Deer and Boy Review

If you love Limbo or Inside, you’re going to adore Deer and Boy. It is a linear exploration title where basic puzzles, stealth, and a heartwarming story take you on a fantastic journey. Furthermore, it deals with some challenging topics, so expect some tears and sombre moments.

This linear, side-scrolling puzzle platformer was developed by Lifeline Game Studio. It is a single-player game that evolves at a pleasant pace. At its core, you’re expected to use stealth and your grey matter to overcome an array of simple puzzles. As the game progresses, you’ll use your deer companion to reach otherwise unreachable places. This change of pace keeps you entertained while changing the way you think.

Deer and Boy tells a melancholy tale.

Gaming should be entertaining. Therefore, when a game makes me feel sad, it’s quite the contradiction. Although I shouldn’t enjoy the sombre and melancholy nature of Deer and Boy, I couldn’t help it. The atmosphere, setting, and relationship between the protagonists make this a wonderful title to play.

You play the role of a young runaway who has suffered a traumatic event. As he escapes his past, he discovers a recently orphaned fawn. This unlikely partnership works beautifully as the pair support one another and use their special abilities to progress.

The shadows will protect you.

Like its peers, Deer and Boy utilises the dark to great effect. Stealth mechanics play a huge role in many of the puzzles. The use of obstacles, shadow, and timing was fantastic. Although this isn’t anything new, it works particularly well. Moreover, the ability to maximise each of the characters’ strengths was amazing.

As the game progresses, the boy and deer assist each other in different ways. Mastering special skills and observing your surroundings ensures that you complete every puzzle. If I were to be harsh, this could have been more complex. Many of the problems were overcome pretty easily, and this won’t test expert gamers.

Deer and Boy is aesthetically pleasing.

Deer and Boy is aesthetically pleasing. The cutscenes, setting, and lighting were amazing. Moreover, the background is fantastic, and I liked the variety. On top of this, the “bosses” were OTT without being out of place. This is complemented by some incredible audio. The soundscape is phenomenal, and I love the sound effects and the lack of spoken dialogue.

If you are new to this genre, you will not struggle. The controls are easy to master, and a simple layout can be found in the menu. Furthermore, a little trial and error takes you a long way. Consequently, this will be mastered in no time. Sadly, replay value and longevity are limited. I invested 10 hours to complete it. Moreover, there is no reason to return as a second playthrough offers no new content.

Deer and Boy is fantastic.

Despite the simplicity and lack of replay value, Deer and Boy is fantastic. It is great value for money, and I enjoyed the heartwarming plot. Furthermore, it looks amazing. Accordingly, it is a brilliant indie game and one you must buy from the Xbox store!