovely, chill little experience and I was genuinely surprised by how much I ended up actually liking it. This will actually probably go down as one of my favorite games of 2022. Definitely a game everyone should check off their list of games to play this year. Also, the music is fantastic.
Cons:
- Not really a negative, per se, but the game only took me 4-5 hours to beat. I didn't mind that. I think any more would have hurt the pacing. However, it's also a $30 game so just be aware that you probably won't get a lot of mileage out of it.
- I think the story and world-building is interesting, if cliche. There's a lot of things presented in the story, though, that I wish were delved a little more deeper upon.
- The second half of the game is a bit weaker than the first. The slow unraveling of the setting is much more rewarding there, and I think the first, big, dense map feels more interesting and has more neat stuff to do and interact with than in the second half.
meow
It has to be admired how far these cat lovers went into animating and getting the feeling of being a cat and what doing cat things is like.
Every small interaction gives you a small smile but admittedly that novelty for me wore off quick.
Thankfully that novelty wearing off quick wasn't a huge issue because the game itself is so short.
I don't want all my games to be 200 hour epics, I generally mark the runtime of this game down as a positive but seeing they want £24 on steam for this makes me wonder if I would have felt short changed if I had not got this through PS+
The world is beautiful, the story is simple and nice.
There's enough variety in it's short run time and a small list of tasks that can definitely extend that further.
It's good! It just didn't blow me away and maybe it couldn't, not with what it aims to do.
I was hoping by the time I finished the game I'd have decided exactly what I felt about the platforming being all contextual, I still haven't.
Part of me likes the simplicity and ease of it, but another part of me hates that it feels so unskilled.
Definitely grab this on PS+, upgrade for a month if you need to.
If you don't have a PS4 or 5 and are eyeing it up on Steam just be aware it's short and not particularly deep. If you're mad on cats or even like them and (like me) enjoy robots that'll definitely help you enjoy your time.
Every small interaction gives you a small smile but admittedly that novelty for me wore off quick.
Thankfully that novelty wearing off quick wasn't a huge issue because the game itself is so short.
I don't want all my games to be 200 hour epics, I generally mark the runtime of this game down as a positive but seeing they want £24 on steam for this makes me wonder if I would have felt short changed if I had not got this through PS+
The world is beautiful, the story is simple and nice.
There's enough variety in it's short run time and a small list of tasks that can definitely extend that further.
It's good! It just didn't blow me away and maybe it couldn't, not with what it aims to do.
I was hoping by the time I finished the game I'd have decided exactly what I felt about the platforming being all contextual, I still haven't.
Part of me likes the simplicity and ease of it, but another part of me hates that it feels so unskilled.
Definitely grab this on PS+, upgrade for a month if you need to.
If you don't have a PS4 or 5 and are eyeing it up on Steam just be aware it's short and not particularly deep. If you're mad on cats or even like them and (like me) enjoy robots that'll definitely help you enjoy your time.
Esse definitivamente é um dos melhores jogos que eu ja joguei na minha vida inteira, o jogo é fofo, a historia é mt interessante, a OST é divina em outras palavras o jogo é tudo de bom
u are literally a cat
There is no mistake with this game.
It could be longer but that's it, no mistakes at ALL. Great game.
It could be longer but that's it, no mistakes at ALL. Great game.
Me surpreendeu muito, muito inteligente a escolha dos controles em relação ao pulo automático em consequência disso a exploração fica muita mais prazerosa, a história cativa MUITO eu adorei os personagens muito bem desenvolvidos eu só pessoalmente queria passar mais tempo com cada um deles não é como se eu não tivesse entendido ou gostado de cada um deles com o tempo que passei eu simplesmente queria mais, mas foi perfeito do jeito que foi, e sem palavras pra arte simplesmente printava o jogo a cada 5 minutos os devs botaram o coração nesses cenários
An adorable and unique game that doesn't overstay its welcome.
