@@WorthABuyreviews Man that was a super weak response. As a simple dog guy, it's kinda exactly what I would predict................................. You own a dog right?
@@iddra1868 I have Aspergers and NORMAL communication is extremly complex for me, I empathize with cats very much, because they are INCREDIBLY deep, nuanced and misunderstood communicators. Dogs, are obvious, hence their wide acceptance and relatability amongst humans. I grew up with a Borzoi/Russian wolfhound who used to stand over me as a baby, I respect the beauty of animal instinct but all too often simpletons (90%) misjudge anything they can not clearly understand. Love what MAC does but ........... He isn't the sharpest tool in the box. And that doesn't need to be a problem. I also totally agree with him in general about we need to hold corporations to a higher standard (he says developers however I DO believe it's more out of their hands than he may think) He should be showing a great deal more respect for such a game as this. 5.5? Get a fkn grip horse brain.
It is a pity that this game overshadowed a much more interesting and beautiful game called Endling: Extinction is forever. They released on the same day but Endling deserves much more praise and recognition as a good game by far. It is a work of love. I wish Mac had seen it.
Thank you for actually giving this game an honest review compared to 95% of people who just say, "MEOW MEOW GOOD GAME!" With no premise on the story, mechanics, graphics, and whatnot.
I thought this was basically going to be a stealth game, where you're this alley cat prowling this dystopian city. Could open up really interesting ways of exploring, since playing as a cat you can get into all kinds of small spaces and hidden pathways that you couldn't do as a human... The reality looks very, very run of the mill though.
There is so much you could do with a sentient, player-controlled cat in a hostile environment. I think "parkour" (as if you have to call it that for a cat) and stealth would be great approaches. Not walking around some linear maps with scripted jumps, but that's just me.
They took all the safest options for gameplay focusing on environment, animations, and a bit of narrative. I do like the dystopian concepts and nightmarish elements but they're a bit minimalist since you're only a cat.
No need to remember. Still plenty of games like that out there. Just because there's a more relaxing type of game coming out once in a while doesn't mean every game is like this. You're literally making up stuff to complain about. Most nonsensical comment I've seen in a while...
Agreed, and completely misaligned with real cats anyway. They fall and misjudge jumps and landings all the time. That's the whole reason they "always land on their feet" - plenty of practice falling!
Remember that bit in Half Life where you had to jump from pipe to pipe, judging every step, your arse twitching as you did it, would love to do that with a Cat, shame it's 2022 and games now play us.
this game is more of an experience for me rather than a traditional game. I can play it with my wife who isn't a gamer at al, chill on the couch and take in the nice music and atmosphere of the world, which it nails imo. I think it's worth it for that alone.
I think it's ok to have an atmospheric chill game that doesn't constantly involve fightimg and life or death consequences. A lot of people, including myself, wouldn't want to play the game if you were killing the cat multiple times from failed jumps. It was excruciating enough when I died to the zurks. I hate platformers anyway. It's like when you defended Red Dead for having that dead eye auto aim: you said you wanted to feel like a badass. We'll cats are badass at jumping. And the puzzles were a good goldilocks difficulty. None of them were too hard, but I definitely had to scratch my head at some.
Agreed. This game is much more something like Journey, where it's not about overcoming threats so much as it is sucking in the well constructed atmosphere and piecing together the unexpected and thoughtful plot. Then ultimately leaving the whole thing open ended for you to work it out in your own mind what all happened
I saw a reviewer call this game the "LoFi Beats of gaming", and that's the entire vibe I got watching your review of it. It seems more like a digital art piece more than a game, really. It seems very niche. I might try it on a really good sale someday, but otherwise I'm not gonna be too bothered about missing out on this one.
"Lofi Beats of Gaming"...lol, there are so many of those out there that this particular title cant possibly be defined by that, at least not as a unique quality. Definitely a pass.
I'm seeing a concerningly large push for this to be GOTY in social media...people saying the story is "deep" and "it's more than just a cat game" and that the gameplay is great. Seems like people love games that play themselves lmao
I think this game was made with the intention of being somewhat of a 'zen' game and an 'experience' type game versus a challenge/skill based type game. It does what they set out to achieve in my opinion.
Yes exactly, you get it. People here consistently judge games based on whether the game meets their expectations of what they think it should be, not what it actually is.
@@chrismason7272 I guarantee to you if the jumping wasn't tied to prompts and totally up to the player they would still shit on the game because of constant mistakes by them.
I think this is the case where you think you want something but you actually don't :) You are talking about a smooth game flow where a player executes every jump perfectly. Where in reality 95% of players will awkwardly miss the jumps get frustrated after 5 attempts and leave a bad score. If the main goal of the game was to tell a story by showing you this unique world in a unique perspective, making the gameplay more challenging would beat the purpose. Not every game has to be hyper realistic and dark souls difficulty. If you don't like it, maybe you are not the target audience :)
@@aleksandrastvardauskas7288 Like @Aaron Wright said, I can have my own opinion and I will express it if I please. This game doesn't look fun to me, and I have a feeling that if I bought it I would have written a negative review on it myself. It looks like the gameplay is massively shallow an would have been more fun with actual player control instead of scripted jumps. It doesn't have to be like Mirror's Edge or some kind of hardcore platformer. There are so many good games out there in the "parkour" genre that don't require super precise movement, Assassin's Creed is the first to come to mind. At least in Assassin's Creed it's actually possible to fall off something if you completely whiff it. Looking at the Steam reviews and the fact that I can't even leave a comment without someone trying to tell me my opinion is invalid shows that positive review bombs are just as much of a thing as regular negative ones. Like this game is getting propped up for having a cat as the PC before anything else, and that's coming from someone who likes cats. Just sayin'.
@@aleksandrastvardauskas7288 he is allowed to leave bad review, so people like me that don't like games with no challenge would know if the game is worth it or not, we are audience too after all and dark souls example is a bit extreme, don't you think? :)
@@tankerd1847 I would like to make it clear that I am not challenging your right for an opinion. As a matter of fact, I can see where it comes from and equally respect and understand it. With that said, I would like to point out that there are different types of games for different audiences. Accepting the fact that there might be good games that despite being good are not appealing to your or me allows us to appreciate the effort put into something without directly enjoying the benefits of it. To conclude: you might not like a good game. It doesn't make the game less good nor your opinion less valid. Tailoring a game for your liking might make it less appealing for other audiences. Having diverse games and diverse audiences is beneficial for our gaming community. Cheers :)
The thing that annoys me the most is that I was thinking about getting this one until I saw the inclusion of the catpack or backpack or whatever. And I completely lost interest. Imagine a game where you play as a stray cat, in a HUMAN world where you have to survive on the street avoiding people and rummaging through bins, cause chaos by jumping around inside restaurants, hotels, etc. With tough complex puzzles inbetween. And most importantly, no immersion breaking space age bs. That game could have been fantastic, just from a simple concept like that. You wouldn't even need to think about the story too much either cause your playing as a feline the whole time.
@@mablesfatalfable6021 they bought the perceived emotional interaction with a virtual assistant aka. they bought "feels good man". most people these days have the emotional stability of a toddler.
@@kaoskittykat857 I know what you mean. Pretty much every time I type out anything here on RUclips, especially when I use the phrase "in my opinion" or in other words *don't take my words seriously* some complete baboon has to come along and get upset and pelt shit at me anyway.
That is such a shame, thought this looked like a bit of fun, but where's the game if you can't manoeuvre for yourself? If you watch a cat jump they sit for a second sussing out the distance and height before going for it. I was hoping for something more akin to assassins creed with regards to mobility, eyeing up a jump and frantically trying to grab a ledge when you fuck it up (just like a cat)
the one time a quick time event would make sense contextually trigger a jump event by pressing a button, the game recognises where you want to jump to, hold the button down for the required amount of time as the cat tenses up to leap or bobs head up and down to gauge distance, release when the game tells you to. if you miss your mark you fail the jump by either over shooting it, under shooting it or the car slipping or just refusing to make the jump thinking its too far/awkward to make depending on how badly you fail the mark
I have waited years for this game and I am not looking for some 'AWESOME GAME' I am looking to play as a beautiful kitty cat exploring a world and keeping him safe
@@fwabble agreed, a game doesn't need to be the next masterpiece. I'm happy if it's enjoyable enough to entertain me until the next best thing comes around
@@aFLYER1980 I was just trying to be funny, because you have a cat avatar, so obviously you already like cats prior to this game being released, so therefore you are "biased".
Have you ever noticed how the bug thingys look alot like haedcrabs from Half Life just with a light for an eye that sort of act the same as well.. good review
I've got no problem with some games being aimed at non-gamers- e.g arty walking simulators and the like, but when something comes along that looks this original and interesting you're right- "missed opportunity" sums this up perfectly. The game should have been based around a jumping mechanic. That should have been it's 'thing'. What a shame.
