Stray

*Stray* is an adventure video game developed by BlueTwelve Studio and published by Annapurna Interactive, released initially in July 2022. The game offers a unique premise by casting the player as an ordinary stray cat navigating a mysterious, decaying cybercity. The narrative begins when the feline protagonist, initially exploring ruins with its clowder, accidentally falls into a deep chasm, becoming separated from its family and finding itself lost within a walled city cut off from the outside world. This city is a post-apocalyptic environment, devoid of humans but inhabited by sentient robots, machines, and dangerous creatures. The setting is a key element of *Stray*'s appeal, presenting a detailed world of neon-lit alleys, grungy underbellies, and complex vertical structures. The city's aesthetic was heavily influenced by the real-world Kowloon Walled City, chosen by the developers for its organic construction and dense, layered environments, which they deemed a "perfect playground for a cat". This environment is populated by humanoid robots who have developed their own society and personalities after the mysterious disappearance of humans, who seemingly constructed the walled city to survive an inhospitable outside world before succumbing to a plague or other catastrophe. The city also harbors threats: Zurks, which are mutated, swarming bacteria that devour organic and robotic life, and Sentinels, security drones that patrol certain areas and will shoot on sight. Gameplay in *Stray* is presented from a third-person perspective, focusing on exploration, platforming, and puzzle-solving tailored to the feline protagonist's abilities. Players navigate the intricate environment by leaping across platforms, climbing obstacles, and interacting with objects in cat-like ways – such as knocking items off ledges, clawing at doors, or using buckets as makeshift elevators. Early in the adventure, the cat encounters and befriends a small flying drone named B-12. B-12 becomes an essential companion, riding in a small harness on the cat's back, translating the robots' language, storing items found in the world, providing light, hacking technology to overcome obstacles, and offering hints. B-12 also has its own narrative arc involving recovering lost memories connected to the city's past and a former scientist. While combat is not the focus, there are sequences where players must evade Zurks or Sentinels through stealth and agility. For a portion of the game, B-12 can be equipped with a temporary weapon called the Defluxor to destroy Zurks. The game encourages interaction with the environment and its robotic inhabitants, allowing players to meow on command, nuzzle against robots' legs, take naps, or scratch surfaces, often eliciting responses or serving minor gameplay functions. Puzzles are often environmental or physics-based, requiring players to use the cat's agility and B-12's abilities in tandem. The game features a minimal user interface, encouraging players to rely on environmental cues and NPC dialogue to understand objectives. The narrative follows the cat and B-12's journey through different sectors of the walled city, driven by the goal of returning the cat to the surface, known as "the Outside". Along the way, they unravel the mysteries of the city: why the humans disappeared, how the robots gained consciousness, and the origins of the Zurks. They interact with various robot characters, some of whom offer side quests that provide further insight into the world and its history. B-12's recovering memories gradually reveal its connection to the last human scientist who tried to save humanity by uploading their consciousness before ultimately becoming trapped in the city's network. The story explores themes of connection, loss, hope, environmental decay, and the meaning of humanity, even in a world populated by machines. Development of *Stray* began in 2015 by BlueTwelve Studio, a small team based in the south of France, co-founded by Koola and Viv, who previously worked at Ubisoft Montpellier. The gameplay and the protagonist were heavily inspired by the developers' own cats, particularly Murtaugh, a former stray belonging to the founders, who served as the primary visual inspiration for the main character. Other cats like Oscar and Jun were also used as references for animations and behavior, though the team intentionally avoided making a strict simulation game, prioritizing engaging gameplay over complete realism. The decision to use robots as the city's inhabitants shaped the narrative and backstory. Announced in 2020, *Stray* became highly anticipated. Upon release, *Stray* received generally positive reviews and achieved significant commercial success, breaking records for its publisher, Annapurna Interactive, on platforms like Steam. Critics praised its artistic design, the unique cat-centric gameplay, engaging narrative, original score, and platforming elements. Some criticism was directed towards the combat and stealth sequences, finding them less developed than the exploration and puzzle aspects. The game garnered numerous accolades, including Best Independent Game and Best Debut Indie Game at The Game Awards 2022, PlayStation Game of the Year at the Golden Joystick Awards, and Most Innovative Gameplay at the Steam Awards. Its success has also led to an animated feature film adaptation currently in development by Annapurna Animation. *Stray* is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, macOS, and Nintendo Switch.