Reviews from

in the past


It was a brilliant game to play in those times where every release was a disaster. It felt good to play a game, a good game that was developed with love. Gameplay mechanics, graphics and content may not be top tier but I had fun playing it. This is one of the games that shows every developer that good games does not necessarily require high budget or a huge team behind it. Just a genuine idea that people will love working on and playing.

my hater take is that you all like cats way too much.

The game loses a lot by having dialogues.
Best moments are when that annoying translator robot wasn't around and there was ambiguity in communication. Much more immersive than a robot spewing information.

It has some cool puzzles, but it's overrated as hell overall. But it's cute. Really, really cute.

I finished it and went to kiss my cats. What a fantastic creatures.

Nice game, but survives almost entirely on the vibe because gameplay is largely just walking from point A to point B and interacting with the next NPC. This is broken up by the occasional chase sequence or very simple puzzles, and then a few stealth sections towards the end.

It's nothing overly special, but it doesn't need to be since it's just a short game where you spend a few hours in a fairly interesting world, talking to not-so-fairly interesting characters (I mean they are all literally robots).

The last chapter is really powerful though.

Stray is one of most impactful expierences i've had in a long time. The feeling this game gave me was euphoric.
The way you connect with the cat you play as is genuinely powerful. Video games tend to encourage a dissconnect from humanity. You do things because the games tells you to. Achieve goals because the game rewards you for it. But Stray has this unbelievable confidence that it's world and story is what you will want to explore for.
There aren't abilities to unlock or a distracting progression system. You do what you do in this game because you as a player want to, which feels almost dehumanizing to a point.
We're built for that constant dopaline loop. But it fits so well when you're playing as a cat.
You feel as if the moments of humanity or concern for the people you meet, are genuine. Not only for the player, but in turn, for the cat as well. Creating a wonderful connection between you and your animal persona. (Took a lot of strength not to type fursona)
There are these moments where you can stop and drink water from a puddle or sleep while listening to some music. It isn't to refill an HP bar or unlock something. You do it because one, it's cute, and two; you want the cat you're playing as to listen to some music and take a second to rest. I remember thinking "huh.. he's probably thirsty huh. I'll go over to that puddle." Not many games make me instinctually do that. It's just such a potenet connection it had with me. It may come down to how real the cat looks and feels to move around with.
Regardless, it's a powerful aspect of the game that elevated it a lot for me. I tried to explain it the best I can, but it's something that I felt and could have been totally exlcusive to me.
The Kowloon inspired setting is so rich in detail. Exploring feels good and everything has this human touch. While the music and sounds just gave me the extra kick, completely transporting me into the world itself.
While the game's pacing can be a little slow at times, I can already imagine people writing this game off as "boring". Or describing it as a "nonvideo game". Man, what a lame way to look at this artistic medium. A game that tries to break conventions and supply an expierence outside the realm of what people demand out of a video game. Rebelling against the "standard" we hold games to. Games like this are so damn healthy for the industry. Content, little expierence, doing its own thing and doing it well. It's supposed to be a little "boring". It helps elevate the atmosphere it's going for and the connection it creates with the player.
Can't stress how much this game means to me now.

tldr; Cat game with a meow button.




Sights & Sounds
- The game, particularly the environment, looks really good. This seems to be due to strong artistic design rather than mind-blowing graphics. They're still pretty nice, though
- The animation of the cat while traversing the environment is fairly fluid, but some of its facial animations look a little wooden. Only the mouth moves while the rest of the face is otherwise stationary (apparent when the cat meows in cutscenes).
- The music is quite varied throughout. I was surprised by the number of tracks in the game. They do a great job setting the mood. One of them sticks out in particular. You'll know which one when you hear it

Story & Vibes
- The story is actually quite enjoyable, if not very deep
- The characters and the relationships between them are the best part of the game. B-12 and Momo were good buds
- The mood ranges from wonderfully serene to frantically tense depending on what you're doing. I like how the game telegraphs chase sequences and toys with you during them

