Developed by BlueTwelve Studio, Stray is a game in which players embody a cat looking for his family. After the beautiful opening scene, the cat falls into another world called the Walled City.
There, he meets a robot, ‘B-12’. Eventually, they join; the robot wants to free all the robot inhabitants, while the cat wants to get out to find his cat family. In that sense, they share the same goal: to unseal the Walled City.
Stray evolves around exploration, survival, and the search for meaning in a post-apocalyptic world. Unlike Cyberpunk, Stray is not about the end of the world as we know it but rather about surviving once it has been destroyed. The game could be perceived as an exploration of our struggle to find purpose and meaning in an unpredictably hostile world. It highlights how important it is to work together and cooperate with one another in the face of adversity.
“In Stray, difference is a strength, difference interconnects, difference is a universal emotional language”
The symbolism of the cat
A symbol of independence and autonomy
Cats are said to be solitary animals that do not rely heavily on humans. Regardless, the cat partners with a robot. The entire storyline is built on their journey together. The cat and the robot are different; they represent different species, use different communication systems, and have different natures, yet their fate is sealed by a common goal. Throughout the game, they use their differences to understand each other, help each other, overcome obstacles, and succeed together.
A symbol of curiosity and exploration
Cats are also known for their curiosity, a quality that fits this game genre. You must be curious to bravely navigate unknown territories, discover hidden secrets, and use them to free yourself. I see two messages here. On the one hand, Stray suggests that from our differences emerge the solutions to all our challenges, and on the other, we, human beings, shouldn’t take anything at face value but rather question everything. In brief, we should become more curious.
A symbol of resilience and adaptability
Cats quickly adapt to new environments. They are survivors. Stray highlights the need to become flexible in mind and body (a cat is agile!), especially in times of change (Is there ever any other kind?), and implies ideas of elasticity, pliability, and plasticity. To adapt, we also need to accept the possibility that things can be different even if they seem the same. The agility of our mind helps us perceive what is invisible to the rigid thinker. And to make it happen, we also need physical agility; a flexible body leads to a flexible mind (Yoga).
From the virtual to the physical
While it’s happening virtually inside a video game, these three underlying symbols have their application in the physical world:
- Appreciate differences and use them as a positive strength
- Develop an inquisitive mind and think like there is no box
- Embrace flexibility and build resilience
Stray and self-realisation
The cat’s journey through the many layers (12 chapters) of this underground world could be interpreted as a metaphor for self-realisation. Just as in the physical world, players must overcome obstacles and make difficult decisions to progress and eventually succeed. Here I found the choice of a cat avatar quite interesting. Self-realisation is an individual journey, even if it takes a village to achieve it. To embark on such a journey, the individual must have a great deal of autonomy and independence and a burning desire to uncover their identity and purpose in life. Of course, I’m not implying that cats have an exploratory nature because they seek self-realisation, but rather that since they demonstrate personal traits that are useful for such endeavour, using a cat avatar makes perfect sense.
UX in Stray
From a user experience perspective, the gameplay is rhythmic, involving a combination of explorative, combat, and puzzle-solving mechanics on the backdrop of fabulous designs and a beautiful soundtrack.
Using a cat avatar could attract cat lovers, but more importantly, the cat makes for a more accessible exploration of what difference really is (When was the last time you moved around as a cat?). Sometimes what is impossible is easier to handle than what is unusual but probable. When players embody the cat, they have no referential, no biased assumptions. They can only BE in the experience.
The cat in action
There is a lot more to say about this game; I’ve taken so many notes. It took some time to go through the game since I kept pausing it to write down ideas. There are 2 other angles I’d like to explore (I need more time, honestly 24 hr is not enough!). First, I’d like to address the game’s heuristics to highlight how it exploits experiential learning and concept formation. Second, I’d like to deepen the notion of difference using Nietzsche’s Eternal Recurrence.
