STRAY's the first video game I've seen in ages that made me play as something vulnerable. Most video games have you start as something WEAK that can become strong through grinding or buffing...but very few gaming experiences come to mind where the player is meant to embody something specifically fragile and out of its depth. STRAY's platforming mechanics don't always keep that idea at the forefront, but there are some moments of real tension and pathos in this game that had me appreciating it for that specific effort. How does a frail creature make it in a world of beings that are FAR beyond its instinctual comprehension?
This is a game peppered with great details. From all of our hero's accurate cat movements and mannerisms, to the way the Robot denizens of the Walled City go about their daily lives. Playing board games, doing chores, working odd jobs. I loved how their LCD faces would portray the emotions they were feeling. I also really dug how the game would find ways to express that these robotic beings were trying to continue the lifestyles of their former human companions. From finding a pair of robots arguing over a DnD campaign, to getting a drunk worker to go back to his day job, this isn't just a world of slight flavor text, it all feels very lived in and engaging.
While exploring this world is undeniably captivating, the puzzle aspects don't push you the way they could've. Almost all of the challenges are easy, but they're easy in a way that you can tell the game respects Your instincts. There are no breadcrumb trails or radars. Your exploration of the world and your ability to reason out what the Cat can and can't do will point you in the right direction 9/10's of the time. And if you fall into the 1/10 of getting stuck, there's usually a robot around the area who will casually mention the exact solution in conversation. It's never boring, but it's never challenging in a way that provides true satisfaction. The ending also feels a tad anti-climactic, with the Easy Puzzle complaint being the biggest reason why.
Despite these gameplay gripes, this is a game I really fell in love with because of the strong sense of empathy at its core. It's a game about connection and trust, and it has a lot of cool sci-fi concepts that are worth exploring. Also my cat sat on the TV stand for almost my entire playthrough and that adorable sight just enhanced my enjoyment of this game.
This is a game peppered with great details. From all of our hero's accurate cat movements and mannerisms, to the way the Robot denizens of the Walled City go about their daily lives. Playing board games, doing chores, working odd jobs. I loved how their LCD faces would portray the emotions they were feeling. I also really dug how the game would find ways to express that these robotic beings were trying to continue the lifestyles of their former human companions. From finding a pair of robots arguing over a DnD campaign, to getting a drunk worker to go back to his day job, this isn't just a world of slight flavor text, it all feels very lived in and engaging.
While exploring this world is undeniably captivating, the puzzle aspects don't push you the way they could've. Almost all of the challenges are easy, but they're easy in a way that you can tell the game respects Your instincts. There are no breadcrumb trails or radars. Your exploration of the world and your ability to reason out what the Cat can and can't do will point you in the right direction 9/10's of the time. And if you fall into the 1/10 of getting stuck, there's usually a robot around the area who will casually mention the exact solution in conversation. It's never boring, but it's never challenging in a way that provides true satisfaction. The ending also feels a tad anti-climactic, with the Easy Puzzle complaint being the biggest reason why.
Despite these gameplay gripes, this is a game I really fell in love with because of the strong sense of empathy at its core. It's a game about connection and trust, and it has a lot of cool sci-fi concepts that are worth exploring. Also my cat sat on the TV stand for almost my entire playthrough and that adorable sight just enhanced my enjoyment of this game.