Stray had already charmed many gamers before release, as the premise of controlling a cat in a cyberpunk world was intriguing enough on its own. However, the many strong reviews for Stray have shown that BlueTwelve Studio’s new release is a great game to boot, with players getting to complete some fun puzzles and take in some genuinely interesting lore throughout their journey.
Stray nails the feeling of being a cat, as the behavior of felines is perfectly captured through the game’s mechanics. From a meow button to pushing things over to nuzzling up against humanoid robots, players can do everything cats are known to do in the real world. However, one thing that is not available to players is cat customization, and it should be something that BlueTwelve Studio prioritizes if the developer ever decides to make a sequel.
Cat Customization Could Add Depth To Stray
To be fair, there is likely a good reason why the cat in Stray is not customizable. The model for the cat, Murtaugh, belongs to BlueTwelve Studio co-founders Viv and Koola. With this cat being a real life stray that the pair took in, the developers have a personal connection to Stray’s protagonist. With the same fur color kept, the playable cat is likely meant to be a stand-in for the real Murtaugh, with many of the protagonist’s actions modeled off of BlueTwelve’s pet.
With a potential sequel, BlueTwelve could open things up a bit to let players customize the playable cat. This way, gamers could bring their own cats into a virtual setting, controlling their feline friend throughout another interesting story. There are plenty of options when it comes to customization, too, and many players would likely be quick to do fashion posts that show off their cat’s in-game design.
Various breeds of cat could feature in another Stray game, with players controlling everything from Ragdolls to Maine Coons. Additionally, fur and eye color could be adjusted, letting players have a black cat with yellow eyes if they wish. Outfits could be a fun addition, too, giving players a chance to wear scarves, hats, and other cosmetics as they crawl around. The quest to get a poncho during Stray could initially disappoint players, as they may think they have made an outfit for their cat only to realize that the item is for a robot instead.
Alongside different cat breeds, color choices, and outfit options, a customization system could see BlueTwelve handing Stray fans control over their cat’s meow. Many cats have distinct voices, so letting players control the noises their protagonist makes would be another fun touch that allows gamers to fully embody their pets. Beyond that, players could be able to control the size of the cat, playing as a chunkier animal if they want to do so. This could even add a few fun animations, like large cats struggling to hop up certain ledges.
A final customization option would be different personalities. As many cat owners can attest, each cat has a distinct behavior pattern that sets it apart from others. Choosing a moody cat could see gamers playfully clawing at the legs of robots instead of nuzzling them, while an angry cat could hiss instead of meow. These would be small adjustments, and players could choose a balanced personality to have access to all the possible traits, but the option would be yet another way to give the cat a unique identity. While Stray’s protagonist is lovable and has a great story outside the game, a potential Stray 2 should shake things up by adding a new, customizable cat to the mix.
Stray is available now on PC, PS4, and PS5.
