Stray

Everything in Stray works together so well; the characters, the story, and being a cat is so realistic and fun that it is so rewarding. I can't recommend this title enough; it is my game of the year for 2022 meow!

97%Game Brain Score

story, graphics

stability, grinding

97% User Score Based on 78,527 reviews

Critic Score 79%Based on 85 reviews

Platforms

Buy Nowfrom $18.99

Buy NowGet on Steam$29.99

Buy NowGet on Xbox Games Store

Buy NowGet on PS Store$29.99

About

"Stray" is a third-person adventure game that allows you to play as a stray cat exploring a gritty, neon-lit cybercity. Interact with the environment in feline ways, solve puzzles, and befriend a drone companion to help you escape this mysterious place. The game features both stealth and exploration, with a focus on observing and manipulating the strange inhabitants of this world.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

97%

Audience ScoreBased on 78,527 reviews

story12.1k positive mentions

stability348 negative mentions

story
21,529 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
42%
2%
The story of "Stray" is widely praised for its emotional depth and engaging narrative, set in a beautifully crafted cyberpunk world where players navigate as a stray cat. While many players appreciate the heartfelt themes of companionship, loss, and hope, some express disappointment over the story's brevity and lack of closure, particularly regarding character fates. Overall, the game is celebrated for its unique storytelling approach, combining exploration and puzzle-solving with a touching narrative that resonates with players.
- “Its light yet meaningful tone, combined with a deeply emotional story, makes it stand out in the post-apocalyptic genre.”
- “The game is beautiful and the story is meaningful, and in a few short hours you form an attachment to this little orange cat.”
- “The story strikes a perfect balance between being rich, emotional, and deeply wholesome, leaving you with so many feels by the end.”
- “The fact that I was a cat was just coincidental; really nothing much would change in the story if I was any other animal or even a robot for that matter.”
- “If the story was a bit deeper I might stay with it, but it's just too shallow for me to care.”
- “The story is shallow and very simple and hasn't done anything that hasn't been done before.”
graphics
8,068 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
26%
1%
The graphics of "Stray" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and attention to detail, effectively capturing a vibrant cyberpunk aesthetic. Players have praised the game's ability to create an immersive atmosphere, with beautifully rendered environments and lifelike animations that enhance the overall experience. Despite some minor performance issues on lower-end systems, the game's graphics are often described as breathtaking, making it a standout title in the indie gaming scene.
- “The graphics are absolutely stunning and the attention to detail is amazing, from the way the cat moves and jumps to the little quirks and behaviors of the NPC characters.”
- “The graphics are beautiful, the gameplay is amazing, and the story is very interesting.”
- “Stray is a beautiful game - both in story and in aesthetics.”
- “The graphics are remarkably poor for a game made so recently--this looks like it could have been created twenty years ago, yet it also has enough 'processing' going on to feel weighed down and choppy at times.”
- “The graphics are decent, on par with ps3/ps4, nothing to make me say mewow.”
- “The graphics, the story, and all the characters were just perfection.”
gameplay
6,844 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
54%
4%
The gameplay of *Stray* is characterized by its simplicity and accessibility, focusing on exploration, puzzle-solving, and light platforming mechanics that allow players to embody a cat in a richly detailed cyberpunk world. While many players appreciate the intuitive controls and charming cat behaviors, some criticize the linearity and lack of depth in gameplay, noting that it can feel repetitive and lacks challenging mechanics. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging story and stunning visuals, making it a delightful experience despite its gameplay limitations.
- “The gameplay is a fun mix of platforming, exploration, story, and action elements.”
- “The mechanics are deliberately immersive, pulling you into the feline perspective so fully that the mundane feels sublime.”
- “The gameplay strikes a fantastic balance—providing guaranteed hours of fun without overstaying its welcome, which is ideal for our fast-paced, busy lives.”
- “Sorry, but this feels so bad to play (mechanics, animation, fun).”
- “The gameplay is pretty linear with some hidden collectibles and side quests, and the puzzles are quite straightforward.”
- “The gameplay is poor, slow, linear, and in places over punishing.”
emotional
4,174 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Stray" has been widely praised, with players highlighting its deeply touching narrative and the strong emotional connections formed with the characters, particularly the cat protagonist and its robot companion, B-12. Many reviews mention that the game evokes a range of feelings, from joy to sadness, often leading players to tears, especially during pivotal moments in the story. The combination of beautiful visuals, heartfelt storytelling, and relatable themes of companionship and loss creates a memorable and impactful experience that resonates with players long after they finish the game.
- “A beautiful, emotional journey through an amazingly constructed world.”
- “The bond between the cat and b-12 adds a touching emotional layer to the game, highlighting the theme of companionship in an otherwise lonely world.”
- “Stray is a breathtaking and heartfelt adventure that showcases the beauty of exploration and connection through the eyes of a cat.”
- “Very simple puzzles and boring story made it difficult to play for a full hour.”