Such a ridiculous assessment.. and this also applies to WAB guy himself, just because it doesn't suit your taste doesn't mean it's boring or somehow not a game for gamers... This game is as much a game as other niche games out there likel visual novel games, or puzzle games or physics simulation games or farming simulator games or flight simulator games
@@Napoleonic_S I'm not saying it's bad. If you read the first sentence I say I have no problem. I love relaxing, walking simulators/ arty style games that have little actual gameplay. Maybe read comments properly before you criticise- it's an opinion and actually I agree with you- not all games need to be hard as nails. What I'm suggesting is the game is screaming to be so much more than that. I love the art style overall idea, but you're a cat...cats jump and spring about- this game avoids making this into a fun element.
Yeah, unless they are really fat house cats. But street cats? Never. They will pounce a rat from the otherside of a chain link fence, up and over, through a basketball hoop on its way down before the rat knows its there.
Tbh I think this would have worked a lot better if it was a survival game where you need to take ownership and nourish for yourself as a stray cat in an open world setting. Plus networking with npcs who can give you a temporary place to stay or meals because they adore you a little bit.
I been enjoying it. Its very laid back. Its more like an interactive movie. Its not really a "game" as we call games. Theres no skill or anything required other than puzzle solving. And is there anything more cute than a cat riding in a bucket? But you are right... its very niche. You gotta be a cat person or its like... so what? I really think its for children and non-gamers that happen to be cat lovers. I hope its just a testbed for a future game that has a more open, explorable world and more freedom to explore. A proper full game. Cus it really felt like a tech demo. But its chill, it looks good and the cat does cute cat things.
Well for non-gamers the best games are Detroit: Become Human and The Quarry and so on. The problem is I'm not sure if I should recommend this to non-gaming family because I'd have to walk them through every single puzzle...
@@SolDizZo if you show them how the puzzle answers are hidden in the world the first couple times, I think they could catch on. The best bet is to just tell them to investigate anything and everything that has a button prompt and everything written in english.
First, in regards to the blurriness, I just turned down my motion blur and that helped a ton! So I think having a "skillshot" jump would be absolutely dreadful in this game. There is a lot -A LOT- of jumping in this game. Most of that jumping is to small ledges or pipes or to areas that might just be awkward angles. Turning this into a cat platformer I would find incredibly frustrating, and I can only imagine how bad Mack would hate it considering how "clunky" he already thinks this game is. Most platformers are either in 2D or very open, spacious worlds. Stray is very cramped and cluttered. I guess it's easier for me considering I am more of a cat person. I, for one, have never seen a cat attempt a jump it couldn't make. Cats have a natural grace about them, and by you telling the cat to "jump there" and the cat just doing it has a very satisfying flow to it. I think it would be very weird and unnatural if the cat just pounced up in the air like Mario or something. With that being said, if you wanted more of a cat simulator or cat platformer, this game definitely is not that, but what this game actually *is* is a beautifully crafted world with a lot of love and polish poured into every bit of it. While each character is rather brief to the story, every one of them had enough personality and detail to them that I didn't find them forgettable at all. This game doesn't reward exploration through upgrades or power ups; it rewards exploration through discovery of details. It tells a story the way Outer Wilds does, and I think that's fine. All in all, I think this game absolutely nailed the premise of being a cat. All the subtle details and options for what the cat can do feel just right, and I haven't found the game to be as clunky on a controller as I've heard it made out to be. The story has been engaging if not simple, but the journey has been exceptional for me. I think if you go into this game looking for a journey like the Outer Wilds or Subnautica, then you'll come away with a very fond memory of Stray
Oh yeah you would have to completely redesign the entire game from the ground up to have it be about "skillshot" jumping. These environments are far too complex and the jumps the cat is making are far too precise for that. I do agree with Mack that it is a bit of a missed opportunity that they didn't go down that route though. However clearly that's not the game the developers were setting out to make. I have seen cats fall, but 9 times out of 10 it's because the surface they're jumping from was unstable or slippery rather than because they misjudged the actual jump lol.
@@yewtewbstew547 lmao that's exactly right. I almost made that comment but I don't think they needed to add an ice level just to make your cat squirm. The paper bag is good enough 😂
I like cats, and I played with an xbox controller. I played slowly and explored and had a good time 9/10. I got upset at how i died to the zurgs , puzzles were good. I think they nailed the atmosphere, it felt like half life when that was first released. The jumping I thought was odd, but I did like how chill the game is because of this. I thought the game was probably too short, could have used 1 more hr. I give it a 9/10, its a pretty good game if you like exploring and sci fi
I'd call this more of a digital storytelling experience than a game. And in that framing, I am enjoying it a lot. Also, the controls are pretty great with a gamepad, haven't tried with a keyboard.
Been playing this for a few hours now and the one question that keeps running round my head is what's to say you go through all this to save the little shit only for him to fall down there again
i liked it a lot personally but i get what you're saying, it's definitely more of a relaxing casual experience than a challenging game, but for a first time dev studio its pretty cool how good it is apart from the high end PC performance issues
@@JackIsNotInTheBox correction, they've published games that are challenging my bad, its probably just that the devs targeted more towards the simpler sytle of gameplay than try to account for all the possible player actions that can leads to dev nightmares lol
@@JackIsNotInTheBox not necessarily. They would have to change the level design to accommodate that. Would you have only one jump distance/height? Multiple? How would that work with controls? Press vs press and hold? It's not that simple. With the current design, you can just have any surface as a point you can jump to and as long as you are in the right distance, you get the prompt, and the animation can take over.
Love animals, love spending time looking at how animals react, interact and move around. I like how cats will sometimes pause to study their jump, as if they are trying to "think" about their chances of success. It can be pretty hilarious when they miss, but it can be so impressive when they actually get a perfect "risky" jump. Was really hoping this game would capture that kind of elegance and risk/reward.. this is pretty much a game with "unfailable" quicktime events; simply aim, hit the key and that's that. No effort, no "learning" what you can or can't do. I was really looking forward to this one.. thanks for your honest review Mack! I'll wait for a deep discount.
Just finished the game and it was great, had a nice story. Not being able to fully control jumps was not a deal breaker for me. Would definitely recommend this game.
This game could have been hugely appealing to hardcore gamers if only it would have included some sort of challenge. Clearly what we're looking at here is just a marketing exercise from an arts degree student looking to pay off their bloated student loan. And it probably worked, so good for them, it's just a shame to see the gaming industry diluted by people who never play games.
It's middle of the road. Some criticisms are valid, like the middling default controls on PC and puzzles are too simple. However what Mac missed on is the side mission experiences which enhance it greatly. He's judging this far too harshly in reality. Stray's purpose was never a hardcore platformer, but a casual one. Mac solely judging it agaisnt a hardcore platformer is rather dumb be to honest. It is far from a children's game in it's theme.
If anyone likes the idea, but hates the execution, I'd recommend Rainworld. Watch matthewmatosis's short video on it for a spoiler free introduction to the game. I've personally put in over 90 hours, including repeat and modded playthroughs (there's a coop mod that is literally seemless). It's tricky, brutal, deep and gorgeous. The ecosystem is great, and the movement is fantastic: once you master it, you really do feel like a (slug)cat.
Does this guy like anything at all ? It's part of PS+ Extra anyway so if you have that and wanna try it for free do that. It's a chill relaxing game. Better than those graphic novels choice games or walking sims imo.
There are two things that bother me: 1. The cat is too slow. Real cats run faster, a LOT faster, at least 2-3x faster if not more, especially when they are chased. 2. The cat does a little pause before every jump: run - pause - jump (I guess this is due to the prompt jump system). Real cats don't do that, why would they lose their momentum, which actually helps them jump further. A free jumping system would have been a lot cooler, but also would have took way more work to implement than a simplified: press prompt -> game loads animation to "jump" the cat from A to B.
They should have done the Valhalla assassin thingy where you have to press space at the correct time to make a difficult jump and then give you 9 lives to get through a level.
Thanks for the review. This is what I was worried about. Most reviews I've seen or read so far were about how great it is to be a cat but not much really about gameplay and story. I'll skip it or wait for a deep sale if I will be still interested in it.
A huge cat lover and easily pleased but my eyes were open to the reality in 2015 with your Batman AK review which I thought was a joke at first before realizing I had been asleep all this time. Anyway, I agree with your suggestions and I would love to see more depth. Like a Lara croft cat facing hazards, timing jumps, and even, maybe maybe getting injured but not badly.
for me it was the witcher review absolutely loved the story and graphics but just couldnt play it for hours i didnt know why when it had great reviews watched mac and it was the combat mechanics. Tried to fix it with mods but still havent finished it lol.
