Stray

Stray, from Annapurna Interactive, is a futuristic adventure game where players take on the role of a cat. It launches on July 19th for the PS4, PS5, ...

The first time the cat puts on its harness is one of the funniest moments I’ve experienced in a game. It’s a lot like watching a house cat methodically climb furniture and countertops to get to the top of a fridge. You move back and forth between these moments of action and adventure, and perhaps the most impressive thing about Stray is how it’s all paced. It felt more tedious than grueling, though these moments were rare, and the game has a very generous checkpoint system so that you are never forced to replay large sections. That said, there are a few action sequences, which, short as they can be, add a necessary dose of tension to the experience. Later on, the action shifts to stealth, as you have to completely avoid robots to infiltrate various places. In Stray, you play as a nameless cat that finds itself separated from its feline friends at the outset of the game and plunged into a subterranean world populated by robots instead of people. Outside of a brief section of the game, you don’t have a weapon, so all you can really do is run, jump, meow, and perform other context-sensitive actions like scratching a door or batting something off of a shelf. Stray’s story is relatively short — I finished the game in around seven hours — but it covers a lot in that runtime, with themes ranging from wealth inequality to environmental disaster, not to mention the all-too-important fate of the cat itself. Eventually you’re joined by a cute drone named B12, and the mysteries of the world start to pile up. You can pander to the robots by doing favors big and small — these can range from helping a robo-grandma knit a cozy poncho out of electrical cords or reuniting a father and son by traversing dangerous, zurk-filled sewers. That may sound like a small twist or even a gimmick, but in reality, the shift in perspective makes Stray feel refreshingly new.

We didn't realize such purrfect cat animations were even pawsible. Sorry. Sorry! (It's great, though)

Hello, and welcome to the “Do bad things happen to the cat in Stray?” sidebar! The answer to this question, without getting too deep into spoiler territory, is that they can—this is a video game with enemies and fail states, so you may see a cute kitty with the word “DEAD” printed over it in cyber-block letters if things go wrong. The latter, one of your most common actions, isn’t a free leaping situation, either, but a matter of finding the right place to point the cat toward and then hitting a button to execute the leap. (This is, as far as we know, the first ever video game to present every new carpet as a fresh opportunity for making biscuits.) Watching the cat (never named) move through the world Blue Twelve has created for it is often jaw-dropping, both in its technical execution, and its specificity. Which brings us to an issue that may be looming for some people who’ve been curious about Stray for years now, and which we’ll address in a sidebar here so as to quarantine spoilers. That being said, there is an objectively correct way to play Stray, the new puzzle platformer from developer Blue Twelve Studio and publisher Annapurna Interactive: With your own kitty cat curled up against you on the couch, as you navigate the game’s central character, a very capable orange tabby, through a cyberpunk dystopian world.

Stray ; Available on: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4 and PC ; Developer: BlueTwelve Studio | Publisher: Annapurna Interactive ; Release: July 19, 2022 ; Under embargo ...

It wasn’t always clear why I could jump to one surface but not another either, and a lot of frustration could have been saved with some kind of mechanic to highlight the climbable ledges a la the Horizon series. The bulk of “Stray’s” narrative is told through memories and the bits and pieces of information you glean from your surroundings as you trek upward through the city’s levels. Minor complaints aside, “Stray” is an enrapturing experience, the kind of game that doesn’t leave your brain after the credits roll. You sneak around a stark, concrete facility that looks like it could have been plucked from any other stealth game, which is a particular shame given how memorable the other parts of the city are. You team up with a small drone, B-12, that connects to a harness and can hack terminals, translate the language of the city’s robotic inhabitants and unlock clues called “memories” to learn more about what the hell happened to this place. Playing as a cat makes this easy to convey without explicit explanation: A heart will appear on a robot’s face when you nuzzle up against its leg; an angry face flashes when you cause mischief; they trip if you dart between their legs. The residents of the city’s slum live in constant fear of Zurks, little chittering critters that eat everything in sight and will swarm you on sight. Your ability to move through the world like a cat informs much of “Stray’s” level design, which focuses heavily on verticality. “Stray” is a master class in environmental story telling and level design. You can claw at doors and furniture by alternating the L2 and R2 triggers, leaving behind scratch marks, or knock things off tables just because or jump on a stack of books to send it toppling over. The platforming is broken up by puzzle-solving sequences that call to mind “Half-Life 2” in how they seamlessly incorporate the environment into physics-based puzzles, forcing you to examine your surroundings in new ways to figure out the solution. Playing “Stray” felt like a surreal 4D experience at times: There’s a dedicated “meow” button, and my orange cat Cheeto, who lay beside me as I played, perked up whenever I hit it and the sound echoed through the PS5 controller (the cat will also meow randomly — again, just like a real cat).

