Official Review
While we had initial concerns about its performance and visual fidelity given that this is a game built for beefier consoles, we're happy to report that the Annapurna Interactive-published port on Switch is superbly optimized and absolutely delivers, albeit with minor graphical compromises compared to versions running on PC and other consoles.
Scampering across neon-drenched rooftops or curling up for a cat nap in a cozy corner of Stray's stunningly realized world feels as engaging and immersive as ever on Nintendo's hybrid console. Though its core gameplay is fairly simplistic, its narrative-driven storytelling and brilliantly executed design make for a heartfelt, accessible journey worth taking.
You control a nameless ginger cat with the simple goal of returning home after being separated from your pack. The graceful agility and nuanced physicality of cat behavior are captured by Stray's developers to a tee, with playful quirks like scratching at doors and knocking objects off shelves delightfully integrated into gameplay and puzzle-solving.
Apart from a dedicated 'meow' button, the cat is a silent protagonist. Stray is wordless until you befriend a small drone named B12 who serves as your companion and translator through whom the player communicates with dozens of robot NPCs that have taken to emulating human behavior long after the pandemic-induced extinction of humanity itself.
You soon learn that the inhabitants of this richly immersive cityscape, every corner of which feels lived-in and staggeringly detailed, seek to escape it. That premise sets the groundwork for a poignant story that explores themes of loss, resilience, and the power of an unlikely bond. Without giving much away, it all results in an emotionally compelling payoff.
It doesn't outstay its welcome, either, being completable in five to eight hours depending on how thoroughly you seek out collectibles and badges. Gameplay alternates between linear action-oriented sequences and open exploration in various large hub areas where you can speak to NPCs, take on side quests, and fully embrace a catlike curiosity to explore.
Stray's controls are deliberately user-friendly, shunning the usual need for precision in traditional platformers in favour of a simplified, auto-guided jumping mechanic that spares you potential frustration and helps maintain immersion. You'll only need to position the cat in the direction you want to go and jump to a highlighted spot with the 'B' button.
That means you'll be able to hop ledges, manoeuvre up pipes, and cross rooftops with ease, emphasising the cat's nimbleness while eliminating the possibility of missed jumps. Stray revels in letting you move like a feline, whether by outrunning enemies, fluidly traversing hard-to-reach vertical climbs, or using its small size to squeeze through narrow gaps.
Stray uses your drone companion both as a narrative anchor and a way of getting around the obvious limitations of being an ordinary cat; it stows away in a high-tech harness that doubles as an inventory. It also boasts offensive capabilities that enable you to blast away mutated pests known as Zurks that swarm you with unnerving speed.
The various linear segments involve chase sequences, light combat, and stealth with environmental puzzle-solving peppered throughout. Serving as a counterweight to its free-roaming exploration, there's little in the way of challenge here and the overall mechanics are simple, perhaps even shallow. But Stray is concerned with telling a story, not testing your skills.
All in all, these elements successfully tie together to give you a well-paced campaign that is equal parts action, exploration, and moments of respite. It all unfolds in a setting imbued with melancholic beauty and unrelenting grit. The German word 'ruinenlust' — the satisfaction one feels when looking at decayed structures — certainly struck us as we played.
Stray's soundtrack and audio design are also deserving of praise. Composer Van Der Cruyssen leverages melodic ambience and humming synths to great effect, occasionally incorporating acoustic tones that remind us of Nine Inch Nails' quieter instrumental works. Moments of tension are likewise enhanced with pulse-pounding electronics that heighten the stakes.
We had relatively few bugbears along the way. Our main gripe was with the lengthy loading screen you face if you're slain by Zurks or police drones. Stray relies on an auto-save system and doesn't give you a way to save on the spot, meaning if you want to put the game down, you'll need to hit a checkpoint to save, which happens often enough but isn't exactly convenient.
Performance-wise, Stray runs surprisingly well on the Switch. To be sure, there is an expected visual downgrade compared to the PlayStation 5 and PC versions but it's hardly a dealbreaker given that it still looks beautiful. If you've played elsewhere, you'll undoubtedly feel the downgrade more than players (such as this reviewer) coming at the Switch port fresh. There were occasional frame rate drops from its 30fps target during busier moments, but nothing that inhibited our enjoyment.
Conclusion
Stray won't challenge you, frustrate you, or take up too much of your time. Perhaps that's why we enjoyed it so much. It plays like an open-world point-and-click paired with largely on-rails action sequences. Some minor gripes and expected disparities between the Switch port and versions elsewhere aside, as we sauntered around its post-apocalyptic environments on all fours, Stray did an impeccable job of making us want to talk to everyone and explore everything it had to offer – and we had an appetite for more once it was all over. To us, that's the mark of a compelling adventure.
