This week, two of the most passionate communities online — gamers and cat lovers — collided with the release of a new video game that lets you play as an adorable orange tabby cat.

"Stray", created by indie French game company BlueTwelve Studio and published by Annapurna Interactive, was released on Tuesday for PlayStation 4 and 5, and PC. It quickly become an online phenomenon, delighting humans and cats alike.

We had to know: Was it really the cat's meow? So we tried it out for ourselves, paying $30 to download it for a PlayStation 5. It was quickly apparent why "Stray" appeals to gamers (who like cats), people who simply like cats, and actual cats. It's beautifully animated and offers a respite from video games that are often noisy and action-packed. Also, playing as a cat is unusual and amusing. You might even call it a-meow-zing.

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Though the dystopia of the game — which mostly takes place in a city that's falling apart — can have a mournful, solitary feel, the adventure (and the choice of main character) served as a welcome distraction from some of the dystopian headlines we have in our own world: As we played, wildfires and heat waves raged on multiple continents, but for a little while we were just a ginger cat wandering around a strange city.

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The game begins in a gorgeous, peaceful, leafy space that looks like the remains of urban infrastructure. You control the main character, who is quickly separated from its feline family, falling into a seemingly deserted city far below.

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From there, "Stray" gets a little confusing. It's clear that some sort of major disruptive event took place in this city, and the game is focused on solving the mystery of what happened and getting back home. As you soon realize, the city is not totally deserted: There are no humans, but there is a little drone robot called B-12 that helps you read signs and piece together what's going on in your new surroundings; humanoid robots with heads shaped like old-school desktop computers; and tick-like creatures called "Zurks" that will occasionally attack and try to kill you.

This week, two of the most passionate communities online — gamers and cat lovers — collided with the release of a new video game that lets you play as an adorable orange tabby cat.

"Stray", created by indie French game company BlueTwelve Studio and published by Annapurna Interactive, was released on Tuesday for PlayStation 4 and 5, and PC. It quickly become an online phenomenon, delighting humans and cats alike.

We had to know: Was it really the cat's meow? So we tried it out for ourselves, paying $30 to download it for a PlayStation 5. It was quickly apparent why "Stray" appeals to gamers (who like cats), people who simply like cats, and actual cats. It's beautifully animated and offers a respite from video games that are often noisy and action-packed. Also, playing as a cat is unusual and amusing. You might even call it a-meow-zing.

*

Though the dystopia of the game — which mostly takes place in a city that's falling apart — can have a mournful, solitary feel, the adventure (and the choice of main character) served as a welcome distraction from some of the dystopian headlines we have in our own world: As we played, wildfires and heat waves raged on multiple continents, but for a little while we were just a ginger cat wandering around a strange city.

*

The game begins in a gorgeous, peaceful, leafy space that looks like the remains of urban infrastructure. You control the main character, who is quickly separated from its feline family, falling into a seemingly deserted city far below.

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close dialog)

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From there, "Stray" gets a little confusing. It's clear that some sort of major disruptive event took place in this city, and the game is focused on solving the mystery of what happened and getting back home. As you soon realize, the city is not totally deserted: There are no humans, but there is a little drone robot called B-12 that helps you read signs and piece together what's going on in your new surroundings; humanoid robots with heads shaped like old-school desktop computers; and tick-like creatures called "Zurks" that will occasionally attack and try to kill you.