Strayhas proven to be a massive hit for developer BlueTwelve Studio and publisher Annapurna Interactive. Not only is itAnnapurna’s best-performing Steam gamein terms of peak player count, but the game has been reviewing very well. While the adorable cat at the center of the action has captured gamers’ hearts, as has the unique platforming and puzzle solving featured within the game, it is the story that proved to be the biggest surprise.
From the terrifying Zurks to the drone B-12 to the robot companions players meet throughout the game, the world BlueTwelve has crafted is full of interesting characters. Though the ending provides a big revelation and serves as a solid finale for the adventure players embark on as the cute orange cat, it does not wrap up everything perfectly. As such, aStrayDLC could be a great way to give fans a more concrete endpoint.
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Stray’s Protagonist Still Hasn’t Found Their Family
The main goal ofStraybecomes clear after the game’s adorable tutorial, which sees the protagonistinteracting with other catsas they traverse some old pipes. Unfortunately, the playable cat inStrayfalls down a hole and is separated from their family, with the cat’s mission then being to return to its family. While players do eventually escape the undercity and return to the surface once again, gamers never actually see the cat find their loved ones.
Given how sad it was to seeStray’s protagonistseparated from the other cats, it is a bit anticlimactic that the game cuts off right as they make it back above ground. With the stray cat’s journey technically being incomplete, a DLC could see players searching for the cat’s family and finishing their mission. It could also show the Outsiders finally getting to explore the world above, as they are never actually shown leaving the undercity.
The best part about this hypothetical DLC is that it would provide an entirely new setting to explore. With the cat out of the undercity, its days of gathering soda cans and colored plants for robots are behind it. Players can explore the post-apocalyptic, foliage covered world above, looking through old human cities and landmarks to find the cat’s family. New threats could be seen above ground and different kinds ofZurkscould be featured, as the large eyes are never shown being destroyed once the roof is lifted. More lore could be provided about humanity’s downfall, and players could learn if the scientist inside B-12 truly was the last human.
Speaking ofB-12, the panel lighting up in the very last shot ofStray’s ending suggests that the character could still be alive, surviving within the computer system in and around the undercity. With B-12 becoming family for the cat, part of the DLC could see the feline building a new and better body for their tech-savvy companion. Further, with B-12’s failure to save and reunite with their own family being a defining aspect of their character, the robot could go out of its way to help the cat get back to its group.
Right now, there is no guarantee that aStraysequel or DLC will happen, though given the massive success of the game, it seems like a possibility. From beingSteam’s most wishlisted titletoStray’s smart release through PlayStation Plus premium, BlueTwelve had the perfect recipe for success prior to launch. With the developer then combining an adorable premise with strong gameplay and an intriguing story, it created an interesting universe that is begging to be explored beyond the main game. Outside of a sequel that could tell an entirely new story, a DLC should be released that givesStray’s protagonist a happier ending.
Strayis available now on PC, PS4, and PS5.
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