Post-apocalyptic visions are a dime a dozen in games these days. Players regularly travel through forgotten, decrepit scenes that live on in the wake of some terrible disaster. That could be a war, a pandemic, a case of technology gone berserk, or something else entirely. The point is that these spaces are shrouded by more than just a haze of abandonment; their eerie pasts haunt every last crevice.  Despite being left behind, these spaces still serve purposes. Sometime they become homes for, well…whatever would like to call such spots “home;” sometimes they become examples of what went wrong; and sometimes, as in the case of Stray‘s Dead City, they are bellwethers for protagonists, feline or otherwise.

While Stray never lets players forget that they are playing as a cat, it’s easy to set that thought aside as the events of Stray progress. At the very beginning of the game, however, that fact is blatantly obvious. For those who possess a particular penchant for cats, it’s nearly impossible to not become immediately attached to the talented tabby players control from the start. That attachment serves a key role when traversing the Dead City, the first place players encounter after our cat takes a terrible tumble from its home. Because at that point, the cat is just a cat. It’s a smart cat, but not one with weapons, armor, or any sort of defenses. Being that vulnerable is uncomfortable, to say the least, especially in a place as unnerving as the Dead City.

*Stray story spoilers ahead!*

Stray takes place in a dystopian world in which humanity has gone extinct, and in its place, sentient robots live human-like lives. These robots were once companions to humans, and they evolved to develop into their own society. They once inhabited what is now the Dead City, and they had to leave it thanks to an extreme infestation of Zurks. These small, fleshy, one-eyed horrors were once nothing more than garbage-eating bacteria developed by humans. Over time, they too evolved, becoming fast breeders that consumed nearly anything that moved. When the Zurks moved in, everything else moved out, and the city effectively died. When players reach the area, Zurks lurk and quickly scatter upon seeing the new invader. Our cat also stumbles upon the robots who didn’t make it out, mostly corpses, or in one case, a part of a robot that briefly sputters to life before finally dying.

The Zurks haven’t managed to take everything from the Dead City — it still has electricity, which means that lights help guide the cat to its destination, along with messages. Messages from an unknown source that not only understands that something is alive in the ghost town, but that the alive thing is a cat! It’s a weird but welcome surprise, one that makes the Dead City feel both poignant and even a little more creepy. No one likes to feel like they are being watched! They only way to find out what’s going on, and the only way home for our kitty, is by moving forward, following the lit signs and the mystery messages to whatever lies ahead. It was an unsettling and yet unforgettable way to begin an adventure.

The Dead City in Stray might appear as nothing more than another garbage-strewn wasteland at first glance. Looking closer, it’s evident than its own death was a recent one; a feeling of life hovers low over its empty street. Dread could rest around each corner, but it’s quickly replaced by curiosity. The fear of what could be is the city’s greatest strength. Overcoming that as a seemingly helpless but wily cat is no small feat. Thankfully, a little help goes a long way in make the Dead City feel alive and maybe a little less scary than it really is.

All images, including lede, were captured by author during PS5 gameplay of Stray (© BlueTwelve Studio, Annapurna Interactive).