@artix003 The Witcher combat was fantastic if you use a controller. You just have to be smart. Don't spam the same button.. take it slow and time your attacks and dodges. Sometimes you dont have to even dodge.. its not Elden Ring. Just back step and side step and swing again. I swear people who complain about Witcher 3's combat either tried to take the combat too fast like they were playing a Dark Souls game or they were using keyboard and mouse. Some games are just more intuitive on the controller. If you did use the controller, I recommend trying to actually learn how to swordplay in that game. Its not bad at all. Again you are the Witcher. You are not scared of monsters, you slay them. Use your potions.. find its weaknesses. Prepare your fights and take the fights slow and steady and follow your plan. Dont just go in there and alternate between dodge roll and light/heavy attack. If its not mid attack, you dont have to be rolling. Most of the monsters you can avoid rolling altogether and just side step and then strike. Did you know you can behead drowners while they are mid air lunge? I faced down like 6 drowners, and beheaded them all before they could attack me. Its about timing your strikes. The combat is a lot more fun when you know what you are doing.
Really didn't agree with your video after playing the game for few hours now ,its a quirky little adventure game, not overpriced, has many original concept and for a regular adventure game its top notch. Ill summarize by some of the reviews I found on Steam that expressed my feelings toward this game (I thought maybe the Mackster was right and I was wrong but then I saw I wasn't alone in my feelings) First steam reviews atm are around 24k with Overwhelmingly Positive mark. Other then that some wisdom pearls: Stray is a puzzle platform based game with breathtaking art and lighting effects that can make you feel cold and scared and warm and content with smooth transitions between them. The soundtrack is some of the best music I have ever heard with regards to the environment just adding to the scenery of the game. Stray is a poetic masterpiece of loss and finding the beauty in things even when the overall picture seems bleak and tells the tale of a cat just trying to make it back home and making friends along the way, if you have the additional money to spend and are looking for a good game, while it is not the longest game in terms of story it is extremely rich in the level of depth and detail put into it and is definitely worth every dollar.
Yes, this. It isn't trying to be a difficult platformer. Mack saying "you have to line things up exactly" doesn't ring true in my experience; its effortless to move around. The developer said that they tested making it a regular platformer and it was less fun and less cat-like.
I didn't play the game and I'm a cat person, when they released the 1st game play video, I knew immediately that was going to be boring af, good and honest review :)
I thought the same. This game could have been incredible fun. Especially for people that LOVE cats and especially for people that love cats but can’t have a pet , for whatever reason. We should be able to hunt mice, rats, birds, get chased lots by crazy gods that want nothing more then to rip our poor kitty, apart. They just could have made this game so fun with many elements but instead, it seems they have us this boring easy drivel. I’m seriously pissed off at how gaming is, today. Let me give you all 1 huge tip. Only buy the base game. Don’t be tricked into buying deluxe edition, with shield skin, weapon skin and few consumables. Don’t but the special edition, year pass edition etc. Only ever buy dlc if you love the game, finished it and really want more. Most times that I’ve ever bought dlc on day1 I’m left really disappointed and wish I didn’t waste my money. Sometimes I even absolutely love the game but near the end I just loose all interest and don’t even want to play the damn dlc that I paid for. Most gamers watch reviews of this game by their fav RUclipsr, hear its great and then even say how great it is and they haven’t even played it. People are just sheep and follow. Oh well, at least I got Stray included with my ps extra subscription. If they made it incredible, with great activities, I may have even bought the game but playing via ps extra , is more then enough, for me. I did hope this game would be great. Especially as I own most best ps extra games but oh well, it is what it is. The game will sell well and get loads of awards , just because of these idiot RUclipsrs that are too scared to say the games shot, because they been PAID to say positive and they scared that they won’t get paid and get free games, in future. That’s 1 reason I like Mac. I don’t always agree with him but at least he gives his honest opinion and while he’s probably happy to receive a free game, for review, he clearly cares more about being honest, then simply getting free games and paid to say only positive. 1 thing I know for sure. If dev sends Mac a code for a game, they usually are confident , it’s a good game . Because they know Mac will not lie to the viewers.
I thought the same and I was pleasantly surprised how fun the game is. Not every game needs challenge in every single aspect of it's mechanics to be entertaining and the designers knew that.
I think you've missed some fundamentals here. The game has a very easy going pace which wants to get you sucked into this rich world full of atmosphere. Look at it like Journey. In that game it's all about atmosphere, and yet there's no dangers and you can't die, you just press forward. Of course there are moments in Stray where there are very scary and tense moments, but most of the time your playing as a nice little cat strolling through this strange place at your leisure
My 11 yr old daughter absolutely loved this game, lovely story and she got really immersed into the world and characters. Has some feel of Psychonauts to it and looks lovely. Yeah probably of no use to the likes of adults who like shooters but someone who wants to chill and enjoy an interesting story with some easy puzzles then I highly recommend this game.
I often disagree with Mack on his reviews - but holy fuck, I should not have gone with the crowd, but rather this review. Wasted 27€ - because soon I realized, that all there is to this game is just novelty of playing as cat and that novelty vaporized for me fast as I took on absolutely rudimentary puzzles and quite "whatever" lore. Well maybe the art is also decent, but everything else is just so mundane and mediocre.. And I'm saying this as cat lover (more like generally pet and animal lover) - I'm shocked how many people keep this novelty thing going throughout this entire dull experience, because for me "the magic" popped like within first 30 minutes.
This is why I come here for actual advice, Skillup might be entertaining and eloquent but he recommends a lot of bad games, WaB just tells it like it is.
It's very obvious you meant "come here to stay in my echo chamber of negativity, because I'm mentally incapable of dealing with people who like things I don't." I don't watch Skillup but maybe he just likes the game because it's a good game? Crazy idea, I know.
@@sonks336 Yes, i'm _sure_ you don't watch Shillup. Because that is totally a normal reaction for someone who totally *doesn't* watch Shillup. Very believable. What is actually "very obvious" is how mad you are when people state facts. Instead of facing the reality of your laughably bad taste and potato IQ, you instead start screeching.
But thats exactly what this guy does. He completely fails to take into account the actual audience for this game. He refuses to give an objective opinion. He only tells what he thinks. And what he thinks is worth just as much as dog shit. No one but him has his exact interest in games. he needs to explain what the game is, who its for, and how well it works for THEM.
The game is definitely not only for cat lovers. It's a good game for everyone. It connects with the player instantly and without a single word being spoken for the first hour or so. That is not only a good sign that the game is good, but it makes it accessible to anyone in the world no matter what language they speak. The animations are great, the atmosphere is top notch, the controls are fine, there is no cinematic bullshit whatsoever. It's a must play. Totally refreshing and unique. Let's give credit where credit is due. Otherwise we will keep getting cinematic experiences for the rest of our lives.
Yeah nah it's for cat people. 30 dollars for a 4 (or even 10) hour game is atrocious. It's very original but this game really has nothing going for it besides "you are a cat". Look at reviews on Steam look at how many of them include "meow meow meow" or "Press B to meow" or something else just about cats and not actually having anything to say about the game itself. It is for cat people. Think anyone would play it if they were that small drone with no cat around?
@@SocratesJohnson86 so I guess Crash is for bandicoot people, Sonic is for hedgehog people, Banjo is for bear people etc. If you want to believe "meow" reviews go ahead. The game is gold.
a good review measures a game against what it is trying to accomplish. There are amazing games that don't pose a challenge (Gone Home, Firewatch) so that's not inherently a negative. "Never failing a jump" is redundant since it's already implied it's hard to fail by saying there's no challenge. No much seems to be said about the locations and environments in your wrap up...odd since that seems to be the primary selling point other than the cat mannerisms. Not saying these arent legit things to comment on but the mediocre score is confusing.
Some criticisms are valid, like the middling default controls on PC and puzzles are too simple. However what Mac missed on is the side mission experiences which enhance it greatly. He's judging this far too harshly in reality. Stray's purpose was never a hardcore platformer, but a casual one. Mac solely judging it agaisnt a hardcore platformer is rather dumb be to honest.
@@ChineseKiwi super mario is a casual platformer and it's a proper game with challenge. Gibbon: Beyond the Trees is a casual platformer where you control a cute animal that actually has challenge and ways to fail. This is barely a game, there is no value to it beyond watching a playthrough on youtube.
Macks reviews are always weird for me, they are honest but often well off the mark. Bare in mind I have no horse in the race whatsoever, no intention on playing the game or anything. Mack seems to review games based on how well it does what he thinks it should do rather than how well it does the thing it is trying to be. He seems to have judged this one harshly for not being some proper platformer with consequences for failing etc, it isn't trying to be that, it never was trying to be that.
Absolutely. It was clear from the first trailer that this game wouldn't have much gameplay or hardcore mechanics to master. Aside from that, it's clear he doesn't like these kind of games (Inside, Firewatch, A Plague Tale, all highly acclaimed titles both by the critics and users), so the review may be quite biased.
