Preface: This review is spoiler free so please feel free to read without any worries.

If you have 25 quid, buy this game! Stop reading about it, don't watch anything about it and don't ruin this gem for yourself. I don't write reviews for 99% of the games i play but this... this gets one. If you still need more convincing, please do read on :)

Story: This adorable gem is the journey of a little kitty who gets lost in a forgotten world and is now having to find his way back home. I had an absolute blast with the story and learning everything I could about the world around me. The pacing allows for plenty of time to soak in the atmosphere and time to immerse yourself into the role of your feline friend. The story ran for around 8 hours for my playthrough so whilst this is a shorter title it is absolutely worth it to experience the journey.

Gameplay: Stray is an adventure, platforming, stealthy, cute little puzzle game with a lot to explore, collect and learn in and around the world. I’m a regular game dropper. I buy games, have fun for a few hours and then feel like meh. This game had me from start to finish wanting to play it and even once i had finished it all up, i still wanted more. Weather it’s jumping, running or skidding through the world, everything the game has to offer feels amazing. The animations in game are a major part of this as they are so well done that it allows you to sink into the role of the cat so much deeper and gives you a connection to your little stray friend throughout the game. There are moments of relief in the game that without that connection would lose all meaning. There are places in the game that allow you to lay down and chill, i did exactly that and stared at my monitor for a solid 5 minutes while doing absolutely nothing but watching the little kitty sleep. These moments are such an amazing feeling after a puzzle you couldn’t wrap your head around or had a intense chase. You will find yourself completely at peace.

Difficulty: I had no trouble throughout the whole game unless it was my fault and i was panicking lol

Visuals: The graphics made the game feel real and alive. The lighting makes the mood. You feel warm at times and cold at others. Everything can feel homely at times and then the next feel clinical. You feel happy and peaceful at times and the next like you're going to have a heart attack. I won’t say the graphics make the game because they don’t but they certainly don't hinder it. Having everything look as good as it does can immerse you so much more into being this little kitty. When you see a paint can, just like a normal cat you know you only have one task... knock it over. This game makes that real.

Audio: Put headphones on and push left alt. Thank me later. (it’s pretty damn good)

Technical State: The only bug I encountered throughout the game was when I clipped through one wall and fell through the floor for about a minute and even found that fun lmao, my save was also exactly where I fell through the wall so just went back and continued like I didn't just watch a cat skydive :)

Closing thoughts: You know when they say "money can't buy happiness" yeah honestly just tell em to f*** off cause this proves it can. I mean it also brings sadness at times but I’m used to that every time I look at my bank accounts so that’s nothing new :))) If you're looking for something to play when you just want to chill out and engross yourself in a fun little world filled with a cat, some robots and some little things that make your heart rate exceed what medical science deems not possible then yeah, this is the game is for you :D

Rating: 10 / 10 -- You play as a cat... what else can i say.

----- EVERYTHING BELOW IS SPOILER FREE -----

Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales showed me that not every company hates their fans. Well done insomniac games <3

Graphics: On maximum settings, this game is like watching a movie. Whether you're flying through the air at high speeds, jumping right into combat with a swinging kick or staring at the city, not a second goes by without a little part of your brain going "How did we go from potato like graphics to this?!"

Gameplay: Unlike the main game, this game made me want to 100% it (which im still working on but ive gone back to the first game first.). Its short enough to not be a slog and long enough to not be a waste of your money. The story makes up for any short comings you may find with the length of the game. The combat is as you would expect, much like the first game its as repetitive as you make it. You have to find your creative side with the combat and try new things. Try a stealth approach a few times, no gadgets allowed once, only gadgets allowed, see how long you can remain in the air and tons of other approaches that make the combat a treat to be in. Dodging after doing a dumb combo in the air that you thought couldn't possibly work makes for an adrenaline filled experience. The movement, again much like the first game is fun, freeing and engaged me in a way few games do with movement alone. Getting up to high speeds is super fun, throw in some tricks and the fact that just toughing a single building will slow your speed back down, you end up in a battle between you not being an idiot and miles wanting to zoom at break neck speeds. Good times. Note - I played on the hardest difficulty you from the start and plan on doing the hardest i can on my replay. The games not a cake walk but its also not a challenge you'll think of when remembering hard games. I recommend harder difficulties for those who aren't new to pc gaming.

Audio: The music that plays throughout the game is just a bop all round. I actually ended up muting the in game music in order to put on the miles Morales spotify playlist to enjoy more of them whilst playing. The ambience of the city, the chattering of people and the combat are also all sound super well done and lets you soak in a tad further game. I would recommend whilst collecting stuff to jam on the spotify playlist as again as it makes you feel a little bit more like your in miles shoes and listening to what he most likely is swinging around the city.

Audience: Young or old, fat or thin... just grab the game. There's no one i wouldn't say should give this ago. Maybe wait for a sale as the price is steep but its well worth it and once it is, full steam ahead.

PC Requirements: For the best possible time i would say look more at the recommended as some of the charm does come from the beauty of the game. I played on max with dlss enabled and ran without a hitch but i would say medium settings is where the bottom is for whats "playable". You want to be soaked into the city and feel like youre watching a movie. If you are planning to buy this game with a potato please save the money, upgrade some stuff and come back to this at a better time. The wait will be worth it.

Difficulty: As i said above, "Note - I played on the hardest difficulty you from the start and plan on doing the hardest i can on my replay. The games not a cake walk but its also not a challenge you'll think of when remembering hard games. I recommend harder difficulties for those who aren't new to pc gaming.". The games by no means a cake walk i did die a few times on certain sections just out of not paying attention to the dodge warning. I also failed to beat some challenge at 3 stars after a good go towards the start of the game til i had built up the skill to be able to do it (most likely around mid game for myself). I think to make it a challenging time you would have to do a no heals run. The heal comes back quick enough to where even on the most intense fights you can balance having a decent chunk of hp. To increase the challenge further don't use gadgets. To add to this, i dont think spiderman is the game you go to in order to find challenge, you would visit the realm of darksouls etc. All in all, balanced and fun.

Grind: The grind comes from collectables. If you dont like collecting stuff you wont 100% the game. The collection only comes in for the players who want to 100% the game and not for those who want to just beat the story. Its a grind if you make it.

Story: The story... i dont know if i was having an emotional day or what but at about 2am upon finishing the game i had a single tear slide down my cheek. One of the few games that have managed that. :`)

Game Time: Finished to 100% at 18.6 hours and plan to do a replay for 100% achievements. Could probably do the story in about 10 hours or so at a comfortable pace.

Price: Bit hefty at full price for just main story. Super worth the full price if you intend to explore everything you can and 100%. Still though, wait for sale, saving money is always a good idea :p

Bugs: No bugs found during my time so far with the game. Very polished :D