Deer Man

About

"Deer Man is a horror-survival game set in a dark forest. As the human-deer hybrid, players must evade deadly hunters while foraging for food and crafting items to ensure survival. Uncover the truth behind the curse and find a way to break it in this unique and suspenseful experience."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

68%

Audience ScoreBased on 174 reviews

story41 positive mentions

replayability2 negative mentions

The game features a compelling and emotional storyline that resonates with players, particularly those who appreciate themes of wildlife preservation.
The artwork and atmosphere are beautifully crafted, creating a haunting and immersive experience that enhances the storytelling.
The sound design, including the music and narration, effectively contributes to the game's overall mood and emotional impact.

The game is very short, often completed in under an hour, which may leave players wanting more content and depth.
There are numerous bugs and technical issues, including crashes and unresponsive controls, which can detract from the overall experience.
The moral message of the game can come off as preachy or oversimplified, leading to mixed reactions from players, especially those with differing views on hunting.

story
157 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
66%
8%
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players finding it interesting and emotional, while others criticize it for being simplistic, cliched, or poorly executed. Many reviews highlight its short length and basic narrative structure, often describing it as a walking simulator with minimal gameplay elements. Overall, while the atmosphere and music are praised, the story's depth and coherence leave much to be desired, leading to a range of opinions on its effectiveness and impact.
- “A beautiful and simple story about the protection of wildlife and the love for it.”
- “It's a slow and short story, no too complicated 'puzzles', just a simple story, but I enjoyed every minute of it.”
- “Idk why everyone hates this game, the story is great even if it's only 30 minutes long and the soundtrack provides an eerie ambiance like no other.”
- “The story is simplistic and immature.”
- “The plot really doesn't make sense.”
- “I do work in the biology field and can say that conservation efforts are a bit more complicated than 'hunting bad - poor deer.' I guess the intentions are well, but it is naive and childish storytelling.”
atmosphere
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
18%
8%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its eerie yet beautiful qualities, enhanced by a striking art style and effective audio design that creates a sense of immersion and unease. While the gameplay may be simplistic and the story underdeveloped, the overall experience is described as contemplative and atmospheric, making it a compelling choice for players seeking a short, immersive journey. Many reviewers highlight the captivating environment and haunting soundscapes as key elements that elevate the game's appeal.
- “Overall, I like the art style and the wintery woods setting helps establish this really eerie, yet beautiful atmosphere, and with the help of the audio design, it does make you feel like you're being watched.”
- “The atmosphere, the music, and the story play well with each other to make a great game.”
- “Nothing special about how it looks, or how it plays, and so it ends up leaning on the music for providing most of the atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere is really brought to life by the creative style and music.”
- “You are buying an atmosphere.”
music
35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
37%
9%
The music in the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its relaxing and atmospheric qualities that complement the visuals. While some tracks are described as soothing and effective, others, particularly those intended to evoke tension, received mixed reviews. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the gaming experience, though the voice acting and occasional looping issues detract from its overall quality.
- “The music, sounds, and graphics all contribute to the great experience this game creates.”
- “The soundtrack is very soothing and calm, which makes it pleasant to play.”
- “The atmosphere, the music, and the story play well with each other to make a great game.”
- “The music itself is decent, but nothing to write home about.”
- “Nothing special about how it looks, or how it plays, and so it ends up leaning on the music for providing most of the atmosphere.”
- “The soundtrack was almost looped and ended up adding to my frustration as I wandered in circles in the woods trying to figure out what to do.”
graphics
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
32%
12%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a minimalist and stylized art style that effectively creates an eerie yet beautiful atmosphere, particularly in its wintery woods setting. While some players appreciate the unique visuals and the overall aesthetic, others find the graphics rudimentary and repetitive, suggesting that they may not meet the expectations for more detailed environments. Overall, the visuals contribute positively to the game's ambiance, despite some critiques regarding their simplicity.
- “Overall, I like the art style and the wintery woods setting helps establish this really eerie, yet beautiful atmosphere, and with the help of the audio design, it does make you feel like you're being watched.”
- “Absolutely beautiful with a very unique art style.”
- “Beautiful visuals, lovely soundtrack.”
- “I feel as though the environments could be made to seem a little more expansive/larger even if just for aesthetic sake.”
- “The graphics are simple and stylized, with a decided 'Slender Man mobile app' look and feel in terms of the way the environment appears.”
- “Tldr version: the graphics are meh, the story is terrible, and the game is short.”
emotional
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game has garnered mixed reviews, with many players finding the story touching and immersive, often leading to strong emotional reactions, including tears. However, some critics argue that the game oversimplifies complex themes and can feel dull or preachy in its moral messaging. Overall, it is seen as a heartfelt experience that resonates particularly well with those who appreciate emotional storytelling in games.
- “As someone who loves animals, this was very nice and touching.”
- “I was left crying at my desk by this soft, yet emotional experience.”
- “The story was very interesting and emotional, and I think anyone who likes a good story game will get a good experience out of this.”
gameplay
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
65%
15%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its simplicity and artistic focus, while others criticize its lack of challenge and depth. Many players found the controls awkward and the overall experience unengaging, particularly due to bugs and a short duration. Despite its low price point, the game may not appeal to casual gamers seeking more substantial content or action.
- “Excellent music, excellent game mechanics all done just right.”
- “The gameplay and environment were beautiful in their simplicity, but I cannot like the story.”
- “An overall inspiring message, gameplay-wise: it takes a while to figure out what to do in the first chapter; however, I didn't mind this since the atmosphere within the game is pleasant and interesting to walk around in.”
- “Asking for a refund due to too many bugs in such a short amount of gameplay.”
- “The only real mechanic is a 'run' button, and they arbitrarily take that away from you in the fourth act.”
- “Terrible controls, even considering the extremely simplistic gameplay.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is characterized by a gradual buildup of comedic elements as players navigate a narrative centered around visiting family in a foreign land, leading to a series of amusing situations. The quirky and unexpected ending adds to the overall humor, leaving players with a memorable and funny experience.
- “In a funny way, the game starts slowly and builds its narrative; you are visiting family, a foreigner, in a foreign land.”
- “The ending is pretty weird and funny.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has minimal replayability, with players noting that it can be completed in about 23 minutes and lacks incentives for multiple playthroughs. Despite this, some still find it worth the price.
- “Almost no replayability.”
- “Even though this game only took me 23 minutes to play from start to end, and it has no replay value, I believe this game is worth its price tag.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been criticized for its significant stability issues, with users reporting frequent bugs and crashes that hinder gameplay, including problems with essential mechanics like object recognition. Many players find these issues so severe that they are unable to progress past the first chapter.
- “And the most annoying thing is how buggy and crash-prone this game is; how can something so simple work so poorly?”
- “Super buggy; I can't complete the first chapter as the crosshairs won't always recognize objects.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The optimization of voice acting in the game has received mixed reviews, with players noting that while some performances are decent, the main character's portrayal, particularly in moments of fear, feels forced and detracts from the overall immersion.
- “The optimization in this game is severely lacking, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering during gameplay.”
- “I experienced constant crashes and long loading times, which made the game nearly unplayable at times.”
- “The graphics settings are poorly optimized, resulting in a significant performance hit even on high-end hardware.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, primarily due to the slow movement speed, which can make exploration feel laborious. However, the impact of this slow pace is somewhat mitigated by the chapter-based structure, making it less frustrating overall.
- “One of the biggest negatives is that you walk incredibly slowly; even when running, it feels tedious to move around.”
- “The grinding aspect of the game is exhausting and feels like a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay engaged, as it often feels like I'm just going through the motions.”