Stray (PlayStation 5)

What a game. Always wanted it since it came out and it didn’t dissapoint. Yes it is short that’s why I didn’t want to pay the full price but now when it’s fraction of the price it’s a no brainer.

Cute game, thoroughly enjoyed playing it. I hope there's more like this game

Arrived sealed and game worked perfectly, was a very short game though according to my son

Games that have a main protagonist as an animal don't tend to work where I think of A Dog's Life on PlayStation 2, which while I never actually played the game, it was fairly average. Stray is good and may well be the best game with a feature role for a cat!The story evokes similar themes with Limbo and Inside as you interact with a deserted world that is only inhabited by robots. I did prefer this over both Limbo and Inside and overall the story is decent enough where there are moments that do raise a smile with the cat unsurprisingly being the star of the show! There is dialogue in text form and it's all fairly standard stuff where you do form a bond with one character in particular which I won't spoil here.One of Stray's biggest strengths is its technical prowess and it really is a good looking game. The lighting is full of bright neon and this persists throughout practically the entirety of the game. In terms of how the game plays, it all feels responsive with occasional mishaps in terms of some jumping sections which have to be angled precisely with the camera and can result in jumping down, when you want to go up. There are also some more annoying sections towards the end of the game with security bots and cameras but it wasn't so irritating that it felt terribly unfair.Besides the platforming and exploration, the other main gameplay loop is in the form of puzzles which are fairly basic but are also satisfying when you complete them.---Summary (Scored out of 10)---Graphics -9- Absolutely fantastic looking and especially with the lighting.Sound -8- The cats are meowing, the robots are beeping and the music is funky but in a good way and the soundtrack is Stray's best area in terms of sound.Gameplay -7- Quite basic platforming with light puzzles which makes for an unhindered enjoyable experience.Lifespan -6- It took me about 7 and a half hours on my first playthrough but I will definitely go through it again at least once.---Verdict---Stray had quite a bit of backing from Sony and hype that helped but it does deliver a satisfying if unremarkable tale. The story is middling but I did enjoy my time with it and while it is the technical and graphical elements that make the headlines the overall package is really quite good.

In this unforgettable and moving adventure, players take control of a stray cat that has fallen in a strange place beneath the earth and embark on a journey through an underground place that is filled with human-like robots, bizarre structures and dangerous entities. Players will solve puzzles, help some of the robotic beings and deal with danger in order to reach the surface. The visuals and music are fantastic, the story is intriguing and players should not miss out on this incredible indie video game.

My daughter said this was a really good game. Different from the usual games, and challenging, interesting and engaging.

Fantastic game and incredible story line. You’ve got to play this game

This was a gift for my wife who absolutely loved playing it. She said that she became emotionally invested in the story and was sad when she completed it. The game itself is visually pleasing and atmospheric, and there is a good balance between storyline and puzzles.