Stray, As Reviewed By My Cat

Stray, the long-awaited detective game/sci-fi thriller/annoying cat simulator from BlueTwelve Studio and Annapurna Interactive is finally out now. And it’s fantastic. 

Cat lovers will of course get the most out of the adventure, which does an excellent job of simply letting you be a cat, but it’s absolutely a game everyone should play. It’s beautifully designed, visually stunning, and one of the most creative games I’ve played in such a long time.

Truly, I didn’t think Elden Ring could be toppled as my personal game of the year, but I think Stray might just have crept into frame. 

We’ve heard enough about what humans think of Stray, though, haven’t we? You can read my own glowing 9/10 review right here, and there are plenty of other rave reviews rapidly filling up Metacritic and Steam. But how many of these reviews were written by cats? Precisely zero, that’s how many. This isn’t on, frankly, so I’ve called on my own cat - Eevee - to share her verdict on the game after watching me play through the story from the comfort of my lap. 

While Eevee was unable to physically play through the game during the review process for personal reasons (she has stubby paws), she had a lot to say about the overall story and themes. Listen to her and you might just learn something today.

So, Eevee, over to you. No, stop licking that and come here to tell us what you thought of Stray.

jAKlkvbcksakcbcgfak xAKLXANBC XMXBC,nkJGHCJKACCNCALKAbhjc

ahjsacjcsabcasjkLKbcxnkKAcbcakalkj

hjkSHHXXLlppppppppppppjHXVCBIUCTDWHTJK

JKJHSCGHlkj kjlllllllQQYEY

MNZXNM

Powerful stuff. I’m a little surprised by the multiple references to George Orwell and Noam Chomsky given I had no idea you were so well-read, but it’s a valid and canny interpretation of the game - one that's bound to ruffle a few feathers, mind you.

I especially agree with the notion that we shouldn’t be afraid to explore the tragic cost of late-stage capitalism in our video games, and I think there is absolutely a deeper discussion to be had about the fact that a video game with zero humans in it also happens to be almost entirely nonviolent. You’re right to ask what that says about us as a species. 

Did you have any other insights to add or - oh. Nope, she’s licking her butthole. She’ll be no use to anyone for the next hour or so. 

Eevee was paid for her time and words in frozen treats and tummy scratchings. My other cat, Sylvie, was unavailable to comment as she was otherwise occupied chasing a beam of sunlight across the ceiling.