Just an open world survival game, only you’re a cat, dealing with regular cat problems. You have to hunt, avoid larger animals, compete with other cats, figure out which humans are dangerous and which will give you treats, judiciously spray things to maintain your territory, maybe mate and reproduce (your sex and fertility status are basically difficulty settings), etc.
You start out as a housecat going on a spring vacation with your family, and that’s the tutorial section. Then your humans accidentally leave you behind at their country vacation home, and then the difficulty is just the passing of seasons. See if you can survive winter and see your humans again next spring.
With the non-Steam version of Dwarf Fortress, you could edit the RAWS and make cats a playable race in Adventure Mode. The game simulates cats extremely well. So well, it was actually the cause of a “bug” at one point because the cats will lick themselves clean and would die of alcohol poisoning cleaning spilled liquor off their body after being in the dining halls.
Genuine question: how much of the marketing material did you see? I thought it was always clear that it was gonna be an exploration/puzzle game in a cyberpunk world with a baddie.
I had the opposite reaction, and was surprised by how much I enjoyed the small things, like scratching a carpet!
I do hope you find something more like what you’re wishing for, though 🙂
The cat flopping over the first time he wears the backpack was spot on
I forgot about that but at the time I almost died because that was so real!
Yeah if OP went into stray expecting an open world survival game, that’s on them. It’s kind of silly to be disappointed that a game does not meet expectations fabricated entirely within your own head.
Although it features foxes rather than cats, Endling: Extinction is Forever ticks a lot of your boxes.
For something less survivally you could try Catlateral Damage: Remeowstered.
I don’t play many games, but Stray was one of the best that I’ve ever played, honestly. Not too long, emotionally satisfying with equally satisfying gameplay.
I agree, but I also agree with OP. went in expecting a cat game and it effectively was just a regular adventure game but you’re a cat. Not the other way around.
