Deer & Boy [REVIEW] – Fawning Over a Gorgeous Adventure 

I’m a sucker for a good cinematic platformer, whether that’s when facing off against sinister monsters hunting you down, attempting to survive an alien threat, or working with a creature to survive through the perils of the world. Deer & Boy fits into that latter category, with it offering a beautifully crafted 2.5D adventure that wears its heart firmly on its sleeve. And sure, it might tread some very familiar ground mechanically, but it still manages to deliver a deeply touching tale about friendship and overcoming trauma. 

Check out some screenshots down below: 

The tale of Deer & Boy is delightfully simple but emotionally heavy, with players taking on the role of an unnamed runaway boy who crosses paths with a tiny, orphaned fawn. From there, the two forge an unbreakable bond, navigating a hazardous world whilst trying to outrun a metaphorical (and often quite literal) darkness.  

What makes the storytelling stand out is the complete lack of dialogue. There are no text boxes or clunky exposition dumps, but instead, the narrative relies entirely on visual cues, character animations, and audio design. It’s a bold choice that has seen mixed success in other titles in the genre, but it pays off brilliantly here, making the themes of loss more poignant than ever. You really feel the weight of their journey just by watching how they interact, constantly checking on one another, or sharing quiet moments of comfort, and it makes the bond they forge all the more endearing. You’ll really be rooting for both from the moment they both meet – seeing how the journey unfolds will keep you wholly absorbed, hoping and praying that everything works out ok for them by the end. 

On the gameplay side of things, Deer & Boy is a highly linear experience where you’ll spend most of your roughly four-hour runtime heading from left to right… par for the course, really. The platforming itself is fairly standard fare, with players climbing ledges, moving boxes, sneaking past dangers… you get the picture. It’s all competently delivered though, so there’s no complaints there. 

“It might not feel unique and it can be a bit easy, but the sheer emotional hook of Deer & Boy ensures it’s a gripping experience that fans of cinematic platformers won’t want to miss.“

The core puzzle-solving revolves heavily around your partnership with the deer, which continues to evolve as the game progresses. Early on, the fawn is so small that the boy must carry it in his rucksack, meaning you can’t jump as far but can place the baby deer on pressure plates to solve basic puzzles. As time passes, the deer grows up and becomes a more active partner, meaning you are able to command it to reach areas you can’t, push heavier objects, and hit switches. And eventually? The deer develops a mystical blue energy from its antlers to fight back against the creeping purple corruption taking over the world… yeah, it gets a little weird, but in all the right ways. 

Admittedly, it’s the sort of puzzling you’d have seen before in plenty of similar releases in the genre, so Deer & Boy doesn’t break new ground. However, it’s the way that the evolving puzzle mechanics tie into the storytelling that helps make it feel so much more immersive – watching this timid little creature grow into a brave and magical companion is a real treat, and it helps make the relationship it shares with the boy feel all the more special. 

Visually, the game looks wonderful. The stylised characters work perfectly against deeply detailed backgrounds, with the world rich in a sense of presence that perfectly ties into the mysterious narrative undertones. There are so many gorgeous sights to see, whilst this immersion is backed up by a phenomenal soundtrack that perfectly captures both the more tender moments of the experience as well as those of pure danger. It’s really, really impressive. 

Check out some screenshots down below: 

That being said, Deer & Boy is not entirely without its faults. If you’ve played a few cinematic platformers, you are going to recognise a LOT of the gameplay beats here. The mechanics can feel a bit derivative of just about everything else that has come before it, relying heavily on overused tropes like sneaking past unkillable monsters or running away from a strange presence. The puzzles also rarely ask you to think outside the box nor do they feel overly original, so do you shouldn’t expect a gruelling challenge there. In fairness, there’s variety to be found within the gameplay, but it’s always obvious as to what is expected of you. Add in a few frustrating moments where interactable items blend far too well into the pretty backgrounds, and it’ll become clear that despite offering an absorbing adventure, Deer & Boy does have its imperfections.

Developer: Lifeline Games 
Publisher: Dear Villagers 
Platform(s): PlayStation 5 (Reviewed), Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PC 
Website: https://store.playstation.com/en-gb/concept/10013737/