A cat walks the wet, neon-lit streets of a walled cybercity in Stray Image: BlueTwelve Studio/Annapurna Interactive. Stray is a game about an adorable ...

Additionally, the cat does get injured at points during the story, which can be difficult to watch. If you can’t shake the enemies and escape, the cat will get overwhelmed by the beasts and collapse on the ground. To ease your anxieties, we’re going to answer two different questions: Can the cat in Stray die if you fail?

A delightful cat-based platforming adventure in a cyberpunk world worth exploring.

B-12 accompanies your cat for most of the campaign, and the relationship that forms between them is a nice cornerstone for the plot as a whole. That means the only difficulty associated with any of the platforming is wrestling the camera into the right position to hop to the spot you want, and you don’t exactly move with the nimbleness of a cat once you do – though that’s partly the fault of the movement animations themselves, which can be noticeably stiff at times. It’s fun to scamper up air conditioners mounted to the sides of buildings or walk along railings, but you don’t actually have a dedicated jump button to do any of that with. The latter sections, on the other hand, shift Stray into a genre more akin to a point-and-click adventure game – except in this case your pointer is a cat. The robotic denizens of this cyberpunk world generally talk to you like they would anybody else, and the only way it’s ever really relevant to the story or the action is because you can fit into tight spaces they can’t. To be clear: you’re not a magic cat, not a mutated sci-fi cat, not some kind of sentient super cat – just a normal, cute cat, albeit one that displays the sort of intelligent awareness we all like to pretend our own cats do when we aren’t looking.

The early novelty of playing as a cat in Stray soon gives way to a striking realisation—we often behave like cats in games anyway.

Because it doesn't, a few sequences get stuck in low gear, such as when you get to fight back against the zurks, a confrontation that boils down to repeated backpedalling and shooting (and places the bland digital abilities of B-12 at centre stage, rather than our fluffy hero's), or don't evolve enough to escape the sense that they lack originality, serving up tasks that follow well-rehearsed genre lines. Throughout the 6-8-hour run time, the objectives remain clear and simple, leaving you plenty of space to enjoy the worldbuilding and simply being a cat. It's also when you start criss-crossing this populated settlement and its interiors—jumping on a bar next to a collapsed drinker, or between bookshelves in a researcher's lab—that the solidity of Stray's scenery comes to the fore. As your determined cat gradually rises towards the surface again, you make new robot friends, helping them to reach their goals, get into tighter scrapes, and learn more about the history of this buried city in its richly detailed ruins. 3D game worlds are often an awkward combination of items that don't budge and others that fly or break at the slightest touch, but from the perspective of a cat that's how things work. At the same time, they have no frame of reference when it comes to meeting a cat, thus standing idly as you jump on their tables, knocking over their cups. Stray now gives you space to play again, as B-12 helps you seek information from the androids and aid them in return. It uploads itself into a tiny drone and 3D-prints a harness around the cat in which to house itself. What follows for the rest of the game is a journey to reach the top again, revealing the fate and legacy of an extinct humanity on the way. Follow the path and you meet an AI called B-12 who wants to join you in returning to the great outdoors. And while there are points when Stray abuses its control by refusing to let you jump on barrels and boxes merely because they aren't part of the essential path, the overall result is a slick, satisfying loop of pause, look, leap that sustains the feline illusion. The early novelty of playing as a cat in Stray soon gives way to a striking realisation—we often behave like cats in games anyway.

Stray is finally launching this week on PC, PS4, and PS5, and here's when it should be playable.

PC/Steam players should expect Stray to go live at around midnight local time. Stray launches for PC, PS4, and PS5 on July 19, 2022. Stray is a cyberpunk indie title developed by BlueTwelve Studio and published by Annapurna. The cat-centered third-person adventure game launches on PC, PS4, and PS5 on July 19, 2022.

The exciting new adventure game, which released on the 19th July 2022, sees you play as a cat with a backpack. The main objective is to roam surroundings, ...

Alternatively, you can play Stray if you're a subscriber to one of the new PlayStation Plus Extra or Premium tiers. Just make sure you cancel the subscription tied to your bank card and make the purchase with your PS Store credit. If you're not already a member, you can currently claim a free 7-day PlayStation Plus Extra/ Premium trial to play the game at no extra cost. If you haven't managed to get a PS5 console yet you can check our PS5 stock checker page. Stray looks like a lot of fun and something very different to other games. The main objective is to roam surroundings, defend against unforeseen threats and solve mysteries in a place inhabited by curious droids and dangerous creatures.