Thundercat - A Fan’s Mail (Tron Song Suite II)
Que jogo incrível, não me decepcionou em nada, e posso dizer que a história foi muito melhor do que eu imaginava que seria
gbbbbbbbbbhv
me and my gf named the cat toby hes a good boy
This review contains spoilers
Um jogo cheio de imersão, seja na história pós apocalíptica, no universo criado, nos personagens o qual encontramos e principalmente no gato mais fofo do mundo dos jogos. Stray conseguiu me envolver de tal maneira, que poucas vezes tive experiências como essa jogando um jogo. Ao mesmo tempo que a história era densa, ela trazia um relaxamento emocional incrível. Visual deslumbrante, jogabilidade simples mas muito bem polida e executada, e a fidelidade da simulação de como um gato real é me fizeram avaliar o jogo com essa nota tão alta. Minhas expectativas altas foram supridas com o jogo, coisa raríssima de se acontecer nos dias de hoje com jogos cada vez mais genéricos.
Um jogo de puzzle completo ao meu ver, desafiadores na medida certa, equilibrado com o enredo e a jogabilidade tornando a experiência imersiva e agradável. Daqui uns anos posso rejogar para melhorar meu review, e também acredito que daqui uns anos teremos uma continuaçao, o mundo criado permite isso. Obrigado Annapurna e obrigado gatinho chimbinha. Te amo.
Um jogo de puzzle completo ao meu ver, desafiadores na medida certa, equilibrado com o enredo e a jogabilidade tornando a experiência imersiva e agradável. Daqui uns anos posso rejogar para melhorar meu review, e também acredito que daqui uns anos teremos uma continuaçao, o mundo criado permite isso. Obrigado Annapurna e obrigado gatinho chimbinha. Te amo.
don't let the internet's ability to beat anything slightly novel to death cloud your judgement on this one. while the one word reviews of "cat." and "omg there's a meow button" might make this seem like a game exclusively for morons without an original thought in their head, stray actually rules. all the truly great cat staples you know and love are here. walking on keyboards. knocking stuff off of tables. jumping on people while they're sleeping. fucking up in progress board games. and all seamlessly integrated into a stunningly crafted cyberpunk world that feels lived in populated by robot characters that feel alive. some less than inspired puzzles and paint by numbers stealth sequences towards the end of the game aren't enough to get in the way of the gameplay that really matters: finding a quiet spot to curl up and watch the world go by.
Wow this game is incredibly mediocre.
The atmosphere is pretty cool, the cat is really cute and you get to do cute things as the cat. That's where the good parts end.
Almost 30 bucks for a 4 hour experience is stupidly expensive. The story in this game is really boring and not very engaging, the actual gameplay is just... okay. I didn't think just walking around was too bad, but the narrative was mediocre, the characters felt kind of cliché and as the game went on it became more and more boring and predictable.
Chapter 4 and 10 might be my favourites simply because they're the only ones where you actually get to do things. Last part of Chapter 10 is probably one of my least favourite parts though.
Overall, okay game. Not a bad experience, not worth the price tag. I enjoyed the first parts of it quite a bit but the enjoyment heavily deteriorated especially during the last parts of the game and the predictable ending was just a huge let-down.
The atmosphere is pretty cool, the cat is really cute and you get to do cute things as the cat. That's where the good parts end.
Almost 30 bucks for a 4 hour experience is stupidly expensive. The story in this game is really boring and not very engaging, the actual gameplay is just... okay. I didn't think just walking around was too bad, but the narrative was mediocre, the characters felt kind of cliché and as the game went on it became more and more boring and predictable.
Chapter 4 and 10 might be my favourites simply because they're the only ones where you actually get to do things. Last part of Chapter 10 is probably one of my least favourite parts though.
Overall, okay game. Not a bad experience, not worth the price tag. I enjoyed the first parts of it quite a bit but the enjoyment heavily deteriorated especially during the last parts of the game and the predictable ending was just a huge let-down.
I've waited for this game for years and, whilst a good experience overall, it wasn't quite worth the years of anticipation.
I had a good time with Stray, I loved the premise, the world, the characters but the gameplay itself is mediocre, sadly. Yes, you are a cat, but this is a very linear platformer, with some brief stealth and action sections that the game could've had more of, I think.
