When brainstorming the possible museum exhibits I could visit for this issue, several came to mind; the WONDR experience, Upside Down, NXT Museum, really anything with a sensory experience that allows either relaxation or freeing your childlike excitement. Although, as the days got colder and the nights longer, I found myself wanting to stay bundled up in blankets, cozy, and indoors.
(2022). Stray [PlayStation4, PlayStation5, Windows]. Annapurna Interactive.
I never got into playing video games. I enjoyed watching my friends play their fair share when I was around, possibly eating, chatting with them, or reading a book. However, something about the art style of Stray, and the possibility to play as an adorably fierce cat, convinced me that if there was a game I would invest my time in, it would undoubtedly be this one.
Stray is a game developed by BlueTwelve Studio and has been published by Annapurna Interactive. It follows a stray cat who has been separated from his feline friends after falling into a steampunk city inhabited by robots, machines, mutant bacteria, and more. During its exploration to try and get back to the surface, the cat finds companionship in a drone named B-12. Together, they solve puzzles and escape the antagonistic machines that are trying to kill them.
(2022). Stray [PlayStation4, PlayStation5, Windows]. Annapurna Interactive.
Amusingly, what makes you the best person to help the other characters get back to the surface is actually the fact that you are, well, a cat. Some puzzles are designed to be solved with the help of hiding in boxes or the shadows, by leaping through windows, or opening doors by scratching at them.
As heartwarming as it is to be playing a charming cat, the other characters are just as endearing. The game features four key robots who have only one goal in mind: to reach the outside. Each robot finds solace in the cat in their own ways, confiding in the cat their hopes to make it to the outside and what their lives have become in this pursuit. With the hope that your tiny yet mighty form can save the day, they give you their all to help you in your journey.
Many of the side quest characters match this endearing nature as well; I adored Morusque, a musician found in the Slums who plays the music found by B-12 and the cat. He goes on to play the tune while the cat can continue to walk around or curl up with him to listen. The first few times I found sheet music to give Morusque, I had the cat take a nap by him, and it helped me relax and immerse myself in the game too.
The character that truly won my heart in this game though had to be B-12. The game respects that the cat cannot speak, yet this aspect is compensated for with the help of the loveable drone B-12. We learn a lot about the city while recovering B-12’s memories of life as the drone has been asleep for many years before the cat stumbled into the Slums. The beauty of the game is that you slowly realize this story is more about the other characters, especially B-12, than the cat itself. You’re more the hope that there is a way out after all, helping the characters achieve their goals along the way.
Circling back to Solace, this game really was the pick-me up I needed after a long month. Though the relationships between every character encompasses the feeling of comfort and hope that we can find in each other, the art style is just as inviting to reel the player in. Despite the dark and grim story, the neon signs light up the city and give it character, leaving you wanting to peer around every corner to find the next treasure. I for one would love to revisit Morusque to give him another tune to play while I watch the cat curl up, so I too can feel another moment of calm.
The game Stray can be played on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, or PC (Windows). The total duration of the game is approximately 6 hours.
When brainstorming the possible museum exhibits I could visit for this issue, several came to mind; the WONDR experience, Upside Down, NXT Museum, really anything with a sensory experience that allows either relaxation or freeing your childlike excitement. Although, as the days got colder and the nights longer, I found myself wanting to stay bundled up in blankets, cozy, and indoors.
(2022). Stray [PlayStation4, PlayStation5, Windows]. Annapurna Interactive.
I never got into playing video games. I enjoyed watching my friends play their fair share when I was around, possibly eating, chatting with them, or reading a book. However, something about the art style of Stray, and the possibility to play as an adorably fierce cat, convinced me that if there was a game I would invest my time in, it would undoubtedly be this one.
Stray is a game developed by BlueTwelve Studio and has been published by Annapurna Interactive. It follows a stray cat who has been separated from his feline friends after falling into a steampunk city inhabited by robots, machines, mutant bacteria, and more. During its exploration to try and get back to the surface, the cat finds companionship in a drone named B-12. Together, they solve puzzles and escape the antagonistic machines that are trying to kill them.
(2022). Stray [PlayStation4, PlayStation5, Windows]. Annapurna Interactive.
Amusingly, what makes you the best person to help the other characters get back to the surface is actually the fact that you are, well, a cat. Some puzzles are designed to be solved with the help of hiding in boxes or the shadows, by leaping through windows, or opening doors by scratching at them.
As heartwarming as it is to be playing a charming cat, the other characters are just as endearing. The game features four key robots who have only one goal in mind: to reach the outside. Each robot finds solace in the cat in their own ways, confiding in the cat their hopes to make it to the outside and what their lives have become in this pursuit. With the hope that your tiny yet mighty form can save the day, they give you their all to help you in your journey.
Many of the side quest characters match this endearing nature as well; I adored Morusque, a musician found in the Slums who plays the music found by B-12 and the cat. He goes on to play the tune while the cat can continue to walk around or curl up with him to listen. The first few times I found sheet music to give Morusque, I had the cat take a nap by him, and it helped me relax and immerse myself in the game too.
The character that truly won my heart in this game though had to be B-12. The game respects that the cat cannot speak, yet this aspect is compensated for with the help of the loveable drone B-12. We learn a lot about the city while recovering B-12’s memories of life as the drone has been asleep for many years before the cat stumbled into the Slums. The beauty of the game is that you slowly realize this story is more about the other characters, especially B-12, than the cat itself. You’re more the hope that there is a way out after all, helping the characters achieve their goals along the way.
Circling back to Solace, this game really was the pick-me up I needed after a long month. Though the relationships between every character encompasses the feeling of comfort and hope that we can find in each other, the art style is just as inviting to reel the player in. Despite the dark and grim story, the neon signs light up the city and give it character, leaving you wanting to peer around every corner to find the next treasure. I for one would love to revisit Morusque to give him another tune to play while I watch the cat curl up, so I too can feel another moment of calm.
The game Stray can be played on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, or PC (Windows). The total duration of the game is approximately 6 hours.