Feline adventure Stray is filled to the brim with fun puzzles to solve, and you'll encounter no shortage of them upon first arriving in the Slums.

Inside, you'll find Sheet Music 8/8, which you can give to the nearby musician to hear him play a catchy tune before being on your meowy way. Step 2: Head up the stairs once you're in the house and find Elliot sitting at a computer. Heading into the alleyways, and look for the door with the black-and-white blueprints hanging on it.

Note: For this chapter, there is the Pacifist Trophy, awarded for not using the Defluxor weapon to kill any Zurks. For more info, see our guide: Stray Trophy ...

Descend the stairs and use a series of pipes to get down to the lower floor. Once the door is open, proceed into the next horrifying room and watch the cutscene. Climb the barrels to a higher platform to cross over to the left-hand side of the room. Hop off to the right and through the gate. He'll open it just enough for you to get through using the floating barrels in the water. When you're ready, hop on and the chapter will begin.

It's okay, sometimes being a cat on a robot-filled sci-fi adventure is thirsty work; that's why we have information on how to get an energy drink in Stray ...

If you’re looking for more information on solving some of the game’s tougher puzzles, we have a Stray walkthrough with tips and guides right here. If you’re playing Annapurna Interactive’s game and wondering how you can get your hands on an energy drink or two in Stray, we’re here to help you out. We know the Stray game length isn’t necessarily anything to write home about, but for a game that’s not too long, it’s packed with more character and detail than you’d expect.

Your ultimate Stray resource - Stray is a narrative adventure for PS5 and PS4 in which you play as a cute little cat. Deve...

Here, you can see any items you're holding, as well as any B-12 Memories. It's worth having a look around, because you can inspect objects to see them in a 3D view, but most importantly, any Memories in the area will show you a glitchy clue as to their whereabouts. You can't just jump around willy-nilly in Stray. If you want to jump somewhere, you'll first need to approach the edge, wait for the X button prompt to appear above your desired landing spot, and then jump. In this part of our Stray guide, we have pages telling you where to find All Collectibles throughout the game. In this section of our Stray guide, we have a breakdown of All Chapters in the game. If you're looking for help while playing Stray, this is the place to be. In this Stray guide, we will be exploring everything the game has to offer.

Stray Memories locations · Inside The Wall - no memories · Dead City - no memories · The Flat - 1 memory · The Slums - 7 memories · Rooftops - 3 memories · The Slums ...

Get past these to find a pipe you can climb into on the left, and at the other end you can scan the sewer system. You can also talk to Elliot while you're here to complete a stage in the process to unlock the Stray safe code. You can also start your search for the Stray Notebooks here, if you haven't done so already, by talking to Momo. If you picked up a fourth can of energy drink, you can also purchase the Stray Sheet Music Azooz is selling. We've taken the legwork out of this search, with the full lowdown on all of the Stray Memories locations. Also, in Chapter 6 you revisit the same area of The Slums that Chapter 4 is set in, so those memories can be found during either level.

In "Stray," the game for PlayStation 5, PS4 and PC, there are tons of catty things players can do. Some have in-game functions, most don't, but all are ...

If you poke your nose around too much, you’ll suffer the consequences, like getting your head stuck in a bag. For an added touch of realism, the PS5 DualSense controller’s adaptive triggers, which adjust the tension of the rear buttons in response to gameplay, are harder to press down during these sequences. First and most importantly: There’s a dedicated button (circle on the PlayStation controller) to “meow,” which you can mash to your heart’s content.

Stray, the new game from BlueTwelve Studio that puts you into the paws of a cat, introduces a beautiful sci-fi world. But it's all grounded by the fact that ...

Those are just 10 of the fun ways Stray lets you be a totally normal cat in a totally new world. Well, they certainly seem to react to a cat rubbing against their legs, and some of them certainly seem to love it, if the hearts on their monitor-faces are any indication. Thankfully, BlueTwelve has placed a few distractions around its world to allow you to do just that. Sometimes you need a break from exploration, piano playing, and clawing up the furniture, right? It's ok to paws when you come across a carpet, wall, or couch that needs scratching on your adventure. But it's all grounded by the fact that, as a cat, you can do some pretty normal cat things while playing Stray.

