| “ | "All trace of organic life has disappeared except for what we call the 'Zurk'. They seem to eat almost everything that moves and breed at an inconceivable rate. As if being locked in this City wasn't hard enough." | „ |
| ~ Zbaltazar's notes about Zurks found in his notebook, Chapter 4: The Slums |
The Zurks are the secondary antagonists in the 2022 cyberpunk game Stray. They were originally trash eating bacteria before they mutated into Zurks and, besides the cat, are the only living creatures in Walled City 99.
Appearance[]
Zurks are bug-like creatures with glowing yellow eyes and four spider legs. They also have a cavity underneath, with sharp curved teeth on it, resembling insect mouth parts.
History[]
Origins[]
Originally they were bacteria used by the Neco Corporation to dissolve trash. However once the all the humans died and with no one left to control the bacteria and with Walled City 99 blocked by a massive bunker, they began to grow and started eating more than just the trash itself. Eventually they began to eat the even robots living in the city. The Zurks also managed to gain intelligence, with that they also formed a living substance consisting of giant eyes the would alert them of any prey that walked in their territory.
Stray[]
The Zurks are first introduced in Chapter 2, Dead City. They are first seen running away from the cat walking through streets after it got separated from it's family and falling in Walled City 99. A couple of the Zurks are seen eating away at a robot before getting the scarred by the cat. Unfortunately, they already ate away its legs and right arm, causing the robot to quickly die from its wounds. When the cat stumbles on a group of Zurks sleeping, they immediately wake up. This time instead of running away they keep their ground, the feline recognizes this as a threat and attempts to intimidate the Zurks by hissing at them, however the creatures are unfazed, leaving it no choice but to run as more Zurks appear from the corners. Eventually, the Cat jumps to a window from a safe distance where the Zurks cannot reach.
A few Zurk groups appear in Chapter 3, The Flat, after the Cat meets the drone, B-12. However they can be easily be avoided if the player takes a bucket elevator. In Chapter 5, Rooftops, the Cat and B-12 must install a transceiver at the the top of a Zurk infested building for the robot Momo to communicate with his missing friends Doc, Zbaltazar, and Clementine. After evading the Zurks on the several floors, the Cat finally reaches the top of the building. When it uses the elevator several Zurks appear from the broken window. The cat manages to out run them before the elevator comes down a gives it a lift. When escaping the Zurks the cat installs the transceiver and flees the building via bucket elevator.
In Chapter 6, The Slums- Part 2, after Momo gets his computer working in the bar he is finally able to talk to Zbaltazar who says that he made it through in the sewers but the place is infested with Zurks. After loosing the signal shortly after, Doc's depressed son Seamus says that making through would be impossible as many went through, but none have come back. After the Cat gives Seamus Doc's notebook they discover a secret room in their Flat, while also finding out about an ultraviolet light weapon to fight the Zurks. With the help of the construction robot Elliot they manage to fix Doc's broken tracker.
During Chapter 7, Dead End, the Cat and B-12 go to find Doc in the so called "Dead End" with Seamus unable to come along due to not being as fast enough to out run the Zurks. The Zurks again attempt to consume the Cat only for it to use a cart witch crushes the parasites, and destroys everything in its path. The duo finally catch up to Doc's hideout where a they can see that the scientist captured a trio of Zurks in order to test the weapon. Doc explains to the cat that all he needs to complete the weapon called the "Defluxor" is to start the generator that powers it. The Cat does so to witch it attracts The Zurks attention. Luckily Doc uses his defluxor's light to shield the cat, killing any Zurks that enter it. Doc upgrades B-12 by attaching the defluxor on to him, so he can defend the cat when traveling together. When they make to the garage, and killing the Zurk group in there, the Cat, B-12, and Doc finally escape to the slums.
The Zurks make their final game play appearance in Chapter 8, The Sewers. Having gotten separated by Momo due to him not being strong enough to lift a massive gate into the sewers, The Cat and B-12 traverse the infected place with with giant eyes alerting the Zurks. After being able to finally fight through against the mutated bacteria the groups makes the biggest eye which alerts all the Zurks. When they swarm the Cat, B-12 uses as much as his power as he could to save it by killing as much of the Zurks as possible causing his body to malfunction. The Cat not wanting to leave his only friend behind picks him up and runs away runs away before barely escaping the rest of the Zurks when a massive door closes.
The Zurks are never seen again until the ending of the game, where B-12 uses his power to open the city bunker, causing the sun's light to kill every Zurk up top.
Trivia[]
- Not killing any Zurks in the sewers earns you the pacifist achievement.