Despite releasing only a week ago, Stray has managed to capture the attention of many in the gaming community. With a unique premise and laid-back gameplay mechanics, Stray continues to influence players in a variety of different ways. Though, given the simplistic nature of the gameplay, seeing as the playable character is a cat, there have been a surprising number of real-world parallels when it comes to Stray, with this most recent example being particularly charming.
In addition to the bizarre yet creative worldbuilding and storytelling, one of the most appealing facets of Stray is the ability to play as a cat. The concept of playing as an animal is not uncommon when it comes to video games, with such titles as The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess allowing players to play as an animal for a significant portion of the game. However, with Stray, the premise is comparatively more believable, given how common stray cats typically are. For example, one player actually encountered a stray cat after downloading Stray.
Over on Reddit, a user named Karizma55211 posted a picture of a cat that appeared outside their home shortly after purchasing and downloading Stray. Not only does the cat bear a striking resemblance to the orange cat players control within Stray, but it is also, according to the user, a part of a colony of stray cats that live around the neighborhood, similar to the group of cats the playable cat belongs to at the beginning of Stray.
This encounter that the user had with a stray cat further illustrates the inventive nature behind Stray. Considering how common strays are within various different communities, it creates the potential for unique storytelling opportunities like what is seen in Stray. In a way, the formula presented in Stray could apply to other city-dwelling animals, creating further possible gameplay and storytelling scenarios for future titles.
It's amazing how much popularity and attention Stray has managed to accrue over such a short timeframe. The fact that someone has already managed to mod their real-life cat into Stray goes to show how much attachment and fascination players have when it comes to this game. In terms of mods and other similar pursuits, it seems the community of Stray fans is only getting started.
For instance, one of the biggest mysteries surrounding Stray is its worldbuilding. The space the player occupies within Stray keeps the finer details of the world quite close to the chest. This has driven players to analyze the world of Stray in a number of unexpected ways. For example, one fan is currently translating all the in-game text presented in Stray.
Stray is out now for PC, PS4, and PS5.
Source: Reddit