It's also only 5 hours, push it to 10 if you want to go back and complete it fully, and it costs £24. It's a beautiful game (with forced TAA and a lack of satisfying graphics options on PC) and I think the price is almost fair, £15-20 would've been more reasonable and my rating might've gone up a star if its price reflected its runtime and actual value.
Overall, a good little game but I'd advise you to wait for a sale unless you really love cats.
I had a good time with Stray, I loved the premise, the world, the characters but the gameplay itself is mediocre, sadly. Yes, you are a cat, but this is a very linear platformer, with some brief stealth and action sections that the game could've had more of, I think.
It's also only 5 hours, push it to 10 if you want to go back and complete it fully, and it costs £24. It's a beautiful game (with forced TAA and a lack of satisfying graphics options on PC) and I think the price is almost fair, £15-20 would've been more reasonable and my rating might've gone up a star if its price reflected its runtime and actual value.
Overall, a good little game but I'd advise you to wait for a sale unless you really love cats.
i loved this game sooo much, 11/10 would definitelyplay again. it's way shorter than I expected but it it's an indie game after all. Worth the wait. meow.
This review contains spoilers
WHAT A MOTHERFUCKING GAME.... super cute and fun from start to finish, the level desing is amazing and I really enjoyed playing it. I do wish it was a little bit longer (although I took 6 hours to complete it and it's very cheap anyway) and that it showed us a small cutscene of the cat reuniting with his family at the end, but other than that it's really good. Recommended, would play again (I probably will, since I missed three memories) and it definitely delivered what was promised from the trailers. Amazing.
The difficulty is just right, hard enough to make it very enjoyable and to make you think twice about where you're gonna move next. 100%ing the game also isn't difficult at all: if you take just a little bit of extra time exploring the stages, which are very beautiful, you'll most likely do it first try, since you'll just find the memories naturally (I got 90% because I missed only three, like I said before, but I got everything else).
The gameplay is as amazing as everything else in this game. You're a cat, so you have tons of mobility. The stages almost never feel like they're designed for a cat, they feel very natural and you can jump around almost anywhere you like. You can also scratch certain areas, like walls and couches, and even though it doesn't really do anything special, it's very cute.
I'll probably be updating this log whenever I have time, but until then, I couldn't recommend this game more.
Completion time on first playthrough: 5h50m
The difficulty is just right, hard enough to make it very enjoyable and to make you think twice about where you're gonna move next. 100%ing the game also isn't difficult at all: if you take just a little bit of extra time exploring the stages, which are very beautiful, you'll most likely do it first try, since you'll just find the memories naturally (I got 90% because I missed only three, like I said before, but I got everything else).
The gameplay is as amazing as everything else in this game. You're a cat, so you have tons of mobility. The stages almost never feel like they're designed for a cat, they feel very natural and you can jump around almost anywhere you like. You can also scratch certain areas, like walls and couches, and even though it doesn't really do anything special, it's very cute.
I'll probably be updating this log whenever I have time, but until then, I couldn't recommend this game more.
Completion time on first playthrough: 5h50m
In a 6 hour playtime Stray strung a chord in my heart that most games, way longer games, usually don't , to the point where around the ending I was broken into a sobbing mess, and I'm still tearing up while writing this LOL
It's a perfect little experience, packed with things to see or do and with an attention to detail that is commendable
The setting is way better constructed that I could've ever expected and there is quite a fair deal of character writing to elevate it, I got extremely attached to them
And the cat is cute as all hell
It's a perfect little experience, packed with things to see or do and with an attention to detail that is commendable
The setting is way better constructed that I could've ever expected and there is quite a fair deal of character writing to elevate it, I got extremely attached to them
And the cat is cute as all hell
A charming experience. Having a Meow button is absolutely perfect game design. Excellent vibes just navigating through some colorful slums, doing what a cat does best
Got to review this for IGF:
https://indiegamefans.com/hit-paws-stray-review/
https://indiegamefans.com/hit-paws-stray-review/
A very short game, but still very fun. The hub areas are pretty interesting to explore and poke around, and there's a number of side quests you can do for extra lore into this dark and grimy world. The game's non-hub areas tend to be very tense and foreboding. There are definitely a couple of very creepy sections in the game. There is a brief section where you have a self-defense tool, but otherwise you are very much a cat. There are also a couple of stealth sections in the latter half of the game that can be hit or miss, but otherwise don't overstay their welcome.