Electric cable; Poncho; Tracker. In this Stray guide, we'll be looking at how to get Elliot's poncho. Turns out, even robots feel the cold ...

Head back to Azooz to get the electric cable and give it to granny, who'll knit you a sweet poncho. To start this quest, you'll need to speak to Granny, who'll tell you that she'll knit you a lovely poncho if you can get her some electric cable. In this Stray guide, we'll be looking at how to get Elliot's poncho.

Where to find all B-12 Memories - Where are all the B-12 Memories in Stray? In Stray, one of the main collectibles hidden ...

Go inside and the Memory is on the back wall. Once on the other side, head to the right to find this Memory at some bookshelves. Through the next door, this Memory is easily found on the right. Walk through and you'll find this Memory to the right. This Memory is inside a security station right next to the big hologram. Before you interact with that, go to the far end of this section and this Memory is on a ruined Neco Corp sign. There's only one path up, so jump up to the next rooftop and this Memory is dead ahead. Head up the left-hand stairs, and this Memory is on a small table ahead. Head up the stairs, then this Memory can be found on the left. This Memory is very hard to miss. The first is to the left of Guardian, opposite Morusque. The second is in a back alley next to the location of Memory #6. The final vending machine is on a rooftop just past the napping robot. The Memory is unmissable, so don't worry about this one.

The new PS4, PS5, and Windows PC game from BlueTwelve Studios and Annapurna Interactive lets you play as a stray cat exploring a dystopian city filled with ...

It’s a treat to see the trilling cat and B-12 work together in a fusion of flesh and technology — a cyborg, if you will. Still, for all the refreshed perspective Stray naturally provides through its feline protagonist, this is a deeply traditionalist vision of cyberpunk that, while handsomely executed, doesn’t quite come alive with its own identity. Unlike an Uncharted game, however, Stray is non-violent, foregoing all of the murderous action to focus entirely on a quiet kind of exploration. This is a streamlined, accessible approach to platforming, less reliant on timing and dexterity than that found in the Mario or Tomb Raider franchises, but which intends to make you “feel” more like a cat. As a biological creature, your body is at odds with this cybercity and the robotic inhabitants that call it home. The specter of Kowloon Walled City looms large in the pop culture imagination.

Very early on in the game, you'd learn how to meow in Stray. There's a dedicated button for it: it's ⭕ / B on the gamepad. But apart from letting out a cute ...

Meow and the Zurks will notice you and to make Sentinels turn your away, clearing up spaces where they’ve been tightly guarding until then. To make them appear, just meow and the lights will show you the way. In fact, meowing eventually becomes a useful tool for you in your journey the deeper you get into the game.

Stray isn't on Xbox or Game Pass yet but there's a chance it will as it's listed at 'console exclusive for a limited time'.

As for the Stray Xbox Game Pass release, that's a little harder to predict. That suggests it's only a timed thing and will eventually be a Xbox release as long as you don't might the wait. In our Stray review we called it a "phenomenal, if compact, feline adventure" and awarded it 4.5 out of 5.

Stray has a lot of Chapters, and within those Chapters, the game tends to focus on a specific type of gameplay. For example, in The Slums, the game takes on ...

The best way to engage in combat is to use your cat-like grace to outmanoeuvre the enemy and blast them in a hit-and-run kind of way. If you don’t know where to go, B-12 will give you a hint. If you ever get lost, or you are unsure what to do, you (nearly) always have access to your partner in crime, B-12. This charming little drone will be your connection to the world. Stray has some phenomenal level design, and a map is not needed to get around. The game doesn’t have a map, because it has been designed to not need one. Stray has a lot of Chapters, and within those Chapters, the game tends to focus on a specific type of gameplay. In these areas, you have a lot of space to mess around in, and the game is not afraid to hide all kinds of things. Earlier we mentioned you will spend a lot of time running away from enemies - and this is true - however, there is a section where you can fight back. For example, in The Slums, the game takes on more of a classic adventure style of play. Not only do you have nine lives, but you also get the power of unlimited meows and a free pass to accidentally knock things off shelves. Despite all of these scripted jumps and whatnot, Stray has a lot of freedom hidden in its world. In fact, Stray is excellent at delivering a meaningful experience, whilst also maintaining a fair challenge in all of its Chapters. We are here to ease that entry even further.

Complete walkthrough for Midtown in Stray - Midtown is the 10th chapter in Stray, taking place after you beat Antvillage. ...

