Stray for PlayStation 5

Stray: Everybody Wants to Be a Cat on PS5

Stray is a captivating and mesmerizing adventure game developed by BlueTwelve Studios and published by Annapurna Interactive. This highly anticipated PlayStation 5 game takes you on an extraordinary journey through a futuristic metropolis from the perspective of a lost feline. Thanks to its stunning graphics and unique world design, Stray stands out among the crowded gaming landscape, allowing you to explore and solve all kinds of cleverly designed puzzles through the eyes of an adorable cat. However, what makes Stray special is much more than its dystopian playground or its furry little hero; it’s a true indie gem that not even AAA titles released around the same time like God of War: Ragnarök or Horizon Forbidden West could overshadow. Do you want to know what makes Stray one of the best games on PS5?

Explore a dystopian world through the eyes of a cat

Stray is a narrative-driven game where we play the part of a cute little orange cat trapped in a futuristic city populated by robots. As a little feline who lost its way in this mysterious cybernetic metropolis, you’ll be able to climb, jump onto ledges, squeeze into tight spaces and meow at the neon-lights of run-down buildings. If you’re a cat lover, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the level of detail of our feline protagonist. Stray’s four-legged hero doesn’t just look like a cat, but moves and acts like one too. Its graceful jumps and curious interactions with the environment will warm the heart of any animal lover. The ability to become a cat and explore a dystopian cityscape is just a glimpse of what Stray has in store for us.

As a player, we’re not alone. Accompanying our furry fellow we find B-12, a drone who will assist us in our adventures through this urban maze of metal, high-tech buildings and rubble. This little companion will aid us through a number of abilities such as translating the mysterious language of the inhabitants of the city, providing us light or helping us open a new path through the map. B-12 is more than just an extension to the cat’s abilities, it’s also a central part of Stray’s story. While we explore every nook and cranny of the metropolis, we’ll find lost memories of our electronic friend that will slowly help us to unravel what happened to this apocalyptic world. Believe us when we say that the trip is worth your time, because the games’ story is simply fantastic.

Engaging gameplay that blends exploration and puzzle solving

Part platformer, part traditional adventure with some cleverly designed stealth sequences, Stray is a unique experience that will please all kinds of players. As you climb and jump your way through the city, you’ll encounter a wide array of challenges and puzzles that you’ll need to solve to advance your journey. Puzzles can be worked out using the physics of the environment, using B-12’s abilities or asking yourself the classic question…  “What would a cat do?”. What makes Stray special is that, while some of these conundrums are easy to solve, others aren’t so easy to figure out. The puzzle solving never reaches frustrating levels and always feels fun to tackle. This makes the game extremely satisfying for players that enjoy mental riddles without blocking the progress to those who prefer exploration, stealth or platforming sections of the game.

A graphically stunning adventure with an immersive soundtrack

Stray is hands down one of the most eye-catching titles ever released on a PS5. Both the graphics and the presentation of the game are simply excellent, making it an absolute delight to explore the amazing sights of its world..The cybernetic city is a stunning and cleverly designed playground, shaped with an alluring blend of cyberpunk and post-apocalyptic aesthetics. Its excellent art design makes it impossible not to stop from time to time to take a screenshot of your adventures. That’s not all, the lighting effects and environmental animations of Stray are absolutely phenomenal, transporting us to a captivating world full of beauty and colors that are an absolute treat.

Complimenting its amazing graphics, Stray features a beautiful and unforgettable soundtrack. While minimalistic in its approach and sometimes barely present, the moody and futuristic tone of its tracks will take you on a melancholic trip that resonates with some of the strong narrative themes such as loneliness, existentialism and the search of identity. All this, accompanied by the constant rhythmic humming of the machines and soft meows of our cute protagonist.

How long is Stray?

The length of Stray is overall a short experience that an average player should be able to complete in about 5 hours. One of the game trophies challenges you to finish the story in less than 2 hours. However, if you want to experience all the aspects of the game, get all collectables and explore every corner of the city, you’ll need about 10 hours to achieve 100% completion of Stray. While its short length can be a downer to some players, the gameplay, story, graphics and enchanting soundtrack make Stray one of the most unforgettable games of the year.

How to save your game in Stray

There  is no manual save option in Stray. However, you shouldn’t worry too much about it since the game will automatically record your progress very frequently. If you need to stop playing at some point or you die in the game, you’ll be able to resume your gameplay in the same spot or set just back a couple of minutes before.

What are Stray’s PlayStation 5 features?

Stray makes use of the Dual-Sense haptic feedback and adaptive triggers to immerse  you more in the experience. This makes it, overall, the best way to experience this indie darling. While you can play Stray on other platforms (PS4 and Windows), the game takes full advantage of the capabilities of a PS5. This comes as no surprise keeping in mind the game was one of the main attractions from the 2020 edition of PlayStation’s Future of Gaming event. While the PC and PS4 version of Stray are known to suffer severe stuttering, the PS5 version runs smoothly. The game makes an excellent use of ray tracing to enhance the already stunning game graphics, offering breathtaking life-like lighting effects without affecting the game performance.

Stray distinguishes itself from other games through its unique and remarkable features. By allowing players to assume the role of a stray cat in a futuristic city, the game offers an unconventional and immersive perspective that sets it apart. It explores the uncharted theme of the relationship between humans and animals in a futuristic setting, adding depth and intrigue to the gameplay experience. 

A must-play for any gamer

Stray may not be the longest title on the PS5, but it’s definitely one of the best gaming experiences on Sony’s next-gen console. Whether you’re a cat lover or not, you’ll fall in love with the journey of this cute feline and his robot companion. BlueTwelve’s game is a remarkable adventure with breathtaking graphics and a mesmerizing narrative that will captivate you from minute one. If you like puzzles, platformers or you’re simply looking for a good game with a deep story, Stray is a must-play that showcases all the capabilities of the PlayStation 5.