40) Stray (2022)

Beginning development in 2015 as the first title from BlueTwelve Studio, Stray draws heavy inspiration from the lives of the development team which, unsurprisingly, consists of quite a number of cat owners. The team studied photos and videos of cats, ostensibly for research purposes, and the team felt that playing as a cat led to a lot of interesting design opportunities. The design aesthetics were further influenced by the real world Kowloon Walled City, which the team felt could be appropriately explored by cats. The team chose to make the game an adventure title over a simple simulator in order to prioritize level design over realism, and the title stands as a love letter of sorts to all of the cats owned by the team. Indeed, once the cats they kept in the office started reacting to and attempting to interact with the in-game cat, they team knew they had been successful.

We begin as just one in a small pack of cats, and following the others around serves as a small tutorial while allowing us to figure out how we can interact with the world. Soon, we are separated from our cat family and thrust into an unfamiliar territory with the understood goal of reuniting with our pack, but the more general goal of existing as a cat in this strange world. We find a lab where, by being a cat, we find and download an artificial intelligence into a small drone which, conveniently, can be carried around with us on a small, cat-size backpack. It is thanks to this drone, known as B-12, that we are able to understand and kind of communicate with the robots that inhabit the city in place of humans. We also encounter parasitic entities known as Zurks that threaten to devour both organic and robotic life.

Gameplay, as you might expect, consists primarily of leaping, running, getting into small areas, and, at times, causing minor chaos. We learn that the city was, long ago, sealed from the outside world. All human life has long since been absent, and the robots that once served us have all but forgotten their original purpose. A small groups of robots have formed a group that aims to open the city up, allowing the robots to leave and be free. We also learn that the Zurks are actually mutated bacteria, originally developed by humans to break down and eliminate garbage, though they predictably grew out of control.

One thing that thoroughly impressed me was how each section of the game feels genuinely different without altering your toolkit very much. In one section, you'll find yourself being chased by Zurks, a nail biting and harrowing experience that really showcases how masterfully the environment is designed. In another section, you'll be watching guard movements and patterns as you stealthily slip into a restricted area. Another section, partially inspired by the directors' experience with bedbugs, actually gives a UV spotlight that allows us to, in a bit of catharsis, fight and destroy the Zurks. Yet another section sees us working alongside allies with different skills in order to escape from a prison. Though the game is on the shorter side, it utilizes every trick it can to make each section distinct and memorable.

From top to bottom, Stray stands as an incredibly impressive and stunningly polished experience. The world is masterfully crafted, guiding you on an incredibly compelling journey while also hiding a fair share of secrets. At the same time, it fully sells the idea of being a cat in this world, with movement and abilities that come off as fluid and natural. There's a particular charm and humor to the world that strikes a stark contrast to the almost otherworldly dread and horror that also permeates the environment. While I'm not usually one to gush over graphics in a game, I feel compelled to mention that it's almost impossible to take a bad screenshot of the game. Seriously, almost every image I captured looked absolutely stunning.

Stray is an incredible experience from start to finish. The level of care and love is evident all throughout. It tells a story that is compelling and memorable while staying true to the gameplay conceit that we are a cat. I truly cannot recommend the game more highly, which is high praise as I am a filthy, stupid dog person. Even so, I highly recommend finding a nice place to lie in a sunbeam as you boot up the game for an absolutely amazing experience. Maybe grab some catnip and relax to enjoy the game at a more leisurely pace.