Head to the bar and on the left-hand side is a yellow drink you can take. Use this path to get to the balcony where Blazer is. This lever is used to repair the hologram on the left side of the stage. Go past it around the back of it to the left. After a short cutscene, head out the doorway and turn left to take a bucket lift across and out of the factory. You'll receive a message, showing you four objects in the apartment you need to find. Return to the changing room and insert the tape to the boom box. To start with, bring the box to the left-hand switch. Jump to the railing, then onto the sign, where you can reach the camera. Clementine is the robot you need to find in order to advance. Go to the other side of the platform and up the stairs. From Camera #1's location, get back onto the walkway and go around to the other side.

You'll find one abandoned safe with a mysterious note attached to it. Find out how to open this in our Stray Guides.

If you want, you can just skip to the last step of this guide and find the digicode itself, which you will input in the four-digit nine-key password lock of the safe. Exploring around The Slums, you’ll eventually find a safe with a mysterious password digicode, the only one of its kind in the entirety of Stray. If you haven’t yet, you can find it near Morusque, abandoned on a pile of trash, near the entrance of The Sewers. You can open this safe in either Chapter 4 The Slums, or Chapter 6 The Slums Part 2, but it’s best if you can open the safe as early as Chapter 4. For our Stray Review, click here.

You'll explore a new area and clamber across the city, which is infested with those pesky Zurks. As part of our Stray guide, we have a full walkthrough of ...

Use the bucket to reach the next chapter. Eventually, when the elevator arrives, jump up to the side and drop in. There are more Zurks ahead — again, avoid them and run to the right, where you can reach more scaffolding and continue your ascent. Get across and jump up to the next rooftop. Jump to the girder and across to the next building. Jump up the pipe and vents to reach a higher ledge, where you'll find a B-12 Memory. Turn around and jump to the metal post, which will swing around.

Early on in Stray you'll come across a safe in The Slums. On the safe you'll find a clue to help you find its “mysterious password,” but none of the robot ...

Grab this treasure and take it over to Morusque to continue his quest. Face away from the Guardian and walk straight until you see a neon red sign, which adorns the entrance of the local watering hole. After you talk to the Guardian and they deem you safe, turn left.

You probably already know that humans like Stray, informally known as “the cat game,” very much. The more pressing matter is this: How do cats feel about it ...

It’s unclear yet if this week’s buzz is a flash in the pan among the plugged-in social media set—seeing as “cat gets lost in cyberpunk city” is scientifically calibrated catnip for the Extremely Online—or if it’s indicative of a potential jump to a broader audience. (Refer to the pic at the top of this post.) Stray’s ultimate reach remains a variable. Others, unaware of their limitations, try to scale the wall a TV is mounted on.

Everything you need to know to find every hidden barter item in Stray. Stray - collage of barterman and super detergent poster ...

Return to the main plaza, and face the bulk of the Slums. You will see several paths you can take. Take the right path and follow it to the front of the store. To find the Super Detergent, go to the store with the Super Detergent poster from earlier. Once you enter the Slums and have spoken to the Guardian, simply head right and down the stairs. There are a total of four viable Energy Drink Cans in the Slums, and they are all found in working vending machines. When you first get to the Slums in Stray, you have a fairly large area to explore.

Stray is a joy to play on the PlayStation 5 controller. The haptic feedback makes being a cat immersive thanks to a mix of rumble types, adaptive triggers, ...

So much of the game succeeds thanks to its faithful renditions of feline movement and behavior — the catting of it all, you might say. The haptic feedback’s varying intensities, as you get up to cat antics, read as practically invisible and delightfully immersive. The adaptive triggers come into play when you scratch surfaces like mossy poles, sofa arms, and rugs (is the latter actually “doing biscuits”? I’ll count it). To scratch, I alternate the left and right triggers, which take a satisfying amount of pressure to push down, before yielding with a little controller rumble as the cat peels away from the surface with his claws.

Stray is a puzzle platformer where you play as a cat in a futuristic city. Here's whether it's on Xbox consoles.

On PlayStation consoles, Stray is actually included in PS Plus for July. It’s certainly a unique take on the genre, and has won the hearts of gamers and cat-lovers with its feline protagonist. It combines stealth-based action with puzzles and environmental storytelling to tell the story of a robotic civilisation, in a world filled with anguish.

You don't need to be a cat lover to enjoy Stray, the new game for PlayStation and PC. But it helps. In the new game from Annapurna Interactive, you play as ...

Zurks jump to attack, and if they land on you, you will need to shake them off before more attack. The game recommends playing with a controller. Stray is a game about discovery.