Cat-venturing in Stray

Lately I've been feeling a bit of stagnation when it comes to many different forms of entertainment.  Some kids in my classes at school were asking me about the last movie I saw in a theater...and I couldn't remember!  This is not because I'm slowly becoming senile (I mean...I hope not), but because it has genuinely been that long.  I cannot think of a single movie that has come out semi-recently that I've absolutely wanted to see in a theater.  Everything that comes out these days seems to be the umpteenth Marvel/DC/other random superhero themed thing or some kind of remake (or the worst...a "live action" remake).  It genuinely feels like Hollywood is lacking in the creativity department (at least when it comes to theatrical releases that will make it to my small town theater).

Gaming, on the other hand, still manages to create entertainment that feels fresh or novel and has something unique to offer.  I'm feeling some positive vibes thanks to finishing up my first playthrough of the very cute and enjoyable Stray.

What is it?

An action/cat-forming (cat platforming--that's a word I made up) game where you play as an actual cat!  And it's not like a cheesy or jokey type of gameplay (think Goat Simulator)--it's extremely well animated and the cat protagonist plays exactly the way I would imagine it would be having the agility of a feline.  Basically you are a cat who winds up accidentally getting separated from its cat-family.  Unfortunately, getting back to them is no easy prospect as you quickly learn that you're actually trapped in a sealed, dead city.  It's your job, as a feisty feline, to figure out how to escape and get back to your family of strays.

Pros:

+ Playing as a cat feels extremely satisfying.  The behavior, animations, and agility of your protagonist feline are so good.  Lots of the gameplay involves navigating both horizontally and vertically by jumping from object to object.  It never really feels awkward and is very enjoyable.  As a cat you can navigate narrow spaces, hide in boxes, and do plenty of cute cat things.  You can meow, nuzzle up against certain friendly robots, jump on surfaces that robots are using (one of my favorite and most realistic achievements occurred when I had the cat jump right into the middle of a mahjong game and knock the tiles onto the floor), sharpen your claws on furniture/objects, and find special locations to nap.

The perfect place for a cat nap.

+ Gameplay that is satisfactory--it's not too tough and not too easy.  Even if you are someone who feels like they might not have the best skills, I think you could still play and enjoy Stray.  There are some sequences that might be slightly challenging, but with perseverance are doable.

+ The story is surprisingly good.  I wasn't really sure what to expect because all I had heard about was that you play as a cat, but there is a story that involves robots, human-caused follies, and the apocalypse.  It's not super dark and has very hopeful vibes.  If you're worried about seeing the cat get hurt or killed--it's pretty mild (the cat does limp at a couple of points).

+ The environments in the game are cool and I particularly enjoyed the robot society and learning about how it functions.

+ Collectibles offer up a degree of replayability.  There are several categories of items to find that are tied to achievements.

+ It's pretty family friendly--I don't think there's any swearing.  The story does have some slightly dark elements, but it's nothing too crazy.  If you want a game that your kids could watch you play, this would be a good one.

+ Music fits the story and gameplay very well.

Cons:

- Gamepad recommended.  I used my handy-dandy cheapo Amazon Basics XBOX 360 controller and it worked like a charm.  I didn't try it with mouse and keyboard but would imagine that it's possible (since the gameplay isn't like a super-serious platformer).

- It's short.  My full playthrough clocked in at a little over 7 hours.  Granted, they were highly enjoyable, very cute hours.  I did spend some time trying to find collectibles, but not a ton, so you could probably get a bit closer to 10 if you really look for stuff.

Recommendation:

If you've ever wanted to play a game where you are a cat, Stray is that game.  The cat protagonist is so cute and plays so smoothly...you'll want to be a cat in every game!  If you are a cat lover, you'll appreciate the attention to detail when it comes to cat behavior.  Even though it's on the short side, the story and gameplay are fun and memorable.  I would recommend Stray but due to the short length, I would say to wait for a sale (I think $29.99 is a bit steep for ~7 hours of gameplay).