@@pripyaat Exactly. This is pretty much a story driven game or "walking simulator" which most like to call it. It's not for everyone but I like games like these from time to time, I just gotta be in the mood to play them. The games story and it's atmosphere take center stage here which I felt they nailed fairly well here. I'm playing on PS5 and the game is flat out gorgeous, I honestly enjoy just looking at everything and exploring around. I like hard games too but sometimes I just wanna sit back and chill with a whiskey and play something where I can almost turn my brain off and relax and this fits the bill rather will. I have PS Premium so I got the game for "free". Typically I don't like spending too much money on games like this because they're typically short one and done experiences but I did enjoy this. Of course, if you don't like games like this where gameplay and challenge take more of a back seat, you're not gonna like this but that doesn't make it a bad game either, it's just not your thing. We weren't misled on what the game was going to be either, they were pretty transparent. The thing that shocked me the most was how beautiful it looked when I finally got to see it on my screen. They did a really good job. As soon as I seen Macs review popped up I kinda chuckled to myself because I knew he was gonna hate it. He doesn't like games like this at all.
The channel is "Worth A Buy", the key words there are Worth and Buy. At the end of the day Mack is reviewing games against what they cost and whether or not he thinks they're worth the price. He breaks it down quite a bit based on his own opinion but at the core it's about what you get versus what you pay. To me, it looks like a well put together game and is pretty... but $30 for a 4 hour long walking simulator? Ehh, that's not worth $30 in my opinion, not with all of the other excellent games out there you can blow $30 on. I think Mack gets it wrong sometimes too, but I bet you $100 if this game was $15 instead of $30 he probably would have given a straight thumbs up.
The important part is that he shows how the game actually plays in detail. That's the descriptive/objective part. The rating is usually a mix of objective elements and his subjective preferences. For me, his reviews provide me insight that I don't get from many other reviews because, for example, others wouldn't even bring up that kind of jumping mechanic. Likely because they don't mind it, might even prefer it.
@@tankerd1847 But thats the problem. He only talks about what HE thinks. What HE thinks is completely fucking irrelevant. He needs to tell what the game is, who its for and how well it works for THEM. His personal opinion means dog shit to everyone else. No one has his exact specific gaming interests.
Always good to see a Worth a Buy ! I was interested in this game because of the cat theme but as soon as I saw in another performance review the game was constantly telling you what where and when what to do it made me doubt, thanks for confirming my doubts @Worth A Buy you saved me 30 euros, cheers!
Turn it into the dark souls of cat games by introducing a whiskers mechanic where if you get even touch by the enemies(who btw are now very hard to get around), the cat loses a whisker, making it harder to control for the rest of the game.
Adding a jump system to a game is simple, but I believe they removed it on purpose, as people wouldn't want to see the cat die over and over again with missing jumps.
Play elden ring and dark souls, and also f off... For real "the game need challenges! EVERY GAME NEEDS ONE! Yeah!" imagine having different genres and tastes for a reason....
Finished it in 6 hours. Enjoyed all 6 hours. It's been a long time since a game didn't made me frustrated or bored. Yes, it's a pretty easy game, but maybe that's just what I needed right now.
Don't tell Rabbit, but I have seen go-pro footage of a cat taking out a score of rabbits. It was axelerating watching the video. Cats can sprint about 30 mph. It would be so bad ass to play a game like that! On this game though, I agree.
Honestly it seems chill and the type of game you’d get someone to play who never played a game before, to ease them in to a potential new hobby. That said, it does seem like a big opportunity missed type of deal. They could have easily included small things to not only make it accessible to non-gamers but keep the interest of normal gamers. Kinda like how disney makes shows/movies aimed at kids, but there are things in there only adults will get, like a tongue in cheek deal. Idk maybe i’m reading too much into a cat on rails ‘game’ lol
Missed opportunity, it needs a button that lets you leave little surprises in the neighbor’s garden….that’s what other people’s cats in my neighborhood tend to do at least… :(
I think this was going for a multi genre experience, not necessarily a platformer, more an adventure with stealth, puzzles and also some point click elements with optional quest in the towns.
I have a 4 year old mid tier PC (1060 3gb, Ryzen 3 2200G) that I haven't really taken care of all too much. Stray ran like a charm on best settings. Worst I had was rare occasional stuttering. As for the game itself, I pre-ordered it a while ago after watching some earlier trailer, not knowing what it will end up apart from that it's a cat cyberpunk. While I agree that there isn't much gameplay, I quickly understood it's more of a quirky wallking simulator of sorts and I was able to really enjoy it. The atmosphere is top notch, and I'm a sucker for mesmerizing worlds. The game is cute, chill, and the best part for me was exploring the open areas.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Game costs £23 not £27 as mentioned in the video, must be old age or something lol
@@fwabble Now now stop crying
@@WorthABuyreviews Man that was a super weak response. As a simple dog guy, it's kinda exactly what I would predict................................. You own a dog right?
@@fwabble He used to own a German shepherd iirc
@@iddra1868 I have Aspergers and NORMAL communication is extremly complex for me, I empathize with cats very much, because they are INCREDIBLY deep, nuanced and misunderstood communicators. Dogs, are obvious, hence their wide acceptance and relatability amongst humans. I grew up with a Borzoi/Russian wolfhound who used to stand over me as a baby, I respect the beauty of animal instinct but all too often simpletons (90%) misjudge anything they can not clearly understand. Love what MAC does but ........... He isn't the sharpest tool in the box. And that doesn't need to be a problem. I also totally agree with him in general about we need to hold corporations to a higher standard (he says developers however I DO believe it's more out of their hands than he may think) He should be showing a great deal more respect for such a game as this.
5.5? Get a fkn grip horse brain.
@@fwabble You might want to rethink if posting such comments is really what you want to do with your time.
So, a game made for games journalists - short game, story on rails and you can't fail jumps.
Exactly!
Batman games were auto jump also.
Seriously, this is perfect for those guys. They don't even have to pretend they put the time in to beat the game if it is pitifully short.
@@astonmartin8537 As is the climbing in the Uncharted series. Not a highlight in those games either.
It is a pity that this game overshadowed a much more interesting and beautiful game called Endling: Extinction is forever. They released on the same day but Endling deserves much more praise and recognition as a good game by far. It is a work of love. I wish Mac had seen it.
Thank you for actually giving this game an honest review compared to 95% of people who just say, "MEOW MEOW GOOD GAME!" With no premise on the story, mechanics, graphics, and whatnot.
Meow
Good game meow meow
Meow!
This runs on my steam deck fine
@@tattoodrdoke which one?
You know we're in some sad state of gaming when one of the good features is "rebindable keys".
Exactly what I thought when I saw the pros, god help us
That has to do with work that dvs dont wanna do. If Im not mistaken this is Unreal, its a powerhouse, but you gotta do the work.
I thought this was basically going to be a stealth game, where you're this alley cat prowling this dystopian city. Could open up really interesting ways of exploring, since playing as a cat you can get into all kinds of small spaces and hidden pathways that you couldn't do as a human... The reality looks very, very run of the mill though.
There is so much you could do with a sentient, player-controlled cat in a hostile environment. I think "parkour" (as if you have to call it that for a cat) and stealth would be great approaches. Not walking around some linear maps with scripted jumps, but that's just me.
@@tankerd1847 You could really go nuts with the verticality of level design too... Not just up, but also down into the subterranean infrastructure.
There are actually multiple stealth sections in the second part of the game.
They took all the safest options for gameplay focusing on environment, animations, and a bit of narrative. I do like the dystopian concepts and nightmarish elements but they're a bit minimalist since you're only a cat.
They should have added a "catch the rat" mini game throughout the world, like a time trial event.
Remember the time when being a gamer used to incorporate the playing of games? Now it just requires watching them
Unfortunately for us, they reach a wider audience that way. But that's okay, there's a sea of games, the most difficult part is finding the right one.
Players becomes Bots controlling Bots
No need to remember. Still plenty of games like that out there. Just because there's a more relaxing type of game coming out once in a while doesn't mean every game is like this.
You're literally making up stuff to complain about. Most nonsensical comment I've seen in a while...
With your permission, and of course proper credit, can I steal this? Lol. People REALLY need to hear it. 🤣👍
@@sonks336 The majority of people on this channel are negative whiner types. Can't imagine what they're actually like to deal with in real life.
The point about not being able to fail is spot on! No suspense, no desire to help the character to reach their goals.
Agreed, and completely misaligned with real cats anyway. They fall and misjudge jumps and landings all the time. That's the whole reason they "always land on their feet" - plenty of practice falling!
