Since its release, Stray has taken the gaming world - and the internet at large - by storm. You play as a little ginger tabby cat in a post-apocalyptic world, where you explore an underground city and befriend the descendants of humanity: robots. It’s a hauntingly beautiful take on the genre, so it’s no wonder everyone is obsessed.
If you have yet to play the game, it’s a story-based pseudo-platformer with exploration and puzzle solving with some minor action-based elements. Stray is pretty simple to pick up, even if you’re not an experienced gamer, and doesn’t require any sort of mastery to enjoy. Even so, this list aims to give you a quick leg up before you start your journey.
10/10 Think Like A Cat
You’re not a human anymore, you’re a cat. That means that normal level building logic no longer applies. This can be frustrating and disorienting at first when you get into the game since you’re human eyes are used to looking for human routes.
Just remember how big the protagonist is, and remember that you can jump just about anywhere. If you don’t think you can get there, shift the camera a little to see if that little X appears to let you know that it’s possible. Don’t forget to approach holes too to see if you’ll automatically crouch!
9/10 Take Your Time
This is not a game you need to rush through. Yes, there’s an achievement for completing it in under two hours, but that’s something you’ll want to tackle on your second or third run-through. Here, you’re a cat and you will move through the story at your own pace.
If the game isn’t making you move fast, you don’t have to. This game has napping spots for a reason, and the reason is so you may use them. Explore everywhere you can explore, then double back to the main path. Your efforts won’t be in vain, and the game will feel all the richer.
8/10 Running = Nothing To Miss
There are several chase sequences in this game, and sections where you will have to run from foes in creative ways. These are the only parts in the game where you won’t have the opportunity for creative movement and leisurely exploration, but it’s designed accordingly.
You won’t miss anything. There are no hidden areas, no collectibles, or secret story beats. Just focus on getting through and you’ll be fine. No FOMO here, just zoomies.
7/10 That Is The Way To Go
While the size and jumping abilities of a cat can be hard to keep in mind at first, this game doesn’t mess around when it comes to signaling your destinations. Yes, yes, neon signs with arrows can make you squint your eyes and hum in disbelief, but you really should follow them!
Once the neon signals are gone (there is a story reason for their convenience) the game is still well designed when it comes to navigation. The open areas are built in helpful loops, and the more destination-focused ones don’t have too many places for you to wander off that don’t have a pay-off and a dead end to turn you back around.
6/10 Talk To Everyone
If you can talk to that character, do it. There is so much rich world-building and genuinely brilliant humor you can only find by talking to the inhabitants of the world of Stray. From helpful hints to laugh-out-loud exchanges taking the time to interact with them is well worth your time.
Not only should you initiate dialogue but meowing at the robots also has its unique rewards. Some folks will even have the option for you to rub up against them, and there’s one lucky one who you can cuddle up with and take a nap. It is definitely worth taking the time to build a connection with the characters of this world.
5/10 You Can Come Back
Once you reach the point in the game where you’re able to miss things, you’re able to retrace your steps. At least mostly. In The Slums, you are warned before you have to leave for good, and in Antvillage you have a while after leaving before you are no longer able to go back.
Midtown is a little more complex, but you are not going to lose access to anywhere in it long-term. For the sake of your sanity, just know that if you don’t have what’s needed to interact with something you will be able to come back once you have it.
4/10 Trust Your Friends
It’s almost second nature to doubt the intentions of characters in video games, especially in a game like Stray. The post-apocalyptic setting tickles your genre awareness and makes it hard to trust the characters you meet along the way. It’s natural. It’s normal.
Here, though, you need to trust. These robots are your friends, and the only enemies are mindless creatures working on instinct - whether they’re made of flesh or metal just depends on the chapter. If you want to progress in the game you’ll have to rely on the kindness of strangers and tentative allies.
3/10 Give It A Try
If you’ve ever had a cat or spent more than a few minutes around one, you’ll know how curious they are. Even the dumbest of cats are prone to investigate just about everything. This game is built on that fact. You’ll want to climb around and get up close to anything that looks even remotely interesting and see if you can interact with it.
Some things won’t serve any purpose at all. There’s no achievement for knocking over paint cans or tripping robots as they walk by, but you can still do it. The point is to have fun, to get into the mindset of a cat. The more chaos you cause, the readier you’ll be to solve the puzzles that come your way.
2/10 If You Can Get There, Go
Stray is almost a platformer, just built around cat physics. The designers chose the mechanics the way they did because of how cats move and interact with the world. Because of this, it is really easy to find out where you can and can’t go in the world.
That being said, if you can go somewhere you should explore it. It’s possible it’s just a dead end with really well-done collision boxes and beautiful set design, but it’s more likely that there’s something special waiting for you. It might be a friendly robot with unique dialogue, or it might be a collectible.
1/10 Listen To The Music
In The Slums you can collect eight pieces of sheet music and give them to one of the robots to play on her guitar. If you can, find all the pieces and listen to her play them. Not only are they beautiful to listen to, but each one gives greater insight into the world of Stray.
If you’re feeling so inclined, and a particular piece is speaking to you, take a moment to curl up in the napping spot next to her. If you nap while she’s playing she’ll keep on playing the piece until you get up again. Put the controller down for a bit, make yourself some tea maybe, and lose yourself. That’s what the game’s about.
