New Message from Walled City 99

Hey, so I just finished Stray and I’ve been thinking a lot about it. I really think you’d connect with it, even though it’s not a cozy game in the usual sense.

You play as an orange cat navigating this hauntingly beautiful, post-apocalyptic city. Seeing as you play a cat there isn’t really dialogue, so everything unfolds through the environment and these abandoned robots you meet along the way. They’ve never seen a cat before, and watching them try to figure you out is honestly so charming. You can curl up and nap in their laps, knock things off shelves, rub against their legs, all the classic cat things. Those little actions end up creating these really touching moments of connection.

While there’s no character customization, and you can’t change the world around you (which is usually something I look for in cozy games) this still hits some cozy moments. The experience is intimate and immersive. The visuals are gritty and atmospheric, but it never feels empty. The city has this lonely beauty to it.

The soundtrack is subtle but powerful. Sometimes it’s ambient, but other times it ramps up the tension in ways that had me completely on edge. There are a few parts that are surprisingly intense — stealth sections, chases, quick time events. One of them actually made me cry, but it was worth it. I pushed through because the story had me ensnared.

And that’s really what made me want to tell you about it — the story. It’s a tale of survival, loss, and hope. It doesn’t hand you everything, you need to venture off the beaten path to learn everything, but the emotional payoff is there if you let yourself get pulled in. The friendships you build are so sweet, it reminded me how powerful enviornmental storytelling can be.

I don’t think it’s the kind of game you’d replay just to relax, but it’s the kind of game that stays with you after it ends. If you’re up for something a little outside your comfort zone, something gritty and moody, I think you’d really enjoy it.

Let me know if you end up playing it. I’d love to hear what you think.