Stray is one of the finest games of this generation. I can understand why any readers that haven't played this game, would rankle at such a conceit. If anyone had told me that I would be writing those words in a review about a platforming/puzzling cat game 10 years ago, I'd have thought that they were absolutely daft. Stray, however, proves to be a masterclass game, from a small developer no less, that ticks every box and puts many other AAA experiences to absolute shame.

Without spoiling too much of the game, Stray deals with the story of a cat (Stray) that is separated from the rest of his friends/family and becomes trapped in a massive post-apocalyptic city. Along the way, he discovers the origins of the giant community, what happened to all other life within the confines of the city's walls and surprising revelations about humanity, and the world. Stray meets a variety of characters, including a wide variety of sentient robots and other character companions. He must also use his agility, stealth and cleverness to cope with a variety of hazards, including the all-consuming, tick-like Hurk, security drones and all manner of environmental dangers.

To say that the storytelling is excellent is an understatement. The cat's plot perfectly unfolds through exposition, adventures, unlocked memories and info dump entries that culminate in legitimate investment towards the safety, wellness and happiness of Stray and his companions. The expert-level storytelling is bolstered by truly beautiful visuals that are comprised of both excellently executed graphics as well as masterful aesthetic design. Unreal Engine lighting is leveraged to a fantastic degree to provide nigh-photo-realistic environments and the game does an amazing job of building palpable atmosphere.

Graphics are supported by singularly unique music, as well as competent voice acting. The game is stable, efficient and performant, which is not easily said in today's landscape of shovelware. The duration of the campaign ranges from about 8-10 hours depending on how much sight-seeing you would like to complete prior to the rolling of the credits. The game play is absolutely sublime. Stray sprints, bounds and moves like you would expect a cat to and that fluidity of movement becomes crucial in surviving hazards posed by the Hurk, security drones and a hostile environment. Mild-moderate puzzling also abounds, and all of the puzzles make good rational sense, rarely seeming out of place.

If it sounds like Stray is a perfect game, that's because it very much nearly is. The game is relatively inexpensive and its plot beats tug at the heart quite effectively. The game uses physics in clever ways and the game play and ending are both extremely satisfying. If the game has any flaws, they would be that the game has limited replayability (the game can be speedrun at 2 hours) and that despite its excellent pacing, can be completed in under 10 hours.

Despite those small niggling issues, Stray is a beautiful title that serves as an experience, rather than a series of rote MMO cut-out "missions" that are quickly forgotten. Stray will stay with you for awhile. What is Stray? Succinctly put, Stray is a cuter, more poignant, sometimes more frightening, more intelligently-written Half-Life 2, without a multiplayer component. If that sounds intriguing, you should totally pick up Stray on sale.

Stray is a Meowsterpiece. Two paws way up.

Highest possible recommendation.

9.5/10.

Stray is one of the finest games of this generation. I can understand why any readers that haven't played this game, would rankle at such a conceit. If anyone had told me that I would be writing those words in a review about a platforming/puzzling cat game 10 years ago, I'd have thought that they were absolutely daft. Stray, however, proves to be a masterclass game, from a small developer no less, that ticks every box and puts many other AAA experiences to absolute shame. Without spoiling too much of the game, Stray deals with the story of a cat (Stray) that is separated from the rest of his friends/family and becomes trapped in a massive post-apocalyptic city. Along the way, he discovers the origins of the giant community, what happened to all other life within the confines of the city's walls and surprising revelations about humanity, and the world. Stray meets a variety of characters, including a wide variety of sentient robots and other character companions. He must also use his agility, stealth and cleverness to cope with a variety of hazards, including the all-consuming, tick-like Hurk, security drones and all manner of environmental dangers. To say that the storytelling is excellent is an understatement. The cat's plot perfectly unfolds through exposition, adventures, unlocked memories and info dump entries that culminate in legitimate investment towards the safety, wellness and happiness of Stray and his companions. The expert-level storytelling is bolstered by truly beautiful visuals that are comprised of both excellently executed graphics as well as masterful aesthetic design. Unreal Engine lighting is leveraged to a fantastic degree to provide nigh-photo-realistic environments and the game does an amazing job of building palpable atmosphere. Graphics are supported by singularly unique music, as well as competent voice acting. The game is stable, efficient and performant, which is not easily said in today's landscape of shovelware. The duration of the campaign ranges from about 8-10 hours depending on how much sight-seeing you would like to complete prior to the rolling of the credits. The game play is absolutely sublime. Stray sprints, bounds and moves like you would expect a cat to and that fluidity of movement becomes crucial in surviving hazards posed by the Hurk, security drones and a hostile environment. Mild-moderate puzzling also abounds, and all of the puzzles make good rational sense, rarely seeming out of place. If it sounds like Stray is a perfect game, that's because it very much nearly is. The game is relatively inexpensive and its plot beats tug at the heart quite effectively. The game uses physics in clever ways and the game play and ending are both extremely satisfying. If the game has any flaws, they would be that the game has limited replayability (the game can be speedrun at 2 hours) and that despite its excellent pacing, can be completed in under 10 hours. Despite those small niggling issues, Stray is a beautiful title that serves as an experience, rather than a series of rote MMO cut-out "missions" that are quickly forgotten. Stray will stay with you for awhile. What is Stray? Succinctly put, Stray is a cuter, more poignant, sometimes more frightening, more intelligently-written Half-Life 2, without a multiplayer component. If that sounds intriguing, you should totally pick up Stray on sale. Stray is a Meowsterpiece. Two paws way up. Highest possible recommendation. 9.5/10.