Playability & Replayability
- The gameplay sits somewhere between stealth, puzzle, and action. The closest comparison I can think of gameplay-wise is A Plague Tale: Innocence, but with more emphasis on puzzles than stealth
- The controls are very rudimentary. Besides interacting with objects, you really only run, jump, and meow
- My main complaint about the game is traversal. I would have preferred an Assassin's Creed style "free run" button to being prompted to press A to jump on top of things. The most annoying part is that holding A in some segments allows you to chain jumps, but that functionality is barely used
- I may come back again to 100% the game someday, but I'm not feeling compelled to immediately dive back in

Overall Impressions & Performance
- This game was being talked about everywhere online before release, so there's a ton of hype and a ton of hate from people who haven't played it. From someone who's completed it, believe me when I say it's way closer to the hype than the hate
- The game ran beautifully on my setup. I only encountered one weird visual bug where the glitched out and was floating ominously outside of Seamus' apartment. Not sure what was going on

Final Verdict
- 9/10. With all the chatter surrounding the game, I think the old aphorism is true: whether you think you'll love it or hate it, you're right. Personally, I had a good time. Keep in mind that the game only lasts 4-6 hours if you're sticking to the story, so some may want to wait a bit for a sale

I have no idea if I would have liked this game as much if I didn't live with a cat, but I won't let that stop a 5-star review. The cat is a novel concept, yet at its core, this game masters the basics.

How could you possibly drag being a cat out to 6 hours of gameplay? I thought this to myself time and time again during my playthrough, until I didn't. I'd knead, scratch, nap, meow, get in a box, ruin a game of dominoes, trip robots, turn on radios, slowly knock objects off of surfaces, all in the style a cat would. I can't explain why it works so well, but it just does. The attention to detail is great as well. The atmosphere fits perfectly with the context of the story, which I actually thought was entertaining enough to not lose me. I will say that when you lose your fellow stray cats in the beginning, the end of the game kind of makes that seems meaningless, as you just walk off into the distance. I found that to be an unsatisfying ending personally. But, maybe there'll be a sequel where our goal is to find them. A very solid 8/10.

eu não conseguia parar de chorar no final
nao teve como
jogo lindo do começo ao fim, história incrivel
mecânica incrível, ideia genial
virou um dos meus favs <3

Tardes de quarta, manhãs de domingo. São boas citações para definir a vibe que Stray passa.

Quando iniciei Stray pensei que fosse apenas um jogo bobo sobre um gatinho e no final, essa visão realmente não mudou tanto, stray é de fato um jogo bobo sobre gatinho de plataforma, porém ele tem história, curta porém com criticas.

Falo sem medo que stray é um jogo ousado, ele te joga em um mundo distópico cyberpunk destruído, pra controlar um personagem gato que não tem personalidade e nem mesmo desenvolvimento, porém isso não traz problemas ao jogo, pois os personagens ao redor que você encontra e as situações que o nosso amiguinho felino se mete, torna a experiência inesquecível e identica a de um desenho animado.

Meu único problema com Stray, é a respeito de sua jogabilidade, que ao longo do jogo vai se tornando repetitiva e cansativa, sério eu sei que você controla um gato e.. não tem tanta coisa pra se fazer assim com um animal desse a não ser deitar, rolar e dominar o mundo (meme). Porém, eles poderiam ter adicionado mais botões pra fazer os parkour de gato, tornaria ele mais dinâmico e daria mais precisão, tornando o jogo mais divertido.

Enfim, joguem stray se tiverem com pouco tempo pra jogar alguma coisa, ele é curtinho, tem personagens cativantes e um mundo que tem vida, tudo isso em míseras 6 horas ou 8 de gameplay, joguinho pra zerar num sabadão!

I had high hopes while playing the first half-hour. going through an abandoned city, directions indicated by very clever level design. but then the little robot came, and with it, dialogue and hand-holding, a lot of it, and I got tired of it very quickly
the open sections are fun to explore
traversal is unchallenging, very restrictive

Stray is one of these games that are just absolute perfection. The game has to be experienced, not just played. Compared to other story games, this was exactly what I needed. The entire game has been made with so much love. The only thing I am sad about is the short duration, but maybe that is what makes it so special too. The narrative, story, soundtrack and graphics are making the atmosphere so beautiful. I am already a fan of post - apocalyptic settings, but playing as a cat and communicating with no one but robots and their cute bleep boops, is just fantastic.

