Let’s be clear: the internet loves cats. Or for those not so keen on them, we at least love pets in video games. From games like Fallout through to Fable, we evidently like having furry friends tag along beside us while we play our games. Now picture this: what if you were the furry friend?
In the upcoming release by BlueTwelve, Stray, that’s exactly what you get. This pawsome new indie game coming out on the 19th of July allows you to adventure through a dystopian cybercity as an adorable cat on a journey to return to its family. With the help of a flying drone, you can take on enemies, puzzles, and explore this exciting neon-lit world while interacting with its robot inhabitants. In anticipation of its fast-approaching release date, we’re taking a look at some of the most exciting features found in Stray.
Four-legged adventuring
I’ll say it if you won’t, playing as a cat is one of the key most exciting features to Stray. Agility, stamina and cuteness! The release trailer for Stray demonstrated agile movements as gameplay showed our unnamed orange feline character traversing landscapes in the nimble way cats are known for. Because the game relies on puzzle-solving elements like navigating platforms and tight spaces, it’s evident that elements of the physical nature of cats have been closely studied and replicated in gameplay. With a dedicated meow button, scratching doors, knocking objects off surfaces, and the ability to pick up objects in its mouth, it’s clear that simply doing classic cat activities is one of the most anticipated elements of Stray.
Drone friends
Somewhere along the storyline of Stray, our cat befriends a drone named B-12. B-12 serves as a technology interaction medium, flashlight, and general quest assistor. All the information that you learn through B-12 will help you and our cat main character decipher the ancient and mysterious world. B-12 also serves as a translator to our cat main character, seeing as there is a language barrier between the robots of this world and our ginger friend.
Robot inhabitants
The general plot of the game remains largely unknown due to its tight-lipped developers, but one of the main interesting story elements are the robot inhabitants of the cybercity. These robots appear to be living a dreary life in the foggy undercity around them, with humans nowhere in sight. Most seem human-like in nature, going about their lives in clothing and partaking in human norms, their screen faces expressing their emotions for them. The overarching mystery to the game involves these robots and their hidden past, which we will undoubtedly uncover as we play.
A dystopian cybercity
The general visual look and ambience of the city is absolutely captivating. Neon lights shine like beacons through foggy alleys, dark rooftops, and robot-lined streets. Barber shops, buildings, and paths are dripping with character and careful thought, every inch full of secrets and lore. It seems the atmospheric nature of the game is another large contending attraction, its messy urban streets hold secrets to be explored, and players are excited to do so.
Evident developer care
The developers of the game seem to take much pride in their work and world-building. Co-founders of BlueTwelve, Koola and Viv, said they have modelled the gameplay after their own cats, Murtaugh and Riggs. They found that cat-like gameplay allowed for a range of interesting scenarios and opportunities. In a description of BlueTwelve studio found on the games Steam page, they described their studio as “a small team from the south of France mostly made up of cats and a handful of humans”.
If you’re as excited as we are to play Stray, now is your meow-ment to pre-order the game ahead of its release on the 19th of July. This anticipated release promises a treasure trove of adventure and cat-like antics, and we’re eager to immerse ourselves in its lush gameplay!
