Stray, developed by BlueTwelve Studio and published by Annapurna Interactive, received the PlayStation Game of the Year award at the Golden Joysticks 2022. An unlikely winner for some but given the game’s recent nomination for a Game of the Year award at Geoff Keighley’s The Game Awards 2022, Stray is probably well deserving of the title. This an incredible feat for the team at BlueTwelve Studio and Annapurna Interactive as Stray beat out huge budget titles such as Gran Turismo 7, Horizon Forbidden West, Elden Ring, and The Last of Us Part 1. Stray wasn’t the only indie nomination for the category either with Sifu also being nominated for PlayStation Game of the Year.
Stray‘s victory is all the more surprising given Elden Ring‘s presence and success at the Golden Joysticks 2022. Elden Ring swept up at the awards show winning 4 of the major awards including Best Visual Design, Best Multiplayer Game, Critics’ Choice Award, and Ultimate Game of the Year.
Stray‘s success might be down to its day-one inclusion on PlayStation Plus Extra, opening the game up to players that usually wouldn’t have played it. Along with this, its 97% and ‘Overwhelmingly Positive’ review scores on Steam have made it one of the most popular games of the year. For good reason too.
Stray combines intricate platforming, with adorable characters and cats. The last one might be a deal breaker for some. Stray‘s 10-hour story is both engaging and beautifully set. Including stunning vistas that rival some AAA games along with memorable and quirky characters that help add context to the world around you. Also, instead of ‘can you pet the cat?’ the question instead is ‘can you get petted as a cat?’ The big question of our time here.
It’s ultimately endearing and inspiring to see an indie title succeed against the odds and beat major AAA titles in the competition. Both Hades and It Takes Two‘s successes at The Game Awards in their respective years have really elevated the indie scene once again to a state of growth it hasn’t experienced in the mainstream since the success of another PlayStation exclusive in Journey.
Stray‘s success will likely continue as we approach The Game Awards 2022 on December 8th, 2022. It’s nominated for a number of categories including Best Indie Title and Game of the Year. It’s definitely worth picking up.
Stray is currently available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.