For me, this game fullfilled all the wishes i had for a comfortable, cozy cat - storygame. The puzzles were not always too easy and you sometimes had to figure out certain sections for a little longer, but that brought a great balance to the game. One of my all - time favorites!

I finally got around to this after the announcement that is leaving Playstation Plus shortly.

I think Stray is a good game that sticks out because of two elements; the purr-tagonist and the design of the world. It's genuinely fun to explore because the setting is so interesting. I think without this element then the catch of playing as a cute cat would get old really quick. I also think the game is at a very appropriate length for what it is.

I don't think it is completely engaging on a gameplay level but provides you with enough to stay invested from beginning to end and it is absolutely worth a play, especially if you have PS Plus.

Platinum trophy # 133
Platinum #9 of 2023

A fun short puzzle-adventure game to distract urself from the "normal" types of games. An interesting story to some degree and great graphics.

A good example for publishers that all you need for a successful game, no matter its quality, is dedicate a large part of your budget to bespoke animations for a cute creature.

Stray é medíocre, mas esse nem é o problema.

Eu tive um interesse momentâneo no jogo quando o vi pela primeira vez por causa de seu visual, mas ficou por ai, até que em 2022 ele sai e eu custei a jogar por causa dos comentários em volta do jogo que sempre foram super emocionados a volta de jesus em forma de felino. E ok, admito que eu tinha uma questão pessoal (e artística?) com o jogo que sempre me afastou do jogo.

Ainda em 2022, no fim do ano, rolou o TGA, aonde Stray é indicado e premiado como melhor jogo "Indie" do ano e bem, isso me tirou do serio, não que se deva levar em consideração o que uma premiação que já se perdeu em seu sentido, mas isso é sintomático.

Agora, porque eu digo tudo isso? Simples, Stray não é indie e tão menos um bom jogo (é decente, na verdade, mas não bom), e você me pergunta: Mas como assim ele não é indie? E a resposta resumida seria: Stray foi um jogo publicado pela Annapurna e eu sendo alguém formado na área, entendo que um jogo "indie" ter uma publicadora muda totalmente o escopo e o modo de produção.

E pode soar saudosista da minha parte, mas vem de uma preocupação real em que produções realmente independente percam seus espaços pra jogos como Stray (e Kena) que simulam triple A pra angariar um tipo de publico que menos se atenta a essas problemáticas. E nesse caso de Stray temos um Mito da Garagem aparente, pois a Annapurna tem como uma das suas principais fundadoras Megan Ellison, que é filha de Larry Ellison, co-fundador da Oracle Corporation (que desenvolve e vende softwares com o Java), então perde-se o encanto de ser um empresa que começou do 0.

Ok, tendo resumido o que eu acho problemático por trás do jogo, o que eu acho do jogo afinal? Como eu disse no começo, medíocre. Passei 6 horas sem entender o que fez esse jogo ter sido tão hypado, e fiquei entre: Gatos e gráficos. Não existe algo que me faça querer gostar desse jogo, é um grande vazio encapado com um belo papel de presentes.


Stray is a terrifically heartwarming game, and one of very few games that made me cry real tears.

The unnamed cat is unbelievably cute and you get to do all the hilarious cat things you can think of, like scratch furniture, sleep in weird places, knock over objects, and make people trip. The developers really thought of everything.

I had an absolute blast exploring the small city sections and climbing across the rooftops, and the city is packed with an impressive amount of character for the short time you spend there. The atmosphere and music are fantastic, and I found the story quite touching.

I played this game for Pay or Play 2nd Cycle of 2024 and it was picked for me by Escollo.

Stray is a third-person cat adventure game set amidst the detailed, neon-lit alleys of a decaying cybercity and the murky environments of its seedy underbelly. You get to play as a cute orange cat who gets separated from it's family and the goal is to find your way back home to the outside world. Time to solve the mysteries of this unwelcoming place inhabited by curious droids and dangerous creatures and make new friends along the way!

It's an absolutely fantastic story with fun gameplay and lovely characters. The main character, the stray cat, is adorable and has very realistic cat movement and mannerisms. Your companion droid, B-12, that you meet along the way, is very adorable little robot with an interesting backstory that unravels as you go forward and collect it's memories along the way.