“As difficult as putting on a hat” best quote of 22 so far 😂😂
@@mablesfatalfable6021 doesn’t surprise me these day tbh 😂
Some hats are really tricky to put on properly. 😂
Remember that bit in Half Life where you had to jump from pipe to pipe, judging every step, your arse twitching as you did it, would love to do that with a Cat, shame it's 2022 and games now play us.
this game is more of an experience for me rather than a traditional game. I can play it with my wife who isn't a gamer at al, chill on the couch and take in the nice music and atmosphere of the world, which it nails imo.
I think it's worth it for that alone.
Exactly. And that was always the direction.
surprisingly, Mirror's Edge is what I would encourage people to play if they like this but want more freedom in movement
Crackdown
Imagine if this game had like Dying Light 2 parkour, then we'd be talking
Imagine if this game had the freedom of no mans sky. He could go any place or planet he wanted. He really would have freedom of movement
I think it's ok to have an atmospheric chill game that doesn't constantly involve fightimg and life or death consequences. A lot of people, including myself, wouldn't want to play the game if you were killing the cat multiple times from failed jumps. It was excruciating enough when I died to the zurks. I hate platformers anyway. It's like when you defended Red Dead for having that dead eye auto aim: you said you wanted to feel like a badass. We'll cats are badass at jumping. And the puzzles were a good goldilocks difficulty. None of them were too hard, but I definitely had to scratch my head at some.
Doesn't have a quest log either, so you have to remember where characters are.
Agreed. This game is much more something like Journey, where it's not about overcoming threats so much as it is sucking in the well constructed atmosphere and piecing together the unexpected and thoughtful plot. Then ultimately leaving the whole thing open ended for you to work it out in your own mind what all happened
Ive had a few pet cats and seen enough cat fails to last me a lifetime so your very wrong
I saw a reviewer call this game the "LoFi Beats of gaming", and that's the entire vibe I got watching your review of it. It seems more like a digital art piece more than a game, really. It seems very niche. I might try it on a really good sale someday, but otherwise I'm not gonna be too bothered about missing out on this one.
its free on ps plus
"Lofi Beats of Gaming"...lol, there are so many of those out there that this particular title cant possibly be defined by that, at least not as a unique quality. Definitely a pass.
Yeah think that was Jake Baldino of Gameranx that said that...
@@spyder_33 Yep. He said it on Twitter. Just based on everything I see from it, that's a pretty good description of it.
I'm seeing a concerningly large push for this to be GOTY in social media...people saying the story is "deep" and "it's more than just a cat game" and that the gameplay is great.
Seems like people love games that play themselves lmao
I think this game was made with the intention of being somewhat of a 'zen' game and an 'experience' type game versus a challenge/skill based type game.
It does what they set out to achieve in my opinion.
Yes exactly, you get it. People here consistently judge games based on whether the game meets their expectations of what they think it should be, not what it actually is.
@@chrismason7272 I guarantee to you if the jumping wasn't tied to prompts and totally up to the player they would still shit on the game because of constant mistakes by them.
Seems like you could have a super cool "parkour" genre game involving a cat as the PC. I agree, missed opportunity for sure.
I think this is the case where you think you want something but you actually don't :) You are talking about a smooth game flow where a player executes every jump perfectly. Where in reality 95% of players will awkwardly miss the jumps get frustrated after 5 attempts and leave a bad score. If the main goal of the game was to tell a story by showing you this unique world in a unique perspective, making the gameplay more challenging would beat the purpose. Not every game has to be hyper realistic and dark souls difficulty. If you don't like it, maybe you are not the target audience :)
@@aleksandrastvardauskas7288 yet he’s still allowed to leave and have an opinion, mate
@@aleksandrastvardauskas7288 Like @Aaron Wright said, I can have my own opinion and I will express it if I please. This game doesn't look fun to me, and I have a feeling that if I bought it I would have written a negative review on it myself. It looks like the gameplay is massively shallow an would have been more fun with actual player control instead of scripted jumps. It doesn't have to be like Mirror's Edge or some kind of hardcore platformer. There are so many good games out there in the "parkour" genre that don't require super precise movement, Assassin's Creed is the first to come to mind. At least in Assassin's Creed it's actually possible to fall off something if you completely whiff it.
Looking at the Steam reviews and the fact that I can't even leave a comment without someone trying to tell me my opinion is invalid shows that positive review bombs are just as much of a thing as regular negative ones. Like this game is getting propped up for having a cat as the PC before anything else, and that's coming from someone who likes cats. Just sayin'.
@@aleksandrastvardauskas7288 he is allowed to leave bad review, so people like me that don't like games with no challenge would know if the game is worth it or not, we are audience too after all and dark souls example is a bit extreme, don't you think? :)
@@tankerd1847 I would like to make it clear that I am not challenging your right for an opinion. As a matter of fact, I can see where it comes from and equally respect and understand it.
With that said, I would like to point out that there are different types of games for different audiences. Accepting the fact that there might be good games that despite being good are not appealing to your or me allows us to appreciate the effort put into something without directly enjoying the benefits of it.
To conclude: you might not like a good game. It doesn't make the game less good nor your opinion less valid. Tailoring a game for your liking might make it less appealing for other audiences. Having diverse games and diverse audiences is beneficial for our gaming community.
Cheers :)
The thing that annoys me the most is that I was thinking about getting this one until I saw the inclusion of the catpack or backpack or whatever. And I completely lost interest.
Imagine a game where you play as a stray cat, in a HUMAN world where you have to survive on the street avoiding people and rummaging through bins, cause chaos by jumping around inside restaurants, hotels, etc. With tough complex puzzles inbetween. And most importantly, no immersion breaking space age bs.
That game could have been fantastic, just from a simple concept like that. You wouldn't even need to think about the story too much either cause your playing as a feline the whole time.
@@mablesfatalfable6021 they bought the perceived emotional interaction with a virtual assistant aka. they bought "feels good man".
most people these days have the emotional stability of a toddler.
@@kaoskittykat857 I know what you mean. Pretty much every time I type out anything here on RUclips, especially when I use the phrase "in my opinion" or in other words *don't take my words seriously* some complete baboon has to come along and get upset and pelt shit at me anyway.
@@mablesfatalfable6021 Just art of the scam right?
That is such a shame, thought this looked like a bit of fun, but where's the game if you can't manoeuvre for yourself?
If you watch a cat jump they sit for a second sussing out the distance and height before going for it.
I was hoping for something more akin to assassins creed with regards to mobility, eyeing up a jump and frantically trying to grab a ledge when you fuck it up (just like a cat)
the one time a quick time event would make sense contextually
trigger a jump event by pressing a button, the game recognises where you want to jump to, hold the button down for the required amount of time as the cat tenses up to leap or bobs head up and down to gauge distance, release when the game tells you to. if you miss your mark you fail the jump by either over shooting it, under shooting it or the car slipping or just refusing to make the jump thinking its too far/awkward to make depending on how badly you fail the mark
With how humans are today... I'm more than happy playing as a cat
I have waited years for this game and I am not looking for some 'AWESOME GAME' I am looking to play as a beautiful kitty cat exploring a world and keeping him safe
@@fwabble agreed, a game doesn't need to be the next masterpiece. I'm happy if it's enjoyable enough to entertain me until the next best thing comes around
You seem biased...
@@roadwarrior528 how? Because I'm happy to play as a cat instead of a human for once
@@aFLYER1980 I was just trying to be funny, because you have a cat avatar, so obviously you already like cats prior to this game being released, so therefore you are "biased".
Have you ever noticed how the bug thingys look alot like haedcrabs from Half Life just with a light for an eye that sort of act the same as well.. good review
I've got no problem with some games being aimed at non-gamers- e.g arty walking simulators and the like, but when something comes along that looks this original and interesting you're right- "missed opportunity" sums this up perfectly. The game should have been based around a jumping mechanic. That should have been it's 'thing'. What a shame.
Such a ridiculous assessment.. and this also applies to WAB guy himself, just because it doesn't suit your taste doesn't mean it's boring or somehow not a game for gamers...
This game is as much a game as other niche games out there likel visual novel games, or puzzle games or physics simulation games or farming simulator games or flight simulator games
Same as Book of Travels, amazing looking game, great idea, but absolutely nothing to do in it.
@@Napoleonic_S I'm not saying it's bad. If you read the first sentence I say I have no problem. I love relaxing, walking simulators/ arty style games that have little actual gameplay. Maybe read comments properly before you criticise- it's an opinion and actually I agree with you- not all games need to be hard as nails. What I'm suggesting is the game is screaming to be so much more than that. I love the art style overall idea, but you're a cat...cats jump and spring about- this game avoids making this into a fun element.
To be fair, I've never seen a cat mis-judge and jump in real life.
Yeah, unless they are really fat house cats. But street cats? Never. They will pounce a rat from the otherside of a chain link fence, up and over, through a basketball hoop on its way down before the rat knows its there.
