My loved ones watch helplessly as I vanish into darkness. My peaceful existence shatters when I miss a routine jump off a pipe and find myself plummeting to my doom. Stray is mostly a straightforward platforming game with some puzzles sprinkled in in lieu of combat, there’s a focus on the catlike ability to sneak, evade, and escape. It’s a short tutorial area where I play around with the cats’ lifelike movements and vocalizations. I’m just a tiny orange guy, and life is good - full of playing, sleeping, and exploring. The game opens with a family of cats living in lush, green, sunlit ruins. Most people don’t like to see animals get hurt, so there’s an instant sense of emotional and psychological investment, compounded by a default instinct to protect the baby. (Thank you for your service as Sassy, Sally Field.) I’m reluctantly conscious of the fact that the constant presence of Oni, a tender little coward who wouldn’t last five minutes outside, informs my perception of Stray’s protagonist I suspect that many cat owners - bless toxoplasmosis - will form a similar connection. It’s not quite the same premise, but the same strain of emotional anguish watching sweet animals brave treacherous circumstances.

Stray isn’t just an adventure RPG - it’s a psy-op made for people who love cats, especially if you grew up watching Homeward Bound. If you want curated lists of our favorite media, check out What to Play and What to Watch. When we award the Polygon Recommends badge, it’s because we believe the recipient is uniquely thought-provoking, entertaining, inventive, or fun - and worth fitting into your schedule.

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