Currently #1 in Steam’s Most Anticipated Games of the Year, Stray already seems to far exceed the expectations of the players. We’ll have to wait a few more days to find out for sure, but here’s everything you need to know about the cat-simulator before buying it.
Stray: Release date, price and editions
Anapurna Interactive and Blue Twelve showcased Stray during Sony’s PS5 conference in 2020. First slated for release in 2021, it was supposed to be one of the first real next-gen games on PS5 but was unfortunately postponed. Do not panic, this time, the title honoring a cat in a future where cyber-reality has taken precedence over humans, has its release date on PS5 but also on PS4 and PC.
- Stray will be available on Tuesday, July 19, 2022 on PS5, PS4 and PC,
- Subscribers to the new PlayStation Plus (Extra or Premium) will be able to play it upon release at no additional cost,
- PlayStation exclusivity is temporary but no information has yet been communicated on a potential Xbox release,
- Stray will be available in French,
- The download can probably start at 12:00 p.m.
Currently, Stray does not haveno special or collector’s editions. You can simply buy it in dematerialized version on Steam where the Playstation Store. The base price is 29.99€ on PC and consoles but it is currently at -10% on Steam until its release. Note that a physical edition PS5 is in the works. We’ll probably have to wait a few more months before we can get our hands on it.
Stray: PC Requirements, Weight
If you want to play Stray on PC, here are the minimum and recommended specs that Steam lists on the game’s official page:
Stray: Gameplay, exploration, lifespan, skills and robots
Stray gameplay and storyline
Stray is a futuristic adventure game purely solo (no multiplayer), platforms and exploration where the player embodies a stray cat who must find his way in a world populated by robots. Your objective is therefore to take control of the adorable cat and try to bring him home, safe and sound. While exploring this cyberpunk world, you will regularly come across puzzles to solve and other puzzles. It will be necessary to observe the decorations to constantly find solutions and objects allowing progress. A small robot called B-12 will follow you throughout the adventure and allow the lost cat to communicate with other robots found in the game, which will help flesh out the story of the world and its inhabitants.
Important :
- Stray’s cat is unique, you won’t be able to not customize it,
- It is necessary to count approximately 8 hours to complete the main storyline but more time to collect all the collectibles
Bringing a cat to life in a realistic and believable way was one of the main intentions of the developers. The vast majority of the development team have their own cat, and the studio also has two cats that keep the developers company while they work. In addition, the animation of the cats was entrusted to a team member named Miko, who carefully studied video clips and images of cats. The end result is promising, as the in-game cat moves lightly on its paws and demonstrates the flexibility it is capable of as it stretches and jumps, looking like a real cat.
Stray: Cat Skills
On the official PlayStation website, it is possible to find more details about the characteristics of the cat that the player will embody:
- Dropping objects : an innate skill in cats which will prove very useful here to find solutions to puzzles,
- Meow : by pressing a single key, you can meow to interact with the environment,
- show curiosity : The world you are about to explore is full of dangers. Pay attention to the cat’s behavior because it will tell you how to react,
- Sleep : an essential “skill” since the cat needs to sleep constantly. Thanks to the haptic feedback of the DualSense controller, you can even feel it purr.
- Make your claws : again, you will have the impression of actually destroying a piece of furniture thanks to the haptic feedback,
- Feel your environment : the cat will use its sense of touch to really pay attention to its environment (cables to climb, box to hide in, etc.)
B-12: The skills of the robot that accompanies you
Early in the story, you encounter a small drone called B-12 who will join your adventure. Using a mix of the cat’s natural skills and B-12’s abilities, you’ll be able to explore the city as a whole. Here’s what it can do:
- Interact and translate : B-12 can be called upon to interact with electronic objects (computers, doors, etc.), and to help the cat read the robotic language of the signs and understand what the robots are saying.
- Store objects : Even though it is small, B-12 contains the inventory of quest items. Items in inventory can be presented to robot dwellers to progress. B-12 also keeps “souvenirs” that you can examine later to discover information about the city.
- Indicate the road : Call him anytime to remind you of your current goal, especially if you’re lost and don’t know where to go.
- To defend oneself : Although the cat’s speed and agility are the first line of defense against enemies, an unlockable ability of B-12 gives it ways to defend itself. Zurks, tick-like enemies, and other dangers await, and B-12’s skills are limited. Be stealthy and use your surroundings to thwart perils.
- light the way : B-12 has a flashlight to light up the dark streets of the city.
The robotic population and the cyberpunk city
The city is populated by a variety of humanoid robots going about their business, following the remnants of what appears to be their former human lives. Not all bots react the same to seeing a cat, and you’ll learn which ones are friendly and which ones aren’t as you progress.
- Some robots will indeed help you progress in your adventure. A little later in the adventure, you will meet Grandma, for example, who recycles spare parts to make clothes for the community. Try to chat with everyone you don’t know who might come in handy.
- The city of Stray is inspired by the citadel of Kowloon, a place that has always fascinated the co-founders of BlueTwelve Studios. The concentration of housing spread over several levels has something natural for them.
- In order not to offer a game that is too dark, the developers have added neon signs and the light garlands in the decorations, but also robots to bring an intriguing narration, thus marking a contrast between their artificial but nevertheless human nature, the natural side of the city and the absence of humans.
- The verticality of the city adds a new dimension to exploration. You’ll have to solve environmental puzzles and search every nook and cranny for “souvenirs” that will unlock B-12 data about the city. How do plants grow without sunlight? Where does the robotic alphabet come from? What happened to the former inhabitants of the city? Only a cat can access some of these places and unravel past and present mysteries.
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