Tbh I think this would have worked a lot better if it was a survival game where you need to take ownership and nourish for yourself as a stray cat in an open world setting. Plus networking with npcs who can give you a temporary place to stay or meals because they adore you a little bit.
I been enjoying it. Its very laid back. Its more like an interactive movie. Its not really a "game" as we call games. Theres no skill or anything required other than puzzle solving.
And is there anything more cute than a cat riding in a bucket?
But you are right... its very niche. You gotta be a cat person or its like... so what? I really think its for children and non-gamers that happen to be cat lovers.
I hope its just a testbed for a future game that has a more open, explorable world and more freedom to explore. A proper full game.
Cus it really felt like a tech demo.
But its chill, it looks good and the cat does cute cat things.
I'm not a gamer, but I watched my boyfriend play some and it seems more like a show that's cute 🐱
@@ennuiblue4295 Yeah its pretty much like one of those "you decide" books. But a game.
Well for non-gamers the best games are Detroit: Become Human and The Quarry and so on.
The problem is I'm not sure if I should recommend this to non-gaming family because I'd have to walk them through every single puzzle...
@@SolDizZo if you show them how the puzzle answers are hidden in the world the first couple times, I think they could catch on. The best bet is to just tell them to investigate anything and everything that has a button prompt and everything written in english.
"........you can Meow"
Insta Buy then for sure xD
First, in regards to the blurriness, I just turned down my motion blur and that helped a ton!
So I think having a "skillshot" jump would be absolutely dreadful in this game. There is a lot -A LOT- of jumping in this game. Most of that jumping is to small ledges or pipes or to areas that might just be awkward angles. Turning this into a cat platformer I would find incredibly frustrating, and I can only imagine how bad Mack would hate it considering how "clunky" he already thinks this game is. Most platformers are either in 2D or very open, spacious worlds. Stray is very cramped and cluttered.
I guess it's easier for me considering I am more of a cat person. I, for one, have never seen a cat attempt a jump it couldn't make. Cats have a natural grace about them, and by you telling the cat to "jump there" and the cat just doing it has a very satisfying flow to it. I think it would be very weird and unnatural if the cat just pounced up in the air like Mario or something.
With that being said, if you wanted more of a cat simulator or cat platformer, this game definitely is not that, but what this game actually *is* is a beautifully crafted world with a lot of love and polish poured into every bit of it. While each character is rather brief to the story, every one of them had enough personality and detail to them that I didn't find them forgettable at all. This game doesn't reward exploration through upgrades or power ups; it rewards exploration through discovery of details. It tells a story the way Outer Wilds does, and I think that's fine.
All in all, I think this game absolutely nailed the premise of being a cat. All the subtle details and options for what the cat can do feel just right, and I haven't found the game to be as clunky on a controller as I've heard it made out to be. The story has been engaging if not simple, but the journey has been exceptional for me. I think if you go into this game looking for a journey like the Outer Wilds or Subnautica, then you'll come away with a very fond memory of Stray
Oh yeah you would have to completely redesign the entire game from the ground up to have it be about "skillshot" jumping. These environments are far too complex and the jumps the cat is making are far too precise for that. I do agree with Mack that it is a bit of a missed opportunity that they didn't go down that route though. However clearly that's not the game the developers were setting out to make.
I have seen cats fall, but 9 times out of 10 it's because the surface they're jumping from was unstable or slippery rather than because they misjudged the actual jump lol.
@@yewtewbstew547 lmao that's exactly right. I almost made that comment but I don't think they needed to add an ice level just to make your cat squirm. The paper bag is good enough 😂
I like cats, and I played with an xbox controller. I played slowly and explored and had a good time 9/10.
I got upset at how i died to the zurgs , puzzles were good. I think they nailed the atmosphere, it felt like half life when that was first released.
The jumping I thought was odd, but I did like how chill the game is because of this. I thought the game was probably too short, could have used 1 more hr.
I give it a 9/10, its a pretty good game if you like exploring and sci fi
I honestly didn’t think it was clunky at all. Using a controller everything was very intuitive
cats never miss a jump, except in the countless very funny youtube videos where cats fail at jumping.
Im gonna have fun playing this with my two cats they like to watch tv anyways,meowing gonna drive them crazy
Sad thing for games these days that a simple feature such as "you can rebind your keys" is a positive worth mentioning.
I'd call this more of a digital storytelling experience than a game. And in that framing, I am enjoying it a lot. Also, the controls are pretty great with a gamepad, haven't tried with a keyboard.
Been playing this for a few hours now and the one question that keeps running round my head is what's to say you go through all this to save the little shit only for him to fall down there again
i liked it a lot personally but i get what you're saying, it's definitely more of a relaxing casual experience than a challenging game, but for a first time dev studio its pretty cool how good it is apart from the high end PC performance issues
I don't understand why they have to make the jumps scripted. Isn't it EASIER to NOT script that?
@@JackIsNotInTheBox it is but its not what the devs wanted to make i gather, annapurna games are inheritly more casual than they are challenging
@@JackIsNotInTheBox correction, they've published games that are challenging my bad, its probably just that the devs targeted more towards the simpler sytle of gameplay than try to account for all the possible player actions that can leads to dev nightmares lol
@@JackIsNotInTheBox not necessarily. They would have to change the level design to accommodate that. Would you have only one jump distance/height? Multiple? How would that work with controls? Press vs press and hold? It's not that simple.
With the current design, you can just have any surface as a point you can jump to and as long as you are in the right distance, you get the prompt, and the animation can take over.
@@cameronmt5721 its for mainstream casual people not gamers so it sells more that sums it up
I like it for what it is in being a casual game in a neat looking world.
What are you doing old man? Review of a kids game :D Next in line "Hello Kitty"
wow 5.5/10 naaah come on man, it's for kids :D
Love animals, love spending time looking at how animals react, interact and move around.
I like how cats will sometimes pause to study their jump, as if they are trying to "think" about their chances of success. It can be pretty hilarious when they miss, but it can be so impressive when they actually get a perfect "risky" jump.
Was really hoping this game would capture that kind of elegance and risk/reward.. this is pretty much a game with "unfailable" quicktime events; simply aim, hit the key and that's that. No effort, no "learning" what you can or can't do.
I was really looking forward to this one.. thanks for your honest review Mack! I'll wait for a deep discount.
Just finished the game and it was great, had a nice story. Not being able to fully control jumps was not a deal breaker for me. Would definitely recommend this game.
This game could have been hugely appealing to hardcore gamers if only it would have included some sort of challenge.
Clearly what we're looking at here is just a marketing exercise from an arts degree student looking to pay off their bloated student loan.
And it probably worked, so good for them, it's just a shame to see the gaming industry diluted by people who never play games.
It's middle of the road. Some criticisms are valid, like the middling default controls on PC and puzzles are too simple. However what Mac missed on is the side mission experiences which enhance it greatly. He's judging this far too harshly in reality. Stray's purpose was never a hardcore platformer, but a casual one. Mac solely judging it agaisnt a hardcore platformer is rather dumb be to honest. It is far from a children's game in it's theme.
The jumping system reminds me of the really bad one in lego star wars the skywalker saga
If anyone likes the idea, but hates the execution, I'd recommend Rainworld.
Watch matthewmatosis's short video on it for a spoiler free introduction to the game.
I've personally put in over 90 hours, including repeat and modded playthroughs (there's a coop mod that is literally seemless). It's tricky, brutal, deep and gorgeous. The ecosystem is great, and the movement is fantastic: once you master it, you really do feel like a (slug)cat.
"Unless you're a massive cat lover you should STRAY away"
Nah thats not true. Its a fun point and click adventure game
Does this guy like anything at all ? It's part of PS+ Extra anyway so if you have that and wanna try it for free do that. It's a chill relaxing game. Better than those graphic novels choice games or walking sims imo.
There are two things that bother me:
1. The cat is too slow. Real cats run faster, a LOT faster, at least 2-3x faster if not more, especially when they are chased.
2. The cat does a little pause before every jump: run - pause - jump (I guess this is due to the prompt jump system). Real cats don't do that, why would they lose their momentum, which actually helps them jump further.
A free jumping system would have been a lot cooler, but also would have took way more work to implement than a simplified: press prompt -> game loads animation to "jump" the cat from A to B.
They should have done the Valhalla assassin thingy where you have to press space at the correct time to make a difficult jump and then give you 9 lives to get through a level.
Thanks for the review.
This is what I was worried about. Most reviews I've seen or read so far were about how great it is to be a cat but not much really about gameplay and story.
I'll skip it or wait for a deep sale if I will be still interested in it.
A huge cat lover and easily pleased but my eyes were open to the reality in 2015 with your Batman AK review which I thought was a joke at first before realizing I had been asleep all this time.
