When it comes to a video game that wants to make me go "Wow, isn't that pretty" there are few notes such a title can hit. Either it can reach a level of graphical fidelity that stops me dead for it's undeniable quality, it can beat me around the head with fast graphics and bright lights until I'm too desensitised to be anything other than impressed, or it can be so visually interesting or imaginatively arresting that I want to take the time to stop and see it all. As one can imagine, that last one is often the hardest to manage and thus it's the type of reaction I seek the most; therefore you can imagine how interested I was when I saw the positively gorgeous trailer for 'Stray' during the PlayStation 5 reveal event. (Double points for the game actually being about a cat, because that alone makes any game quite literally 500 times better.)
A lot of the games that Sony decided to showcase during this event were, as I've previously mentioned, addendums to proven unit pushers or well beloved series. Now that observation isn't made to denigrate PlayStation, not at all, as any person would I find comfort in seeing the familiar; but this approach did leave us with fewer opportunities to come across the really *out there* games that push the limits of what we expect to see. Ideally I'd hope for a balance between those two extremes, as I tune into these events to see new things as much I do the things that I already expect, but then maybe that's just me. (I don't have access to any focus groups, what do I know?) Although to Sony's credit, neither party was left too in the lurch, otherwise we wouldn't have gotten a look at this odd little exploration game that looks to be quite the water-cooler experience game. (On an unrelated note: I always hated that 'Water-cooler' expression. What kind of psychopath comes up to you at work whilst you're getting a drink in order to blab about inane crap to you? Who is that unabashedly crass and how long before they can be locked away for heinous crimes against public decency?)
The key prevailing thematic note that accompanies this entire trailer appears to be this idea of muted futurism; where the world around you is clearly more advanced then the one you know, but not in a manner that drastically changes the makeup of life. In this instance, we undergo a journey from the grey gutters awash with poverty to the neon pseudo-Asian streets with the biggest departure from reality being the fact that just about every single person in the trailer who isn't a feline just happens to be a robot. That distinction aside, we observe these robotic individuals adopting very human personas and roles in this society, with some robots huddled up on the streets seeking warmth, others getting tune-ups in what looks to be this world's version of a barber's shop and just drivers cruising down busy streets in Tuk-Tuks. This could just as easily be a depiction of anywhere in Mumbai or Bangkok if not for the robots everywhere.
Of course, this intriguing premise already opens up some very interesting questions about the world in which we reside; which is just about the best thing one can hope to achieve through a trailer like this. Who invented these robots, is an important one, and why do they look so similar to humans and seem to act like their replacements? As for the question of "Where are all the humans", the trailer actually does subtly provide the beginning hooks for that particular mystery in the world details. One mostly static shot of a robot digging through trash for some object is heavily ruled by graffiti over the walls, one of the most distinct of these artworks features the tag "RIP Humans" alongside a heart. So humanity has apparently moved on, but what caused this and why is it that whoever left this note appears to be happy with the arrangement? Did the robots murder their creators and overthrow society in the kind of uprising that we see done over and over again in every Sci-fi story ever, or is something a little more interesting and original going on? And why, in this automaton ruled world, is there a stray kitty observing it all? All curious questions that I feel genuinely intrigued to go check out. (This trailer is really doing it's job!)
Of course, with this set-up I find it hard not to compare this sort of world with similar concepts I've witnessed, with perhaps the closet paradigm from my experience being the world of Platinum's 'Neir: Automata'. 'Neir: Automata' takes place on a lifeless Earth that served as the battlegrounds for a war against humans and aliens long ago, until the planet itself became uninhabitable. In the generations since, both the humans and aliens have continued their conflict but with the deployment of mechanical beings to fight in their stead. For the aliens they sent these simple-looking geometric robots and the humans sent Androids modelled after themselves. After centuries of this, both sides have been out of contact with their creators for long enough to forget exactly why they fight and what for and instead just try to live in this strange world that neither of them were born in. (Albeit, still largely as enemies) Through this we get to see the reflection of the elements and themes that made our society through the eyes of outsiders who whittle them down to their core essences. Narratively, that's a perfect vehicle for a great introspective adventure and that's the same vibes I'm getting from these blocky-yet humanoid robots in 'Stray'. (Although, to be fair, these guys do seem to have a much easier time integrating with our old society.)
As far as the pedigree of those involved with this project, I've saddened to say that I can't find anything concrete. All I know is that this game is being put together by a studio called 'Blue Twelve' and that they apparently have never made a video game before. (Or if they have then they need to be better about displaying their discography because I can't find it.) Now, considering that this is a relationship with Sony in showcasing this virgin studio's project that alone might ring a few alarm bells. We all remember how Sony underwent a similar 'pedestal propping' routine with 'Hello Games' and their first high-concept game; 'No Man's Sky'. Sony paraded around that game for years, never once checking if the developers actually had the resources to create that lofty dream and merely threw them under the bus when it all blew up. Although that was a much more lofty ambition then what 'Stray' appears to be, so perhaps there is nothing to worry about and I'm splitting more hairs than a bling hairdresser. (But I've seen way too many examples in this industry of folk who never learn from their mistakes, so who knows?)
When it comes to the publisher however, Annapurna Interactive, there's certainly a lot more to talk about in terms of the quality of products that they've backed. These guys seem to have a knack for sweeping up all those indie-looking experience pieces that seemed destined to become instant critical darlings. They were involved in carpet-simulator 'Journey', walker/investigator 'What remains of Edith Finch', pretty show-stealer 'Sayonara Wild Hearts', and time-bending investigator 'Outer Wilds'. What I'm trying to say is, these guys tend to back the winning horse when it comes to titles like these so seeing their name attached is certainly a huge vote of confidence for the project. Maybe this quaint looking robot/cat simulator is destined for just as great things; with those names behind it, I wouldn't be surprised.
But at the end of the day the real question one should be asking is whether or not this was exactly the right fit for a show that was meant to be teasing the new generation of consoles. I mean, it's the question I ask every blog and only rarely get a clear answer from. This game in particular appears to have benefited in only the utmost most arbitrary ways from this tech jump (With improved framerate and resolution, I suppose) and that might be the reason why the game is set to hit current generation hardware too. I guess it makes sense, in the absence of an official E3 everybody would instead use the platform of 'showing off the next gen' to pimp their exclusivity deals, but it just muddies the purpose of these events in my eyes. But none of that reflects poorly on Stray, because the more folk who get their hands on this title the better in my eyes. This game looks intriguing and I can't wait to try it out for myself. (PC release guys? I hope so.)
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