When compared to a lot of other modern video games, Stray is something of an anomaly. Rather than adhering to all of the tropes and trends that today's gamers have become accustomed to, it seems more than content to do its own thing and is arguably a much better game as a result. However, its singular nature might make it much more difficult for some players to enjoy, especially when it comes to some of the game's larger areas.
With no mini-maps or quest markers, players will need to make a mental note of where certain key locations are, at least while in the slums and Midtown areas, anyway. They'll also be expected to partake in a bit of out-of-the-box thinking to solve some of the game's puzzles, and should be prepared to flee from foes rather than facing them head-on. With this in mind, these beginner tips and tricks for Stray should help to make the game much easier.
Zigzag to Avoid Zurks
As players will quickly learn, the main antagonists in Stray are the kitty-killing Zurks. Other than for a very brief period between the game's seventh and eighth chapters, though, players are encouraged to avoid these little critters like the plague rather than taking them on head-on, but doing so isn't quite as simple as running in a straight line.
In order to best avoid Zurks, players should run in a zigzag pattern. In the event that they are latched onto, they'll need to spam the Circle button in order to get free, but it's far easier to just avoid getting caught in the first place. Zigzagging can also be useful while being chased by security drones, particularly at the end of Stray's eleventh chapter.
Exploit the Terrible Enemy AI
There's a lot to love about Stray, though that's not to say that it's the perfect game. The enemy AI, for example, is incredibly disappointing, particularly as much of the game's difficulty is derived from its stealth sections. However, this rare gray cloud has a nice silver lining, with players able to exploit the poor enemy AI to avoid unnecessary checkpoint restarts.
During Chapter 10 of Stray, players will need to sneak past security drones in both the Neco Corp factory and the residence where Clementine lives. These drones also show up in the following chapter, though can be easily avoided by hopping into a cardboard box. Even if a drone sees a player jump into one of these boxes they'll eventually give up and fly away, so players should use this to their advantage when needed.
Don't Rush Things
Stray is an incredibly short game by modern standards, with players typically able to complete everything that's on offer in around five or six hours. As such, players really don't need to rush things during their first playthrough, and doing so would be doing both themselves and the game's developers a massive disservice.
The neon-soaked cyberpunk world of Stray is wonderfully well-realized, with easter eggs and secrets hidden throughout every chapter. Players should therefore take the time to fully explore these excellent environments rather than rushing to the finish line. Besides, for completionists, there'll be plenty of time for that during their "I am Speed" trophy playthrough.
Track Down B-12's Memories
There are several collectible sets in Stray, including Badges, Energy Drink Cans, and pieces of Sheet Music. By far the most interesting, though, are B-12's memories, which can be triggered by reaching certain points in the story or by examining some of the glowing items that can be found throughout the game's 12 chapters.
Through these 27 B-12 memories, players can learn a lot more about both the friendly little companion character and the plague-ridden world in which the game takes place. Learning how B-12 came to be trapped inside the big computer that players stumble upon in Chapter 3 is incredibly interesting, as too are his motivations for helping the cute little kitty to reach the outside world.
Unleash Your Inner Cat
There are quite a few adorable cat-like actions that players can carry out in Stray. These include scratching at furniture, napping in unusual places, and nuzzling up against unsuspecting robots. However, the most primal of these is to Meow, which players can do simply by pressing the Circle button when using a PlayStation pad.
Though all of the aforementioned actions have trophies associated with them (two, in the case of scratching), Meowing can actually prove to be useful in-game. As well as distracting a robot in the slums so that she drops a can of paint, players can also Meow to distract enemies or lure them over to certain areas. Scratching can also come in handy, particularly during the final chapter of Stray.
Stray is available now on PS4, PS5, and PC.