Anyway, I agree with your suggestions and I would love to see more depth.
Like a Lara croft cat facing hazards, timing jumps, and even, maybe maybe getting injured but not badly.
for me it was the witcher review absolutely loved the story and graphics but just couldnt play it for hours i didnt know why when it had great reviews watched mac and it was the combat mechanics. Tried to fix it with mods but still havent finished it lol.
@@artix003 worth finishing tho the story is flawless
@artix003 The Witcher combat was fantastic if you use a controller. You just have to be smart. Don't spam the same button.. take it slow and time your attacks and dodges. Sometimes you dont have to even dodge.. its not Elden Ring. Just back step and side step and swing again. I swear people who complain about Witcher 3's combat either tried to take the combat too fast like they were playing a Dark Souls game or they were using keyboard and mouse. Some games are just more intuitive on the controller. If you did use the controller, I recommend trying to actually learn how to swordplay in that game. Its not bad at all. Again you are the Witcher. You are not scared of monsters, you slay them. Use your potions.. find its weaknesses. Prepare your fights and take the fights slow and steady and follow your plan. Dont just go in there and alternate between dodge roll and light/heavy attack. If its not mid attack, you dont have to be rolling. Most of the monsters you can avoid rolling altogether and just side step and then strike. Did you know you can behead drowners while they are mid air lunge? I faced down like 6 drowners, and beheaded them all before they could attack me. Its about timing your strikes. The combat is a lot more fun when you know what you are doing.
Really didn't agree with your video after playing the game for few hours now ,its a quirky little adventure game, not overpriced, has many original concept and for a regular adventure game its top notch.
Ill summarize by some of the reviews I found on Steam that expressed my feelings toward this game (I thought maybe the Mackster was right and I was wrong but then I saw I wasn't alone in my feelings)
First steam reviews atm are around 24k with Overwhelmingly Positive mark.
Other then that some wisdom pearls:
Stray is a puzzle platform based game with breathtaking art and lighting effects that can make you feel cold and scared and warm and content with smooth transitions between them. The soundtrack is some of the best music I have ever heard with regards to the environment just adding to the scenery of the game.
Stray is a poetic masterpiece of loss and finding the beauty in things even when the overall picture seems bleak and tells the tale of a cat just trying to make it back home and making friends along the way, if you have the additional money to spend and are looking for a good game, while it is not the longest game in terms of story it is extremely rich in the level of depth and detail put into it and is definitely worth every dollar.
Yes, this. It isn't trying to be a difficult platformer. Mack saying "you have to line things up exactly" doesn't ring true in my experience; its effortless to move around. The developer said that they tested making it a regular platformer and it was less fun and less cat-like.
I didn't play the game and I'm a cat person, when they released the 1st game play video, I knew immediately that was going to be boring af, good and honest review :)
I thought the same. This game could have been incredible fun. Especially for people that LOVE cats and especially for people that love cats but can’t have a pet , for whatever reason. We should be able to hunt mice, rats, birds, get chased lots by crazy gods that want nothing more then to rip our poor kitty, apart. They just could have made this game so fun with many elements but instead, it seems they have us this boring easy drivel. I’m seriously pissed off at how gaming is, today. Let me give you all 1 huge tip. Only buy the base game. Don’t be tricked into buying deluxe edition, with shield skin, weapon skin and few consumables. Don’t but the special edition, year pass edition etc. Only ever buy dlc if you love the game, finished it and really want more. Most times that I’ve ever bought dlc on day1 I’m left really disappointed and wish I didn’t waste my money. Sometimes I even absolutely love the game but near the end I just loose all interest and don’t even want to play the damn dlc that I paid for. Most gamers watch reviews of this game by their fav RUclipsr, hear its great and then even say how great it is and they haven’t even played it. People are just sheep and follow. Oh well, at least I got Stray included with my ps extra subscription. If they made it incredible, with great activities, I may have even bought the game but playing via ps extra , is more then enough, for me. I did hope this game would be great. Especially as I own most best ps extra games but oh well, it is what it is. The game will sell well and get loads of awards , just because of these idiot RUclipsrs that are too scared to say the games shot, because they been PAID to say positive and they scared that they won’t get paid and get free games, in future. That’s 1 reason I like Mac. I don’t always agree with him but at least he gives his honest opinion and while he’s probably happy to receive a free game, for review, he clearly cares more about being honest, then simply getting free games and paid to say only positive. 1 thing I know for sure. If dev sends Mac a code for a game, they usually are confident , it’s a good game . Because they know Mac will not lie to the viewers.
@@grahamkelly8662 absolutely agreed.
the cognitive disonance is off the charts with the steam reviewers!
I will love a game like this, playing at my own pace, exploring beautiful, atmospheric world
@@emulation2369 for £23 5 hours gameplay ? maybe when is on 50% sale
I thought the same and I was pleasantly surprised how fun the game is. Not every game needs challenge in every single aspect of it's mechanics to be entertaining and the designers knew that.
I think you've missed some fundamentals here. The game has a very easy going pace which wants to get you sucked into this rich world full of atmosphere. Look at it like Journey. In that game it's all about atmosphere, and yet there's no dangers and you can't die, you just press forward.
Of course there are moments in Stray where there are very scary and tense moments, but most of the time your playing as a nice little cat strolling through this strange place at your leisure
I can't believe you've done this.....
Love your stuff as always Mac.
There already is a game where you play as a cat, and in thatone you will have issues with jumping; game is "Alley Cat
from 1984"
My 11 yr old daughter absolutely loved this game, lovely story and she got really immersed into the world and characters. Has some feel of Psychonauts to it and looks lovely. Yeah probably of no use to the likes of adults who like shooters but someone who wants to chill and enjoy an interesting story with some easy puzzles then I highly recommend this game.
Mac, when you were an young innocent gamer, did you ever expect having to explain basic platforming and why it’s fun years later in 2022?
I often disagree with Mack on his reviews - but holy fuck, I should not have gone with the crowd, but rather this review. Wasted 27€ - because soon I realized, that all there is to this game is just novelty of playing as cat and that novelty vaporized for me fast as I took on absolutely rudimentary puzzles and quite "whatever" lore. Well maybe the art is also decent, but everything else is just so mundane and mediocre..
And I'm saying this as cat lover (more like generally pet and animal lover) - I'm shocked how many people keep this novelty thing going throughout this entire dull experience, because for me "the magic" popped like within first 30 minutes.
Game made me cry, it is a must play for everyone who have a cat
After this, i have to listen to "CAN'T HUG EVERY CAT"
This is why I come here for actual advice, Skillup might be entertaining and eloquent but he recommends a lot of bad games, WaB just tells it like it is.
What else would you expect from Shillup. People call him that for a reason.
It's very obvious you meant "come here to stay in my echo chamber of negativity, because I'm mentally incapable of dealing with people who like things I don't."
I don't watch Skillup but maybe he just likes the game because it's a good game? Crazy idea, I know.
@@sonks336 Or maybe, I followed Skillups recommendation before and ended up playing mediocre games, several times.
@@sonks336 Yes, i'm _sure_ you don't watch Shillup. Because that is totally a normal reaction for someone who totally *doesn't* watch Shillup. Very believable.
What is actually "very obvious" is how mad you are when people state facts. Instead of facing the reality of your laughably bad taste and potato IQ, you instead start screeching.
But thats exactly what this guy does. He completely fails to take into account the actual audience for this game. He refuses to give an objective opinion. He only tells what he thinks. And what he thinks is worth just as much as dog shit. No one but him has his exact interest in games. he needs to explain what the game is, who its for, and how well it works for THEM.
The game is definitely not only for cat lovers. It's a good game for everyone. It connects with the player instantly and without a single word being spoken for the first hour or so. That is not only a good sign that the game is good, but it makes it accessible to anyone in the world no matter what language they speak. The animations are great, the atmosphere is top notch, the controls are fine, there is no cinematic bullshit whatsoever. It's a must play. Totally refreshing and unique. Let's give credit where credit is due. Otherwise we will keep getting cinematic experiences for the rest of our lives.
"That's just, like, your opinion, man."
Exactly. Not every game has to be fucking DOOM lol.
Yeah nah it's for cat people. 30 dollars for a 4 (or even 10) hour game is atrocious. It's very original but this game really has nothing going for it besides "you are a cat". Look at reviews on Steam look at how many of them include "meow meow meow" or "Press B to meow" or something else just about cats and not actually having anything to say about the game itself. It is for cat people. Think anyone would play it if they were that small drone with no cat around?
@@SocratesJohnson86 so I guess Crash is for bandicoot people, Sonic is for hedgehog people, Banjo is for bear people etc. If you want to believe "meow" reviews go ahead. The game is gold.
