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https://opencritic.com/game/13386/stray

83% through 58 reviews thus far.

Reviewers praise the graphics and how well designed its environments and puzzles are. Platforming is a bit more hit or miss with reviewers and many lamented that it was a bit too short when they wanted more.

Guardian - 10/10
This is a stunning-looking game, whether witnessed from the ground or the rooftops I wont spoil the cats journey, but the developer wrings copious novelty and some impressively creepy moments from this shut-off city in the seven-ish hours it takes to play through. Its certainly far from twee, with the possible exception of the bucket-lifts that you can ride down from rooftops, paws and ears all poking out over the top and those are so cute that theyre instantly forgivable.

Game Rant - 9/10
It's true that some may be underwhelmed by how Stray handles its platforming and by how short it is, but these issues are easily overlooked because of the high quality found throughout the rest of the game. Stray is a genuinely unique gaming experience and is worth checking out for the cat alone. Stray looks great, plays great, and accomplishes exactly what it set out to do. It's a must-play, especially since it's available at a budget price and can be played in its entirety with a PS Plus Extra subscription.

Digitally Downloaded - 9/10
Anyone expecting Stray to be an action-packed stealth game as the promotional material tried to argue it is - might be disappointed as the game is more about the journey and the narrative than it is about skulking. What Stray does well is expressing a journey featuring a less-than-common protagonist, and while other games have covered similar themes its that unique perspective, from much closer to ground level, and the visual stimulating scenes that makes it ground well worth padding over again.

Easy Allies - 8.5/10
If it isnt obvious at this point, cat parents and cat enthusiasts are going to fall in love with Stray. Yet its appeal scratches deep below the surface by weaving a powerful story about the struggles of humanity, wrapped up in an alluring dystopian world. Stray excels at delivering simple pleasures that all add up to leave you with an overwhelming sense of fulfillment.

IGN - 8/10
Stray is a delightful adventure in a dark but endearingly hopeful cyberpunk world, and thats thanks in no small part to the fact that you are playing as an adorable cat the whole time. Its mix of simple platforming and puzzles with item-hunting quests is balanced very well across the roughly five-hour story and though I wished my movement was a little more nimble during that time, I still loved hopping across rooftops and scampering through back alleys to find its well-hidden secrets. The new ideas it introduces along the way help keep things as fresh as a new bag of litter, too, even if not all of those ideas work quite as well as others. But whether I was scratching at a carpet or curling up into a ball and taking a catnap, Stray does a great job of setting itself apart in a way that feels like more than just a novelty.

EGM - 8/10
Stray does a great job at letting you act like a cat, turning a wide range of true-to-life feline behaviors into clever gameplay mechanics. But its much less successful at making you truly feel like a cat, as the games more conventional approach to its gameplay and story routinely shatters your immersion in odd ways. If you can suspend your disbelief and look past the missed opportunity of a more cohesive experience, however, theres a lot to like in its moody cyberpunk world and varied challenges.

Attack of the Fanboy - 6/10
It's hard to perfectly encapsulate what Stray really sets out to do, as it is a jack of all trades, but unfortunately a master of none of them. Certain parts of this game are near masterclass, like its stealth sections, but it finds itself lost within its own identity too often, and misses the mark on more than one occasion.