Mechanically, the game has really nailed the aesthetic of playing as a cat. You have all of the abilities of a cat, including a dedicated meow button. You can also explore pretty freely when in hub areas with the ability to jump and squeeze into spaces like a cat can.
The only thing I would say that I dislike is the game's length. I would have like one more hub area to flesh out the story a bit more, particularly in the middle. While there is a hub area there, it is very small, and mostly there for story purposes. Or perhaps closer to the end, since you don't get to explore anymore after a certain story sequence in the last hub area. As well as that, a chapter select would have been nice to have to backtrack for collectibles. Being a short game, around 5-7 hours for a fairly thorough playthrough, I can't complain too much.
Mechanically, the game has really nailed the aesthetic of playing as a cat. You have all of the abilities of a cat, including a dedicated meow button. You can also explore pretty freely when in hub areas with the ability to jump and squeeze into spaces like a cat can.
The only thing I would say that I dislike is the game's length. I would have like one more hub area to flesh out the story a bit more, particularly in the middle. While there is a hub area there, it is very small, and mostly there for story purposes. Or perhaps closer to the end, since you don't get to explore anymore after a certain story sequence in the last hub area. As well as that, a chapter select would have been nice to have to backtrack for collectibles. Being a short game, around 5-7 hours for a fairly thorough playthrough, I can't complain too much.
Stray is a game where you assume the role of a cat. This is the entire promise of its outward appearance. You control a сute furball navigating in a world proportionally large for your light presence. You can press B to meow and Y to cuddle with other cats. You can take a nap in allotted by game designer places. The cat mannerisms are meticulously animated and instantly gifable for twitter. An instant crowd pleaser of a concept, as Twitch and Steam numbers immediately suggest.
One of the first big puzzles you solve involves power outlets. You have to scout a room to find 4 cube-shaped batteries. You have to grab them with a floating button prompt and bring them to a computer. You have to MANUALLY (with paws?) plug them in power sockets. Surely, you already see a problem.
Stray takes place in a society of robots mimicking the images and idiosyncrasies of humans. Robots wear clothes, robots eat food, robots live in a police state – not because they need to, that’s just what we tend to do. The greatest irony of Stray is how it’s no different from the robots it portrays. It’s caught up in appearances, stupefied by feline oddness – and completely misses the essence of dubious little being.
Do you want to be a small rascal bumbling the way through, guided only by the most primal of instincts? Wrong game! And it’s mind-boggling to me how attentively every unique keynote of the whole premise is impaired here to create the most nothing hodgepodge of a modern action-adventure. You are pulled through a cat-sized theme park with the main attractions made up of the lightest of puzzles, dullest stealth sections and unlosable chase sequences. Traversal, which must pop with cats’ preciseness and unlimited agility, suddenly turns into a chore, because you can’t have a cat failing a jump, right? Even the animal inaudibility which opens the door for interesting environmental storytelling and silent interactions is undercut by the introduction of a companion drone acting as a translation layer between the feline friend and basically everything else in the world.
There are absolutely glints of creativity and good vibes here, and I decently enjoyed exploring the little hub levels where the game matches its title the best by letting the cat go a little astray. These bright moments though are far and between in this hugely underwhelming affair. Rain World: Downpour can’t honestly come soon enough.
One of the first big puzzles you solve involves power outlets. You have to scout a room to find 4 cube-shaped batteries. You have to grab them with a floating button prompt and bring them to a computer. You have to MANUALLY (with paws?) plug them in power sockets. Surely, you already see a problem.
Stray takes place in a society of robots mimicking the images and idiosyncrasies of humans. Robots wear clothes, robots eat food, robots live in a police state – not because they need to, that’s just what we tend to do. The greatest irony of Stray is how it’s no different from the robots it portrays. It’s caught up in appearances, stupefied by feline oddness – and completely misses the essence of dubious little being.
