Cat lovers have been treated well by game developers recently with titles like Stray and Hi-Fi Rush featuring felines in prominent roles. While animal companions have been a common inclusion of games since the beginning of the medium, the trend of developers shining a spotlight on these furry friends has delighted the animal lover in players in recent years. The latest game from Tango Gameworks makes use of an adorable feline mascot and marks a positive direction for their representation in future games.
Dogs have had their day in the digital sun with popular companions like Fallout's Dogmeat, Far Cry 6's Chorizo, and Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain's D-Dog all capturing the hearts of players in their respective games. Cats, on the other hand, have been the underrated animal companion of gaming, tending to be sidelined in favor of their canine counterparts. However, with Stray taking home the award for Best Indie Game at the Game Awards 2022 and Hi-Fi Rush taking the gaming world by storm with its shadow-drop release, heavy-hitting titles are starting to give cats the attention they deserve.
Stray and Hi-Fi Rush Do Justice to their Featured Felines
Fans had been waiting a while to take on the role of this curious kitty since Stray's 2020 announcement but were finally able to do so in 2022 when Stray hit PS5 and PC in July. The game had a lot of hype surrounding it prior to release as players were enamored with its adorable cat protagonist and were eager to sink their claws into its cyberpunk world. Stray successfully evolved the adventure-platformer genre by utilizing the movement mechanics playing as a cat offered to give players a unique sense of perspective on the world as they traversed it from the point of view of a cat.
Aside from gameplay, Stray also crafted a powerful narrative that made the game so much more memorable than the novelty of playing as a cat. It masterfully took a silent, non-human protagonist and gave them such a lifelike role in the world with the ability to interact with NPCs by rubbing on their leg or snuggling in their lap that demonstrated just how meaningful animal companionship is, especially in the dystopian world of Stray. Despite all the trials the game puts players through, the satisfaction of seeing the joy its feline protagonist brings to the world and its inhabitants is what makes Stray truly great.
Although it takes a less realistic approach, Hi-Fi Rush still utilizes the advantages cats offer in its design for its featured feline companion, 808. This robotic cat was created by mechanical whiz Peppermint as a way to explore Vandelay Campus and the surrounding island. Thanks to the music player that becomes fused to protagonist Chai's chest during the opening hours of the game, he is able to sync with 808 who can transform into a ball shape and boost his combat abilities when combos hit on beat.
It's clear Tango wants 808 to be the mascot of the Sunset Overdrive-esque Hi-Fi Rush, using them as the icon featured on loading screens and even including an achievement for petting the cat. Despite not being the main protagonist, 808 has still captured the hearts of many players and makes for a memorable feline companion in this rhythm-based action game. With both Stray's and Hi-Fi Rush's cat-based adventures releasing so close to each other, it seems like gaming may be entering a new era when it comes to animal companions, one where future games could adopt a similar style when incorporating cats into their stories.
Hi-Fi Rush is available now for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