The not falling thing is a good point. But when's the last time you saw dead fallen cat? Perhaps the space bar in their brain is spamming their jumps.
a good review measures a game against what it is trying to accomplish. There are amazing games that don't pose a challenge (Gone Home, Firewatch) so that's not inherently a negative. "Never failing a jump" is redundant since it's already implied it's hard to fail by saying there's no challenge. No much seems to be said about the locations and environments in your wrap up...odd since that seems to be the primary selling point other than the cat mannerisms. Not saying these arent legit things to comment on but the mediocre score is confusing.
Some criticisms are valid, like the middling default controls on PC and puzzles are too simple. However what Mac missed on is the side mission experiences which enhance it greatly. He's judging this far too harshly in reality. Stray's purpose was never a hardcore platformer, but a casual one. Mac solely judging it agaisnt a hardcore platformer is rather dumb be to honest.
@@ChineseKiwi super mario is a casual platformer and it's a proper game with challenge. Gibbon: Beyond the Trees is a casual platformer where you control a cute animal that actually has challenge and ways to fail. This is barely a game, there is no value to it beyond watching a playthrough on youtube.
most accurate Stray review....finally someone who's not drinking the koolaid
How dare people love this game
@@1GTX1 ppl fckin they pets....has to be it....i dont get animal facination....i love meat too much
Been waiting to play this with my daughter, but she would love to play a game as a cat so she'll be happy.
My 10 year old daughter will love this.
A game in 2022 where you play a cat running away from rats.
This review was a nice tempering to the hype. I think I may still pick it up, but thanks to you I'll be going in with realistic expectations.
Macks reviews are always weird for me, they are honest but often well off the mark. Bare in mind I have no horse in the race whatsoever, no intention on playing the game or anything.
Mack seems to review games based on how well it does what he thinks it should do rather than how well it does the thing it is trying to be. He seems to have judged this one harshly for not being some proper platformer with consequences for failing etc, it isn't trying to be that, it never was trying to be that.
Absolutely. It was clear from the first trailer that this game wouldn't have much gameplay or hardcore mechanics to master. Aside from that, it's clear he doesn't like these kind of games (Inside, Firewatch, A Plague Tale, all highly acclaimed titles both by the critics and users), so the review may be quite biased.
@@pripyaat Exactly. This is pretty much a story driven game or "walking simulator" which most like to call it. It's not for everyone but I like games like these from time to time, I just gotta be in the mood to play them. The games story and it's atmosphere take center stage here which I felt they nailed fairly well here. I'm playing on PS5 and the game is flat out gorgeous, I honestly enjoy just looking at everything and exploring around. I like hard games too but sometimes I just wanna sit back and chill with a whiskey and play something where I can almost turn my brain off and relax and this fits the bill rather will. I have PS Premium so I got the game for "free". Typically I don't like spending too much money on games like this because they're typically short one and done experiences but I did enjoy this. Of course, if you don't like games like this where gameplay and challenge take more of a back seat, you're not gonna like this but that doesn't make it a bad game either, it's just not your thing. We weren't misled on what the game was going to be either, they were pretty transparent. The thing that shocked me the most was how beautiful it looked when I finally got to see it on my screen. They did a really good job.
As soon as I seen Macs review popped up I kinda chuckled to myself because I knew he was gonna hate it. He doesn't like games like this at all.
The channel is "Worth A Buy", the key words there are Worth and Buy. At the end of the day Mack is reviewing games against what they cost and whether or not he thinks they're worth the price. He breaks it down quite a bit based on his own opinion but at the core it's about what you get versus what you pay. To me, it looks like a well put together game and is pretty... but $30 for a 4 hour long walking simulator? Ehh, that's not worth $30 in my opinion, not with all of the other excellent games out there you can blow $30 on.
I think Mack gets it wrong sometimes too, but I bet you $100 if this game was $15 instead of $30 he probably would have given a straight thumbs up.
The important part is that he shows how the game actually plays in detail. That's the descriptive/objective part. The rating is usually a mix of objective elements and his subjective preferences.
For me, his reviews provide me insight that I don't get from many other reviews because, for example, others wouldn't even bring up that kind of jumping mechanic. Likely because they don't mind it, might even prefer it.
@@tankerd1847 But thats the problem. He only talks about what HE thinks. What HE thinks is completely fucking irrelevant. He needs to tell what the game is, who its for and how well it works for THEM. His personal opinion means dog shit to everyone else. No one has his exact specific gaming interests.
Always good to see a Worth a Buy ! I was interested in this game because of the cat theme but as soon as I saw in another performance review the game was constantly telling you what where and when what to do it made me doubt, thanks for confirming my doubts @Worth A Buy you saved me 30 euros, cheers!
That's actually not true
how sad.
These days we don't play games, they play us. And charge us a lot for it.
I can't take this game seriously, but I also can't hate it.
Maybe as a non player to get them into it. Or will it create wrong expectations...hmm.
I think I will enjoy this the same as I did with Abzu back in the day, just to relax and if I buy it on discount.
They should add RNG jump mechanics for more realistic cat! Lol
Turn it into the dark souls of cat games by introducing a whiskers mechanic where if you get even touch by the enemies(who btw are now very hard to get around), the cat loses a whisker, making it harder to control for the rest of the game.
@@tarnishedpose lmao. Gotta keep whiskers balanced otherwise you'll learn toward the side you have more whiskers on
I bet the space is created because they didn't wanted you to jump against invisible walls.
Can the stupid key promts be turned off so i can think and explore for myself?
Adding a jump system to a game is simple, but I believe they removed it on purpose, as people wouldn't want to see the cat die over and over again with missing jumps.
cats can survive quite high falls though.
they could have also added a hover mechanic with the robot or something to avoid a deathscene.
I've got a bad feline about this.
It doesn't feel like a game, just a cat variant of a walking simulator. Games need challenges!
Play elden ring and dark souls, and also f off... For real "the game need challenges! EVERY GAME NEEDS ONE! Yeah!" imagine having different genres and tastes for a reason....
No, they don't. Only your awful attention span needs them. Speak for yourself.
It almost feels like it could be a mobile game, or was designed to be, at first.
I’ll wait for Stray 2: Escape From China
💀💀💀
MEOW MEOW.
Puzzles are as hard as putting on a hat 😂😂😂😂 I love you mack
Finished it in 6 hours. Enjoyed all 6 hours. It's been a long time since a game didn't made me frustrated or bored. Yes, it's a pretty easy game, but maybe that's just what I needed right now.
Don't tell Rabbit, but I have seen go-pro footage of a cat taking out a score of rabbits. It was axelerating watching the video. Cats can sprint about 30 mph. It would be so bad ass to play a game like that! On this game though, I agree.
Exactly what I expected from this game. Thanks Mac.
A cat in real life failing at a jump?!? Haven't seen my 2 cats fail jumps
Honestly it seems chill and the type of game you’d get someone to play who never played a game before, to ease them in to a potential new hobby. That said, it does seem like a big opportunity missed type of deal. They could have easily included small things to not only make it accessible to non-gamers but keep the interest of normal gamers. Kinda like how disney makes shows/movies aimed at kids, but there are things in there only adults will get, like a tongue in cheek deal. Idk maybe i’m reading too much into a cat on rails ‘game’ lol
Missed opportunity, it needs a button that lets you leave little surprises in the neighbor’s garden….that’s what other people’s cats in my neighborhood tend to do at least… :(
I think this was going for a multi genre experience, not necessarily a platformer, more an adventure with stealth, puzzles and also some point click elements with optional quest in the towns.
Thanks, this saves me money. I was already wondering about the very things you mentioned.
I knew it.. thanks for telling it like it is Mack!
Had to really reach to get items in the thumbs up column at the end.... "You can rebind your keys"
Sounds like Tomb Raider where Lara can't fall. What fun that would be!
I have a 4 year old mid tier PC (1060 3gb, Ryzen 3 2200G) that I haven't really taken care of all too much. Stray ran like a charm on best settings. Worst I had was rare occasional stuttering.
As for the game itself, I pre-ordered it a while ago after watching some earlier trailer, not knowing what it will end up apart from that it's a cat cyberpunk. While I agree that there isn't much gameplay, I quickly understood it's more of a quirky wallking simulator of sorts and I was able to really enjoy it. The atmosphere is top notch, and I'm a sucker for mesmerizing worlds. The game is cute, chill, and the best part for me was exploring the open areas.
Haven't you heard the expression: 'a cat always lands on its feet'?
thaks for saving me money again. the hype is real but the spacebar jump says a lot about the whole experience
Because cats don't fail their jumps, Mac. They are not humans. They are faultless.
My cat fails jumps all the time. She likes to sleep on top of my dresser. Now and then she misses the jump and falls down on her butt.
We need a game that begins with the ending credits - and that's all there is to it.
The gaming industry should be renamed "Interactive movie industry", Cuz thats mostly what it is now.