That's right, one of the most famous figures in gaming history got upstaged by a furry feline. Allow us to elaborate. Until recently, God of War, the game which features the now-iconic Kratos as its protagonist, was the highest user-rated PC game of 2022 on Steam, the world's leading PC game distribution platform. That's not very surprising when you consider the rich heritage of the game and the hype around it. God of War is one of the biggest game series in the history of video gaming and its hero, Kratos, one of gaming's legendary figures. What IS surprising is that God of War was knocked off its perch a couple of days ago by Stray, a game that is as utterly unlike a video game as any could be.
Gaming cat-aclysm: A cat beats Kratos
Stray’s protagonist was not some grim figure out to destroy villains, alive and undead (hey, this is gaming), or some brave adventurer roaming the world solving puzzles, or even a manic racer driving vehicles across intricate tracks.
The star of the game is a cat. Not a magical cat. Not a witch's cat. Not a shapeshifter. Not a familiar Harry Potter character. Just the normal furry, purry creature you see around homes (generally sleeping).
You do not even get to know its name. All you know is that you can control it and have to make it move around, interact with other beings, and solve puzzles in what seems to be a dystopian world with no human beings as we know them.
That is Stray in a nutshell. And its utterly different approach has taken the generally adrenaline-craving gaming world by a very gentle storm, generating user ratings that have toppled even the mighty God of War. For the time being anyway.
No humans, just a cat that wants to get home
What makes Stray special is not just the basic premise of having a cat rather than a human (or something human-like) as the main character, but the manner in which the whole game has been conceived and presented. The game is played from a third-person perspective and is based in a futuristic world inhabited by machines, with no human beings in sight (we discover what happened to them in the middle of the game — sorry, no spoilers). You play as a stray cat, which roams around what at first seems to be an abandoned factory of some sort, along with other cats. It gets separated from its companions due to a misstep (yes, even cats can trip up), lands on its feet, but finds itself in an underground city, inhabited by drones and robots with displays for faces.
Of course, all our cat wants to do is get back to its friends, but this is easier said than done. Stray is all about how this cat makes its way through the city, befriends a drone called B12, dodges unfriendly drones, interacts with robots, and even takes down villainous mutant creatures called Zurks. Sounds pretty routine for a game, some might say. Well, the challenge is that you have to tackle all this robotic stuff in cat mode. Literally. This is where Stray really shines.
A fabulously feline experience in a beautifully designed world
The game is a mix of puzzle-solving, adventure, and stealth, and also has some jump-and-run platformer characteristics. But it really is about the cat. BlueTwelve Studio, the developers of the game, literally puts you in the shoes — make that 'paws' — of the main character. It is not just about the graphics, which are actually magnificent and make the cat appear almost real-life. More importantly, they have got cat mannerisms down to a T. That typical cat way of walking, those head tilts, that crouch and then jump, that tentative paw-waving at unknown creatures, that lick-a-paw and rub-agains-head grooming, that rubbing itself against the ankles of others, that tendency to scratch trees and furniture…they are all there.
Stray’s cat can also curl up and take a nap at times and there is even a dedicated button to make it meow. Needless to say, that is the one button on our keyboard that is almost worn out. The temptation to make our protagonist meow is overwhelming. So much so that we once gave in to it at a time when our cat actually needed to dodge some dangerous drones, with disastrous consequences.
The locales of the game are beautifully designed as well, with neon-lit streets and lots of textures and details. It is such a detailed world that at times you are tempted to wander around instead of working at getting back to your furry comrades. The fact that you see the city from pavement level gives one a whole new perspective. Even the robots in the city will strike a chord in your heart — many will pet you kindly, and one will even play music whenever you get it a music sheet (there are those scattered around the game). The music itself is generally subtle and understated. We would advise you play the game with headphones to catch ambient sounds, which sometimes can mean the difference between life and using up one of your hero's famed nine lives. We are not going to give away the story of the game here but it is a rather engrossing, if a short one, with a few twists, and even a touch of pathos at times.
Not perfect, but purr-fect
In essence, Stray is a lost cat's life. And in best cat tradition, it is often laid back and elegant. It has its moments of urgency, but you will seldom feel extreme excitement or drama in it. Instead, you will always feel curious to find out more.
You might wish to see if you can hop on to an abandoned air conditioner and get into a house through a window, check out a garbage can, or just go rub yourself against the ankles of some robots. There is a fair bit of walking and jumping involved in the game, and yes, there will be times when that most cattish tendency of hopping into a box will get you out of a tight spot. The important thing, however, is that the pace of the game never seems too hurried. You are not looking over your shoulder all the time or racing against a team of rivals.
It would be naive to say that Stray is a perfect game. It does have its issues. Those used to roaming in open worlds might not like the fact that for a major part, the game is linear — there is only one way of doing things and sometimes, even the area to roam around is a little limited. The control system can also be a little confusing to get used to, especially if you are playing the game on a keyboard and do not have a gamepad handy.
There are also a number of occasions where the graphics also get into a bit of tangle with our feline seemingly going through objects. The puzzles are a little on the basic side, and at around eight hours, this is definitely a short game (we so hope they will add an expansion pack or two to it).
But these are very minor niggles in what we think is a title that brings to the gaming world what a classic like Myst did almost three decades ago — evidence that gaming need not be all about hectic, non-stop action, mad strategizing, and adrenaline rushes. It can also have a calming side. One where you can often take your time, even while making your way back home and perhaps even saving the world. Stray reminds us that no matter how tough life gets, there is always time to stand and stare, scratch the odd tree, groom yourself, pat the odd stray hair into place, and grab a nap.
Go ahead, Stray into a whole new gaming cat-egory
All of these features make Stray a must-play in our book. Even if you are an adrenaline junkie. Actually, especially if you are an adrenaline junkie, just to realise that the gaming life (or even life in general) is not always about racing or shooting or building empires. Sometimes, all you need to do is find a place you call home. And have a reason to purr.
God of War might reclaim the top spot on the Steam charts in the coming days, but as of now, a stray cat has got the gaming world purring peacefully. And that is something we are not complaining about.
Stray is available on Steam for PC gamers. The game is also available on the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 5. If you have an active PS Plus Extra or PS Plus Deluxe subscription, you can play Stray for free.
We played it on a Mi Notebook (Horizon Edition) with a Core i5 processor and 8GB RAM (which handled it smoothly). The PC edition of the game is priced at Rs 749. We would advise keeping some money aside for replacing that dedicated ‘meow’ button — we wager it will be worn out before you reach the end of the game.
