Deer & Boy

Unfortunately, I came away disappointed with Deer & Boy. I had been really looking forward to it, especially since I enjoy games like Limbo, Inside, and even Planet of Lana. Those set a high bar for atmospheric puzzle-platformers, and I was hoping this would deliver a similar experience. To its credit, the art style is absolutely gorgeous, and the premise is intriguing. However, the execution falls short. The puzzles often feel unintuitive and, at times, more frustrating than engaging. There were multiple moments where I had no clear sense of what to do next, and I ended up checking walkthroughs on YouTube, only to find that even those videos also featured clear edits to jump through time, which suggests I wasn’t alone in feeling lost. The story also didn’t land for me. It lacked the emotional impact or depth I was hoping for. Given how short the game is I was surprised that Instead of being drawn in, I found myself just wanting to reach the end so I could be done with it. I don’t enjoy leaving negative reviews for indie games (I really wish Steam had a “mixed” option), but in the interest of being honest, I can’t recommend this one.

Deer & Boy is a far more emotional journey than I expected - to be honest I really was expecting to play as a young boy returning a baby deer to its herd. That isn't what happened in the slightest! It moved into far more meaningful territory, pertaining to grief and loss. But enough of that and let's focus on the actual gameplay - for me it all worked seamlessly without glitches or bugs which given how early I played after release says a lot about the amount of testing that must have gone on. There is no dialogue but it isn't needed to know what to do within each stage of the game - the characters indicate what has to be done and it is simply down to us following the clues. There is chapter select making it possible to go back for any missed collectibles which I appreciate in a game. I just wish it had a replayability factor but with the story, I don't think that is the aim or the point. I have put a walkthrough on my channel for anyone who is interested: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgmxeAO4ZZ06Os7tfo0yl7XoUzO59N7FH

I've had my eye on Deer & Boy since it was announced because it reminded me of "A Boy and His Blob" and I'm a sucker for cinematic platformers with stealth elements like the classic Oddworld games and Heart of Darkness. The presentation: Quite stellar, it has a cinematic angle and the vistas and locations feature a beautiful cell shaded art-style that is pleasing on the eyes with a lighting engine that is fantastic with deep and strong dynamic shadows that dart around the levels and interact with lights. The amount of care that was put in animating the deer is incredible, the sense of weight and flowing motion is rendered with beautiful care and attention to detail. The music is downright phenomenal, if Corentin Brasart's “The words I’d wish to say" track doesn't make you cry, you're completely heartless. The story: It all begins with the boy leaving his home and heading off to some undisclosed location which will take him through worksites, forests, sewers, caverns, power plants, caves and much more. "Show, don't tell" is the key of the game's story, it will become obvious by the end what was the reason for the boy's journey, which just happens to lead him to his faithful encoun…

It's hard to 100% recommend Deer & Boy. On one hand, the game itself is gorgeous, and the first-half of the story really hooked me and had me invested in learning the mechanics. One of the other reviewers hit the nail on the head though, and the back half felt like slog to get through. The chapters start to feel more like a slog and feel really long. I really liked the factory though. I played the demo before, and playing it again felt great! That being said, I really like the music and how it helps convey the mood throughout the game. I bought the album as well, and it's really enjoyable. Especially at the beginning of the mines level. I played this on both PC and Steam Deck. The water maze was really glitchy on Steam Deck, which was frustrating and probably ruined my impression of it. I ended up finishing the game on PC, which was more enjoyable. The frame rate also chugged on Steam Deck that felt annoying. I might give certain levels another go just to see how they play on PC over the Steam Deck, or knowing what to do now.

A very touching , beautiful family cinematic video game that coming to my heart and bringing back to the boyhood dream.

Loved it. Beautiful art style and the last 45 mins are very special.