Hello, everyone! After a long period of intense work with the team, we are delighted to finally be able to show more about our game Stray with this just-released gameplay trailer. But we wanted to add a bit more context to what you’ve hopefully just enjoyed.
At its core, Stray is an adventure game. It tells the story of a cat who accidentally falls into a weird, mysterious city and his journey to return to his family. Exploration is a key element and as we love to add lots of details to our environments, we hope players will enjoy looking for all the little bits of hidden lore that we’ve added across each level.
There’s quite a lot to find and learn about this forgotten city and the surprising characters who live in it! Not everything will be explained clearly, so it will be up to the most attentive and insightful players to figure out what exactly this place is, who these inhabitants and creatures are, and the story and purpose of this beguiling world in which we are immersed.
The cat is definitely the star of the show in the game though, and it was important for us to show a glimpse of all the playful interactions that he can have with his environment. Some of them are useful and will help solve puzzles as you progress, and some are just here because cats will be cats — and as most cat owners know painfully well, no sofa can be left unscratched.
The unique perspective of playing as a cat also creates interesting opportunities in terms of level design. Some of the usual tropes of videogames can be twisted in funny and interesting ways: a grid blocking the way for humans? Not for a cat! A decorative rain pipe spiraling along a building? Perfect platforming sequence for a feline!
But even though cats can do lots of amazing things, they don’t usually interact with technology that well. The small drone, B12, that you’ll encounter has lots of helpful features like translating the language of the machines inhabiting the world, or storing precious items that you find during your journey. But above all, he is a friendly being with a mysterious story — learning about his past as his relationship with the cat evolves is a key element to this adventure.
Their journey will not be a calm river, though — action and fast-paced sequences are a strong component of Stray, too. Some areas of the game are way more dangerous and unwelcoming for the little duo, and our hero’s agility and quick moves will be put to the test to survive vicious enemies like the swarm of “Zurks” as seen in the trailer. The Zurks have a big impact on the lives of the inhabitants of the city, but they are not the only type of foe that you may encounter. And while being quick and agile is required, being stealthy and sneaky will be just as important to find the exit of this strange and futuristic maze.
Hopefully this gives you a more detailed and in-depth look at the world of Stray, but we still have a lot more to show! There’s a whole other part of the city waiting to be discovered that we shared a glimpse of in our very first teaser. The whole team is working full speed to deliver the most polished experience possible, and we look forward to seeing players explore our world early next year. Until then, like Oscar, our Office Manager, always says: PrrrMEeow!
