Stray for Nintendo Switch review: portable catty hijinks

Stray is still a beautiful game, and it's certainly playable on Switch, but is by no means optimal.

Stray / Annapurna Interactive

I am a crazy cat lady. Not just your normal crazy cat lady, but in the last two years, I’ve had 15 cats come live with me. I love everything about them. I even find it cute when they vomit all over the carpet. When I started Stray, the opening cutscene had me approach and interact with a number of cats before snuggling up to sleep. I immediately shut down the game, hoping that it hadn’t auto-saved so I could do it all again. I love cats.

There are so many moments of joy found in playing as a cat. All of the movements and mannerisms are perfectly lifelike, from the way cats make biscuits to how they flop when putting on a harness. A lot of detail went into how the cat moves, and it adds a real depth to the world that no other game has. The way the cat behaves so naturally and organically juxtaposes with the dystopian cyberpunk world in a way that matches the game’s themes.

Stray / Annapurna Interactive

The humans are dead, sunlight has been blocked off from the city, and robots have rebuilt society. After slipping from the outside down into the lower depths of the city, you use your agility to claw your way back to the top. It’s short, but just as long as it needs to be, as a lot of joy is found in exploring the city and finding the different things you can do. There is also a dedicated meow button. Delightful.

There are dozens of robot NPCs to interact with — I just wish their scripts were a little more diverse. In the first area I was looking for someone to give my music sheets to, and everyone had the same response. A little more variation would have helped a lot, especially given how realistic almost every other aspect is. I understand that game development always has its limitations, but I feel this extra dialogue would have done a lot for the overall feel.

Stray / Annapurna Interactive

Stray is two years old at this point, so what most people are interested in is how it runs on the Nintendo Switch. I played on Switch Lite, and at points it could be difficult to play. The resolution is terrible, but the bigger problem was the inventory items I had to read for clues. They appear in a windowed box, which doesn’t even utilize the entirety of the Switch’s tiny screen. Pathfinding can also be difficult on the Switch as the prompts for key items can be hard to see.

Stray is certainly playable on Switch, but it is by no means optimal. There was some stuttering when crossing hidden loading zones, which won’t affect players in tight chase sequences but is definitely noticeable. Some of the objects also float off the floor. It’s in no way game-breaking, it never happens to key items, but it does hurt the realism.

Stray / Annapurna Interactive

Two years on, Stray is still a beautiful game. A point-and-click platformer with a unique concept. The Nintendo Switch is possibly the worst way to experience it, but if you value portability over performance then this is still the version you’ll want.

Score: 7/10

Version tested: Nintendo Switch