I felt like this game combined some of my favorite things about games; cats, exploration, collectibles, emotional turmoil and impressive scenery. It really was one of the more enjoyable gaming experiences I have had the pleasure of playing. The soundtrack was also super good and I can't wait to give it a listen later and add it to my spotify list.

I think this is one of those games everyone should play! So I highly recommend this to anyone who is atleast a little bit interested, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

Jogo bonitinho q da pra zerar em uma tarde, o ritmo é muito bom e tem um final bem triste até, se vc gosta de gatos, o jogo vai agradar.

A game that was a pure blast when playing, but then it ends and 6 months later, you're like, "wait- that was it?"

I would say that I was very intrigued by this game when it came out, but that's mainly because (at the time of 2022), I was pretty annoyed with the landscape of the triple A industry. Lots of games were looking pretty much the same and they looked boring as shit. So, no, it does not surprise me at all that a game where you simply play as a cat made such a ridiculously joyous uproar from the Earth's core and into the beyond.

The cat thing does wear off after a while mainly because there isn't actually much you can do as the cat, it's more of an exploration game with mystery in the air that's held together by some unknown tension you're unsure if you'll be able to put the pieces together. There aren't really any mechanics that the cat provides aside from climbing onto some ledges you probably wouldn't be able to normally. However, the game is very short and sweet so it doesn't drag on.

Unfortunately, for me, the impact of the game was mainly brought on by the beautiful aesthetics and music. Had this game lacked those things, it really would not have been as fun. There are a handful of unfamiliar characters that you're meant to connect with, but a lot of them don't stick around long enough to leave that impression, except for one.

The ending is fairly unsatisfying when you really think about it, but it seems to exist for a possible sequel or spin-off. Personally, I wouldn't mind that at all. They have a good foundation here that I would love to see expanded on.

manifesto do game design não-utilitarista (e daí que não serve pra nada "em gameplay" só poder deitar numa almofadinha na janela?) e através do melhor meio possível: o nosso carinho inexplicável por animais, mesmo os que não evoluiram pra nos agradar

Mfers called this "metal gear solid with cats" but the "metal gear" part is only like the last 15% of the game. Other than that this is the best and worst game where you play as a cat ever made.
(More Final Thoughts Here)

Was a comfy game. I had a lot of fun with it and the kitty is super cute. The cat mannerisms were a cute touch and the interactions you could have with NPC's were adorable. The ending made me cry, now I'm only tempted to 100% but not entirely sure if I'm up for speed running the game for one of the achievements :p

Muito mais do que um jogo fofinho de gatinhos, conseguiram deixar o gênero cyberpunk mais emocional e esperançoso.

Eh chorei no final e não me envergonho kkkkkk

i forgot i played this game but my mom liked it so that's what really matters


super polished indie game

Brilliant game. Would definitely play it again. Also on par with cyberpunk visually if not better and still managed to perform significantly better.

Çok yorulduğum bir iş gününden sonra kafam jrpg vn felan kaldıramadığı için bari boş boş yürüdüğümüz bir yürüme simülasyonu oynayayım dedim ve aklıma stray geldi. Oyunun incelemelerini zamanında izlesem de benim için o kadar ilgimi çeken hype yaratan bir oyun hiçbir zaman olmadı. Yürüyüp atmosferi ile bana eğlenceli 5 saat geçirtecek bir oyun gözüyle baktım ve gerçekten de ona yakın bir deneyim sundu hatta yer yer aksiyon sahneleriyle daha fazlasını bile verdi. Gizlilik sevmeyen birisi olarak gizlilik sekanslarını sevmesem de yer yer buglar olsa da stray güzel bir oyun ama oyun biraz da süresini uzatmak için sizin elinizden hiç tutmuyor ve platform kısımları sadece tek tuştan oluştuğu için platformdan ziyade bulmaca aksiyon gizlilik oyunu oluyor.
Günün sonunda ise ben istediğim iş sonu kafa dağıtmayı elde ettim. Bu nedenle benim için iyi bir deneyimdi.

awesome game with a beautiful environment but an orange cat would not be this smart