- “It has a boring story, poorly thought-out controls, very linear gameplay with hardly any exploration, boring dialogue (every single character in this game has the exact same dialogue when you show them items), subpar graphics, clipping audio (in chapter 8), no diversity between levels (they all look the same), lack of navigation, locked frame-rate at 60fps, very short playtime (around 3-4 hours to complete the game), no replayability... I could go on and on and on...”
- “The cat game made me cry, would love to replay it sometime.”
music
3,795 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
61%
38%
1%
The music in "Stray" has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, effectively complementing the game's stunning visuals and emotional narrative. Composed by Yann Van Der Cruyssen, the soundtrack features a blend of ambient and electronic melodies that enhance the player's experience, making it a standout element of the game. Many players have noted that the music not only fits the various settings but also evokes a range of emotions, contributing significantly to the overall charm and depth of the game.
- “A really beautiful and bittersweet story complemented by absolutely stunning visuals, music, and overall atmosphere.”
- “The soundtrack perfectly complements the atmosphere, though the cat sounds could feel slightly artificial at times.”
- “The soundtrack, composed by Yann van der Cruyssen, perfectly complements the atmosphere, elevating the overall experience.”
- “The music is kind of boring, I guess.”
- “The music made my ears cum.”
- “The only negative thing I could say for the game is the soundtrack... a lot of 'songs' have loud popping noises and it's really annoying and gets old very quickly which meant I had to turn off the music altogether which was a bummer.”
atmosphere
2,790 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
74%
26%
The atmosphere in "Stray" is widely praised for its stunning visuals, immersive sound design, and intricate world-building, creating a captivating cyberpunk environment that draws players in. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke a range of emotions, from nostalgia to melancholy, while allowing players to explore as a cat in a beautifully crafted, post-apocalyptic city. Overall, the combination of atmospheric music, detailed environments, and engaging storytelling makes "Stray" a standout experience for fans of atmospheric games.
- “The world-building is nothing short of remarkable, creating a beautifully crafted atmosphere that pulls you in from the very first moments.”
- “A really beautiful and bittersweet story complemented by absolutely stunning visuals, music, and overall atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is breathtaking and so immersive.”
- “The biggest impression this game makes is definitely the atmosphere of a big, dead, empty city.”
- “The atmosphere quickly becomes dark and scary and stays this way through most of the game.”
- “The atmosphere is like no other game I know, and the cat mechanics are so cute.”
humor
807 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a delightful blend of lighthearted cat antics and clever interactions with quirky robot characters, often evoking laughter through relatable feline behaviors like knocking things over and playful mischief. While some dialogue and moments may feel shallow or repetitive, the overall comedic tone effectively balances the game's more serious themes, making it both entertaining and emotionally engaging. Players appreciate the humor's ability to enhance the immersive experience, with many noting that the game is more than just a "funny cat game," offering depth and charm alongside its comedic elements.
- “Love the mix of funny cat moments and existential dread!”
- “There's an inherent goofiness that the game wants you to recognize—you're a cat in a world of robots who have no idea what you are, and that's pretty funny, actually.”
- “The humor in dialogues and of the characters makes them absolutely lovable!”
- “Overly dramatic and serious tone; the 'annoying cat' tropes (like knocking things off counters to solve puzzles) are not funny, and the game plods along in a slow and linear fashion.”
- “Not funny, cried.”
replayability
568 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
60%
18%
The game's replayability is generally considered low, with many players noting its short duration (around 4-8 hours) and linear gameplay as significant factors limiting the incentive to replay. While some enjoy revisiting for collectibles or achievements, the consensus is that once the main story is completed, there is little reason to return unless for specific completionist goals. Overall, it offers a memorable first experience but lacks substantial replay value.
- “Overall, a great game with lots of replayability. For those of us who just want to have a chill cat parkour run around while finding nap spots, rubbing against robots to hear the happy noise, and sometimes tripping them... otherwise the story itself is very linear.”
- “The game offers a ton of replay value, especially when it comes to the achievements—like the speedrun one.”
- “Despite the length, I feel as though it has a high replay value which sort of justifies the price.”
- “For their asking price, I would not recommend it since the game can be beaten in 4-6 hours and there is no replay value to it.”
- “Unfortunately, it doesn't add any replay value, so once you've completed everything, there's little reason to return.”
- “The only real downside I find lingering over this game is the lack of replayability, especially after you unlock the colorful vest after getting all of the hidden memories.”
optimization
461 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
40%
27%
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback from users. While many players report smooth performance and minimal bugs, others experience significant stuttering and frame drops, particularly in graphically intensive areas or during transitions. Overall, the game is generally well-optimized for various systems, but some users with high-end hardware still encounter performance issues, suggesting that further optimization may be needed.
