If you’re not familiar with Stray, it’s a PS4/PS5 game where you play as a cat. It’s a very short game; the main story can be beaten in an afternoon. However, it’s available on PS+ (although going away soon), and can be purchased outright for <$30.
It’s the first time in a long time where I felt totally delighted by how innovative and different a video game was. First of all, playing as a cat isn’t just a cute gimmick. The level designs are all about navigating around slums using your size and acrobatic abilities of a cat.
Second, the world that the devs have created is so cool. It’s like some sort of cyberpunk version of Kowloon Walled City.
This game is not Elden Ring. But for an afternoon, it’s absolutely worth your time. I can’t recommend it enough. Especially if you are finding yourself burned out by the usual types of games. I hope the devs follow up with something else adjacent to this game!
It was a short game but it did more in 8 hours than I’ve seen some games cover in 60 and I’ve never felt that invested in wanting to make sure the protagonist is okay
I’m rather new to Playstation. What do you mean with ‘it’s going away soon’? If I have a Playstation subscription and ‘buy’ it (for free, as part of the subscription) can I keep playing it? Or do I need to complete it before a cut of date?
PS+ is like Netflix: they get “licenses” for the game for a certain duration, allowing us the download and play the game, but once the agreement has reached its deadline, then the game is gone. Hope that clears this up.
The OP’s reply didn’t completely explain it, so: you need the PS+ “Extra” subscription in order to get the game “for free”. Even then though, you don’t really get the game forever - the PS+ Extra tier subscription has a few dozens of games available on its catalog that are swapped every few months, a-la Netflix content. Once the game gets removed from the Extra catalog, you’ll get an error message if you still have it installed and try to play it, and then you actually have to buy it if you want to keep playing.
If you’ve got the “base” subscription (the “Essentials” tier) you can’t get the game for free at all. On the other hand, you get 3 assorted games for free every month, and in this case they remain yours forever once you claim them in the month they’re made available on the Essentials catalog, but only for as long as you’re subscriber on PS+. Those 3 free monthly games are also available for the higher tiers.
As long as you download it now, then you can keep the game as long as you’re a member of PS+. So if you even think you might play it in the future, download it now. Once it rotates off the subscription, then it won’t be available for download anymore (but people who already downloaded it can keep it).
Slightly off topic but do you find PS+ worth it? I’m toying with getting it at the moment
Eh, I found it decent. For $30 bucks, it didnt give me nearly enough play time to make it worth it for me. For $60 there are games that gave me 300+ hours worth of play time. There wasnt any replayability. However, I did find it a cute concept and the cat was absolutely adorable. And it upsetted me whenever the cat took any damage, so I did grow an attachment to the cat. But over all, it just wasnt for me
It’s available on PC and there’s a sale on Steam too, 25% off, biggest discount so far. Been looking to pick it up.
I can second this. I had a really nice time playing Stray.
I didn’t think it was short, I think it was almost the perfect length. I want more digestible experiences, a 2hr game that’s got a well told narrative is worth so much more to me than a 100hr grind fest.
I agree with everything else you said, I was deeply moved by it and even teared up at times
I’ve been thinking about picking it up in the current Steam sale. Roughly how many hours do yo think it takes to complete at a pretty slow/casual pace? Mainly wondering if it’s worth $22.50 as I’ve read it’s a somewhat short game. Was going to wait for it to come down closer to $15 but I’m ready for a new casual/cute game now so I could be convinced to get it sooner rather than later lol
I’ve never quite understood the “dollar to hour” ratio people seem to crave. Games are the only media that people apply this “rule” to. I’ve never heard of someone talk about the Dollar to Time ratio of a book, or a movie, or tv series. They mostly just talk about how it’s a good or bad series. Maybe I’m off base, but I just find it weird.
I’d say it’s worth $22.50
I really loved Stray. It was short but I didn’t feel cheated, I just felt like they could have done more. There were some sections I felt they could have expanded on and I was always hoping there would be DLC or another story or something set in the same world.
Seriously! I absolutely loved it. It was so nice just getting to explore and puzzle things out. A good balance of that plus a few intense moments. Just an awesome experience!
The game is absolutely ameowzing. =.=
Thanks for reminding me! I was really enjoying that game but got distracted by other things and forgot about it. I need to go back and finish it
Can’t recommend playing it on Steam Deck enough. Amazing pick-up-and-play game that looks incredible on the screen!
I agree, it’s great on the Steam Deck. I played for a bit on my laptop and it was fine there but it was a much better experience on the Deck.