Do you want to be a small rascal bumbling the way through, guided only by the most primal of instincts? Wrong game! And it’s mind-boggling to me how attentively every unique keynote of the whole premise is impaired here to create the most nothing hodgepodge of a modern action-adventure. You are pulled through a cat-sized theme park with the main attractions made up of the lightest of puzzles, dullest stealth sections and unlosable chase sequences. Traversal, which must pop with cats’ preciseness and unlimited agility, suddenly turns into a chore, because you can’t have a cat failing a jump, right? Even the animal inaudibility which opens the door for interesting environmental storytelling and silent interactions is undercut by the introduction of a companion drone acting as a translation layer between the feline friend and basically everything else in the world.
There are absolutely glints of creativity and good vibes here, and I decently enjoyed exploring the little hub levels where the game matches its title the best by letting the cat go a little astray. These bright moments though are far and between in this hugely underwhelming affair. Rain World: Downpour can’t honestly come soon enough.
It is a cute and competent game, but a bit thin on the actual game. This one is quite short - maybe not to its own detriment - with honestly some great art direction going for it. Ultimately I think I can only recommend this as an aesthetic experience alone. Be prepared though, playing for 100% took me only just under 6 hours at a quite leisurely pace.
What a lovely little gem! It has all the vibes (TM) I hoped for, doesn't overstay its welcome and has an incredibly beautiful and delicately crafted world! I just wish there was a chapter select menu, without it I'm not really inclined to 100% the game. Which is fine, actually. I had a good enough time as it is!
Cute lil game I guess. Kinda plays itself with how the "platforming" is just point and press a button with infinite error margin plus the puzzles and chase sequences being so funneled and lenient you couldve made them cutscenes and not lose much player agency.
Art direction and ost are top tier though, and interacting with the npcs brings a lot of charm to the world. I just wish there was more actual game "meat" to it.
The game has pretty severe issues with its frame time stability considering how short it is, but I assume itll get fixed in a later patch as is increasingly more common nowadays with new releases on pc unfortunately.
Its fine.
Art direction and ost are top tier though, and interacting with the npcs brings a lot of charm to the world. I just wish there was more actual game "meat" to it.
The game has pretty severe issues with its frame time stability considering how short it is, but I assume itll get fixed in a later patch as is increasingly more common nowadays with new releases on pc unfortunately.
Its fine.
Gostoso, bem feito e simples. Sabe bem onde se dedicar e sabe o que importa. Poucas missões, fácil de ver tudo ou quase tudo mas te permite explorar bem. Valeu demais
Incredible environment and storytelling, the art design for this game is phenomenal. I had a lot of fun simply exploring the landscape. The game is pretty short, i beat it in 5 hours. On one hand, i feel that the pacing was well done and ended in a satisfying way, but on the other, i wish there was more to the game to play!! There are some bugs and graphical glitches, but luckily nothing game-breaking, they'll probably patch it out. Beautiful game!! :)
A very neat indie game, it nails the feeling of controlling a cat through its interactions with the world or its mannerisms, and it oozes a lot of personality despite the game's protagonist never saying a word. I really liked the atmosphere and the art direction of the game as well, both of them really strong, mixing cyberpunk with post apocalyptic elements. A lot of themes in the story fit with those elements, and while the story isn't anything grandiose, it definitely had its moments. It's a quite short game, which might be a bit disappointing, but its pacing never really tires, every level and section feels novel and there's always something interesting that grabs you, in both the linear or the open parts of the game. Some parts of the game were big "wow" moments for me. Also, difficulty wise, it probably leans to the easier side, it's a pretty chill game in general, and that's more due to the hand holding, but I'd say that it's more like the world itself guides you, rather than the game explicitly, which is a really cool touch.
Overall, it's just a very nice little game that is definitely worth your time, I very much enjoyed it.
Overall, it's just a very nice little game that is definitely worth your time, I very much enjoyed it.