- “It's pretty well optimized for how beautiful it looks.”
- “Game optimization is insane.”
- “The game is well optimized and doesn't seem to be very demanding, on 4k it used under 2 GB of VRAM, and it doesn't have a complex graphics settings menu so should work on a variety of systems I would imagine.”
- “Performance even at low settings is abysmal and it barely works.”
- “The game keeps stuttering; I could not find a fix for this.”
- “With an RTX 3080 card, the performance on this game is awful (<50 fps and stuttering regardless of graphics settings) and the graphics are not even that great.”
stability
420 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
3%
83%
Overall, the game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting minor glitches and bugs that, while not game-breaking, can disrupt the experience. Some users experienced significant issues, such as crashes and soft locks, particularly on lower-end hardware, while others found the game to run smoothly with minimal problems. Despite these inconsistencies, the charming gameplay and visuals often overshadow the technical shortcomings for many players.
- “The game seems generally bug free and competently made.”
- “It basically runs great on all platforms and is very scalable in terms of performance.”
- “The game is almost completely bug free (from my playthrough), the detail is magnificent and the freedom of movement is incredible.”
- “The game is kind of a buggy mess to be honest.”
- “I spent a day troubleshooting and looking for solutions but the game crashed within seconds of launching each time.”
- “Stray was an absolute buggy mess on launch to the point where it hasn't even been a week and two hotfixes have already been released, and even now, it's just barely playable.”
grinding
322 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
2%
53%
45%
The aspect of "grinding" in the game has received mixed feedback, with many players finding certain elements tedious and repetitive, particularly in enemy encounters and fetch quests. While some appreciate the lack of traditional grinding mechanics, others feel that the gameplay can become monotonous, especially during longer segments or when dealing with checkpoints. Overall, the game is seen as a refreshing break from grind-heavy titles, but it still has moments that can feel laborious.
- “Easy game mechanics, straightforward objectives, absolutely no grinding, but plenty of paths to explore if you'd like a richer experience in the world.”
- “None of the achievements are very hard and, while there are a lot of collectibles, the game has chapter selections and so collecting these is not very tedious.”
- “The achievements are not too grindy but require a bit of effort.”
- “The enemies are tedious and the challenges repetitive and dull.”
- “I bought this game because of the overwhelmingly positive review status on Steam, and after 3 hours of play, I am done with this tedious slog.”
- “The game turns into extremely tedious fetch-quest land at that point, and I could not bring myself to finish because it's so insipid and boring.”
character development
154 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
64%
34%
2%
Character development in the game is widely praised for its emotional depth and engaging storytelling, with many players noting the strong connections formed between the protagonist, a cat, and its companions, particularly the robot B-12. While the character designs are described as adorable and visually stunning, some reviews mention that the overall character development could feel limited or rushed, particularly for non-playable characters. Overall, the game successfully immerses players in its world through charming character interactions and a heartfelt narrative, despite some critiques regarding the depth of character arcs.
- “The storytelling and character design for each and every character is amazing, and there have been moments where I've laughed and nearly cried.”
- “By the end of the game, you have been on such a big journey with these characters, and with its character development and emotional ending, it feels earned.”
- “The character development of B-12 and the cat is amazing.”
- “The story is relatively light on character development and emotional impact.”
- “Of course, this makes character relationships extremely limited and that's something you just have to accept in this game - there won't be any real ambiguity, turning points or character development for the cat or any of the world's inhabitants (which becomes evident from early on).”
- “The subject matter is vast but the cuts into it are shallow, ultimately the finale kinda falls flat not having enough runway for character development.”
monetization
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
45%
50%
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players appreciating the absence of microtransactions and additional costs, labeling it a refreshing change in a market often dominated by cash grabs. While some feel misled by the heavy advertising, others commend the developers for creating a complete experience without the typical monetization pitfalls, suggesting that the game offers good value despite its relatively short playtime. Overall, it is seen as a genuine effort that prioritizes gameplay over profit-driven mechanics.
- “Can highly recommend this game - it's short and sweet, no padding, no grind, no microtransactions, no bugs.”
- “A developer who clearly cares about making great games in this world of microtransactions and £20 skins is a breath of fresh air.”
- “For 30 dollars, the game felt whole, and not marred by intrusive microtransactions or obstructive UI elements.”
- “Overall, I feel misled by the advertising.”
- “One of the worst, low effort cash grabs on Steam - at least when a scammer flips some store-bought assets in a weekend they only charge a few bucks for it.”
- “Clearly overhyped game that had way too much advertising and very questionable Steam reviews (it's obviously not good enough for 97%)”