The release of BlueTwelve Studio and Annapurna Interactive’s brand-new IPStrayis fast approaching and joins a slew of games dropping in July, likeBear and Breakfast,Digimon Survive, andXenoblade Chronicles 3.Straysets itself apart from a lot of other games on the market by dropping players into a gorgeously-realized futuristic world populated by robots, which they experience through the eyes of a cat. This premise is either everything a player has ever wanted in a video game or a slightly bizarre gameplay setup that may take some convincing to try out.
During the recent State of Play,Strayreceived an excitingly close release date, as well as confirmation that it will be a free PS Plus download for higher subscription tiers. If any players were on the fence about the game, this is the perfect opportunity to pick it up when it releases in July and see whatStrayis all about. But if they’re just expecting a game that lets them wander around and look at things from a cats-eye-view, then they might be surprised.
Exploring A Futuristic Setting
Straywas initially just a demotitledHK_Projectwhich followed a cat around the beautifully lit rooftops and streets of Hong Kong. It developed into something much more complex, although it retains that focus on exploration as players navigate a cityscape dripping with neon light and encounter a variety of urban designs. Although the game has a variety of different areas with open-world elements, the overriding aesthetic and focus of the game sees players exploring a cyberpunk city full of sentient robots as they go about their daily lives.
There areother aspects toStray’s gameplay, but part of the joy of the game is reveling in the design of the world. Players will be able to soak up the sci-fi atmosphere, appreciate the artful construction of the streets and buildings, and explore the colorful environments from a brand-new perspective. There are not many games where gamers can take control of a cat, after all, and that alone is a massive point on the scoresheet forStray’s originality, alongside its intriguing and sumptuous setting and unique gameplay.
Puzzling And Platforming
Whileexploration is the focus ofStray, the game is also a third-person adventure with puzzle-solving elements and aspects of platforming with the titular cat’s acrobatic and nimble movements. Players will be able to leap about the environment in scripted sections and prompted instances, but while this may seem a little restrictive in the otherwise fluid traversal, there are some sections where players will need to utilize these prescribed movements in a flurry of activity that better suits this mechanic.
The cat won’t be alone on its adventures either; it will be joined by B-12, a friendly drone that aids players by collecting items and helps them avoid peskyenemies called Zurkswho will swarm and attack the feline protagonist. There isn’t combat inStray, although the sight of the diminutive cat taking on foes would be great to see. The majority of the time the aim is to avoid confrontations, but later in the game, B-12 can be upgraded to take on a few smaller robotic antagonists if the need arises.
Straywill also confront players with plenty of mainly physics-based environmental puzzles to solve, and the furry feline will be able to carry and hold things in its mouth to help with these. Some puzzles will need to be tackled with both the cat and its robotic companion working together, with B-12 activating switched and helping reach things that the cat might not be able to easily get to.Straywill be incorporating plenty of cat-like behavioras well, including rubbing up against the legs of robotic passersby, which should add to the realism of its gameplay in interesting (and adorable) ways.
Straylaunches July 19th for PC, PS4, and PS5.
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