Stray easily elicits a lot of emotion throughout the game - joy, wonder, tension, and even sadness. How can you resist getting swept by the adventures and soft, padded paws of everyone’s favorite cyberpunk stray cat?
There are plenty of harrowing moments laced into the game, especially as you traverse broken-down spaces with robots longing for the sun and gasping remnants of humanity. It’s not all purring and cuteness, especially when you face some of the saddest moments in Stray.
Updated on September 18, 2023 by Gabrielle Castania: We love a good, emotional story! With so many ups and downs in Stray, it's easy to get sucked into the game's atmosphere, so we're back to touch up our list of the saddest moments in Stray to be sure we're paying this game the proper respect.
Warning: This article dives into many story-related moments, so beware of spoilers if you haven’t played or finished the game.
8 The Stray Gets Separated
The game introduces players to its lovable furry protagonist, but unfortunately, one member of the adorable troupe falls down into the Slums and gets separated. It’s the kind of “gotcha” sad moment that usually finds a home in Pixar movies. It’s the look of desperation as the stray tries to hold on, and then its wince of pain and isolation as it lands far below.
This is already sad with the vanilla protagonist, but it can hit home even more if you’ve used one of the many mods out there that let you use your own pet or make the cat realistic. Unless, of course, you’re using the cursed CJ mod. We don’t talk about the CJ mod...
7 We Learn About The Fall Of Humanity
Your trusty companion, B-12, learns more as they regain their memories, but each moment of recollection simply paints a melancholic picture that doesn’t feel like a happy scrapbooking session. Stray does a great job at telling the tale of how humanity perished by way of the subtle exposition and small details embedded throughout the world.
Whenever you get more blatant nuggets through B-12’s conversations and memories, though, it’s a really grim reminder that humanity has always been on the cusp of bringing itself to oblivion. This all culminates in a final reveal as you reach the now empty control room, where you find out that societal injustices still prevailed until humanity eventually succumbed.
6 The Jail Shows The Prisoners’ Fates
When you find yourself in Midtown’s prison, you find a lot of robot inmates. Sadly, most of them are husks of themselves that have either been fully deactivated or rebooted to the point of malfunction. The way they are “fixed” in this system basically lobotomizes them and completely erases who they are.
Sure, you meet some interesting prisoners that are some neat Easter eggs. Still, it’s horrible to see what became of these sorry little companions, and especially to know that this has been going on for eons at this point.
5 The Stray Gets Hurt Again
Even if the game rewards dying nine times with an achievement, no one really wants this cute protagonist to get hurt in any way. Unfortunately, you can have an absolutely perfect run, but the story still calls for some harm to befall your feline friend.
Just outside the slums, you make your way through Zurk-infested areas to get to Doc’s hideout. As you make your escape from the muck-filled pipe ways, you eventually fall from quite a height and the Stray gets injured. If your heart doesn’t hurt even a little when you see the cat limp, do you even have one?
4 No Litter Reunion
Aside from the whole “let’s pay tribute to society and release the robots” mission that justifiably takes up your time, there is still the matter of your original cat crew. Throughout the game, B-12 assures you that you will get to go home in exchange for helping them.
You do get to go back to the outside world in the end, but you never actually get to see your old friends. Although you can imagine that you eventually find your way back, the lack of a visual reunion feels like a final sting that makes the ending more bittersweet despite its hopeful conclusion.
3 Momo’s Hodor Moment
Momo is the first Outsider you meet and form a bond with, and you go with them to the sewers filled with hope and conviction. Their dream, after all, is to see the outside. They even state that they fear no Zurk, as long as you are by their side.
Alas, you don’t get to continue this journey together as you come across a big gate that can only be held open by Momo long enough for you to pass through. Sure, there is no imminent threat of White Walkers in this world, but it’s still a gut punch when Momo asks you to “tell them I was brave.” The gate stomps down behind you, and it also stomps on your heart.
2 Clementine Stays Behind
Clementine is the final member of the Outsiders that you work with. They help you get reunited with B-12 and find the atomic battery you need to power the subway train. Just as you think you’re home free, the Sentinels are right on your tail and Clementine must stay behind to lure them away.
At this point, you don’t know if she’ll make it, and the Stray even meows for her to come with them. As she says her goodbyes, she tells you that she’ll “keep you in [her] RAM.” Is there a way to delete our feelings?
1 B-12’s Sacrifice
In order to open the Walled City to the surface, you need to open the blast doors. This will effectively allow the sentient inhabitants to finally see the true sky, and even get rid of the robot-eating, plague-inducing Zurks.
The catch is that the amount of power needed will basically kill B-12, due to overwhelming charges that will ruin its circuitry. Because the legacy of humanity is at stake, B-12 makes this sacrifice anyway. The stray mourns its lost companion and lies down with the lifeless shell as the doors reopen. We needed a good cry, anyway.