Stray Review: Pouncing Through a Robot-Infested Dystopia as the Ultimate Feline Adventurer

In Stray — debuting Tuesday on PC, PS4, and PS5 — human beings are nowhere to be found. They have either migrated to another realm or become extinct. The game gradually reveals details about its world through the narrative. Although humans have vanished, their influence is evident throughout Stray’s cybernetic city, encased within a massive dome reminiscent of Zion from The Matrix. While you may feel secure within these walls, lurking threats — known as zurks — await outside. I’ll elaborate on that shortly. Much like in the Wachowskis’ iconic film, the exterior world in Stray is perceived as unlivable.

The time I devoted to Stray was mainly spent in the game’s dome, populated by lanky AI robots sporting screens for faces, which I suspect were created by the absent humans. In many ways, these robots mirror their creators, exhibiting coldness, wearing clothes, and residing in apartments that echo ours. They have carved out distinct roles for themselves: a guardian, a weaver, a bartender, a coder, a market vendor, and waste collectors. Others find joy in hurling paint buckets across rooftops. Essentially, the robots represent humanity in Stray.

Amidst all of this, you play as a cat. If you weren’t aware or the cover image didn’t hint at it, Stray places you in the paws of a stray cat that unexpectedly navigates the dome. Early on, you receive a floating droid companion named B-12, assisting you with an unlimited inventory, gadget interactions, text scanning and translation, and offering hints. With B-12, whose memory has been compromised, you — as the unnamed feline — embark on a quest to unravel the mysteries of the dome, seeking answers about its fate, the refuge’s exit, the whereabouts of humans, and the absence of other life forms.

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Stray embodies a gentle and solitary essence. The cat itself remains silent aside from the occasional meow, which you can trigger with a button press (“O,” or circle, on the DualSense or DualShock 4). Although you have B-12 as a companion, it doesn’t engage in constant dialogue. It communicates through beeps when prompted. Throughout Stray, you experience a sense of floating through its world, piecing together the events that transpired. The AI robots exhibit little comprehension of your feline form; when they first encounter you, they respond with fear, which seems irrational. Why would a cat instill fear?

Well, to be fair, the robots see the cat as a zurk due to their similar size and quadrupedal nature. What’s a zurk, you ask? Without diving into too much lore, I’ll keep it brief. Zurks serve as the primary antagonist in Stray. They are small, nimble creatures that travel in packs, sprint at high speeds, and attack anything that moves, latching onto their target with ferocity. They drain your life, prompting you to avoid them as the cat. If they do manage to grab you, hitting a button (“O” again, by the way) will fling them off, allowing you to escape (“R2,” the right trigger).

Being smaller and nimbler than both humans and Stray’s robots provides the cat with an edge against zurks. Its size enables navigation through narrow spaces that would hinder humans due to their bulk. Traversal is a significant aspect of Stray, requiring you to climb different verticals, with the game encouraging upward movement. However, climbing isn’t entirely fluid; you can only ascend where Stray permits. You must explore until the “X” button appears, allowing the cat to leap. I would have preferred a more organic system akin to Assassin’s Creed, where pushing the left stick initiates climbing action.

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Zurks pursue the cat in Stray
Photo Credit: Annapurna/BlueTwelve Studio

While I appreciated Stray’s jumping mechanics during exploration, they can hinder your survival during encounter sequences, where quick movement is crucial. A delay of a second waiting for the “X” prompt can lead to defeat, especially with a swarm of zurks closing in. It’s frustrating to have to restart a segment just because the necessary prompt didn’t appear. (On the other hand, this prompt-driven style does simplify Stray’s straightforward puzzles.) The game effectively blends traversal, combat, puzzle-solving, and interpersonal interactions, with a significant focus on the first and last elements.

However, the most significant frustrations came from bugs, one of which essentially stalled my progress. An NPC became stuck in mid-air, far from their intended location. This was compounded by their failure to interact with the entrance they were meant to guide me toward, which was also obscured by darkness. Even a complete restart of Stray didn’t resolve the issue, as the bug seemed to persist. (I reached out to the Stray developers but did not receive a comment in time for publication.) I nearly abandoned the game entirely; if it weren’t for a video walkthrough, I doubt I would have returned.

I wish Stray hadn’t interfered with my enjoyment. That said, credit goes to the developers for accurately replicating the experience of moving like a cat. From the walking to the jumping, they brilliantly capture feline movement. Surprisingly, they opted for traditional hand animation over motion capture. Stray also humorously references beloved cat memes, including their tendency to get their heads stuck in bags (a funny spectacle) and jumping into cardboard boxes (used in stealth mechanics). Stray oscillates between a range of genres, from heartwarming to atmospheric horror, seamlessly integrating a diverse mix of experiences.

Though animals often play roles as companions, assistance in attacks, or comic relief in gaming’s history, Stray stands out by allowing you to embody one. While it may not be entirely purr-fect, it’s certainly enjoyable.

Pros:

• Fascinating world
• Variety of genres
• Accurately depicts feline movement

Cons:

• Frustrating bugs
• Traversal mechanics feel unnatural
• Puzzles are quite basic

Rating (out of 10): 7

Stray is launching on Tuesday, July 19 for PC, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5. The price starts at Rs. 749 on Steam and Rs. 1,999 on PlayStation Store. It is also available as part of the PlayStation Plus Extra subscription, which costs Rs. 749 per month, Rs. 1,999 for three months, and Rs. 4,999 for a yearly subscription.