Stray (Switch 2) Review – A Purrfect Return

Stray Nintendo Switch 2 Review

Released in 2022 for the PlayStation and PC, Stray quickly clawed at the hearts of gamers with its evocative narrative, stunning art direction and excellent feline-focused gameplay. Later, the game pounced over to Xbox before finally snuggling up on the Switch. While a strong port on Nintendo’s hybrid device, there were clear downgrades compared to its peers. The Switch 2 version aims to close that gap, delivering a sharper, smoother and more immersive way to explore its neon-lit cybercity, but does it finally do justice to the game’s original vision?

Set in a stunning neon-soaked near future, you play as an adorable cat who aims to find his way back to his family. Mystery enshrouds the city as humans are absent and in their place, robots live and thrive. Soon, you encounter B-12, a drone that supports you on your adventure, translating signage and speaking to NPCs on your behalf. You begin to learn about the inhabitants and soon uncover a broader picture of the world. There’s a sadness that resides with clear environmental and social commentary that makes this more than just a story about a cute cat. The story is poignant, heartfelt and powerful, blending quiet moments of companionship with an underlying melancholy that lingers long after the credits roll.

Everybody Wants to be a Cat

Stray captures the notion of being a cat better than most games. You are agile, able to leap to platforms, teeter across small ledgers and squeeze through small gaps. This allows you to wander through the tightly designed, dense world with ease. BlueTwelve Studio adopts a context-based platforming mechanic, which helps to anchor the feeling of being a feline. Hopping over obstacles is simple, and although it does remove the platforming challenge, it leads to a deeply engaging adventure, free from the frustration of mistimed jumps or awkward movement, allowing exploration and atmosphere to remain at the forefront of the experience.

As you progress, you’ll encounter light puzzles and stealth sections, which add variety and pace to the adventure. They never pose much of a challenge, but the designers integrated them seamlessly into the environment and designed them well. Guards patrol and you must dart between areas, avoiding their gaze to remain hidden. The traffic light system signals the level of alert, allowing you to alter your approach based on their awareness and positioning, adding a layer of strategy. The tight controls help make this a straightforward and satisfying task, making every escape feel tense and exciting without ever becoming overwhelming or frustrating.

Interspersing segments are chase sequences, which ramp up the intensity. Here, you must quickly scale the environment and react to emerging threats in order to reach safe points. A highlight of the experience, these thrilling moments keep you on edge and perfectly contrast the peaceful exploration, which is central to the adventure.

Hitting the Streets

The animation truly shines with life-like movements that flawlessly portray the cute tabby. Those who live under the oppressive rule of a kitten will understand their antics and see these implemented in the adventure. From nonchalantly walking past items and nudging them off with a wag of the tail to finding new and unusual places to cosy up and take a nap, each part of their complex personalities is embedded within them.

Although the visuals were incredible on the PS5/Series, the Switch version did suffer from a downgrade. Lower framerates and less detailed textures meant that Nintendo gamers had a compromised version of the game. However, this is no longer the case. The Switch 2 version features enhanced visuals and improved framerates, giving the definitive handheld experience and a version of the title that is on par with other platforms. The game also includes a mouse mode, and while it feels novel, it doesn’t offer enough to make it the optimal way to play.

Stray is a wonderful adventure that cleverly combines the love of felines with a poignant message about social injustice and technology. Each aspect of a cute cat’s lifestyle has been implemented into the adventure, mixing stealth and chases to create a fun and engaging tale. Whereas the Switch version was inferior to other consoles, the Switch 2 release manages to capture the same highs, making this an easy recommendation for anyone looking to experience this atmospheric indie gem on the go.

***A Nintendo Switch 2 code was provided by the publisher***