Deer Man

About

Deer Man is a single player action game. It was developed by Antarsoft and was released on April 11, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"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

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70%

Audience ScoreBased on 204 reviews

story54 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

The game features a beautiful and unique art style, creating an atmospheric experience that enhances the storytelling.
The narrative is engaging and thought-provoking, touching on themes of wildlife preservation and emotional connections to nature.
The soundtrack complements the gameplay well, adding to the overall immersive experience.

The game is very short, taking only about 30-45 minutes to complete, which may leave players wanting more content.
There are numerous bugs and crashes reported, which can disrupt gameplay and lead to frustration.
The story can feel simplistic and preachy, with some players finding the moral message overly simplistic or unrealistic.

story
194 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
28%
64%
8%
The game's story is a short, simplistic narrative centered around a character known as the "deer man," exploring themes of wildlife protection and morality. While some players found the writing endearing and the atmosphere immersive, many criticized the plot for being cliched, poorly developed, and lacking depth. Overall, the story is seen as a brief, emotional experience that may resonate with animal lovers, but it often falls flat in execution and complexity.
- “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.”
- “The story made me think about life.”
- “The story is simplistic and immature.”
- “The plot really doesn't make sense.”
- “Unfortunately, if there was a greater pay-off than this (and, of course, the background story told by the hunter), I never encountered it.”
atmosphere
44 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
18%
7%
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 unease and immersion. Many reviewers highlight the atmospheric experience as the game's strongest aspect, despite its simplicity and short duration, making it a compelling choice for those seeking a contemplative exploration. While some note that the graphics and story may lack depth, the overall ambiance and sound design contribute significantly to 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 is great and very fitting, which affects the story a great deal.”
- “Great atmosphere, haunting sounds and music; I almost jumped when Deer Man first showed up.”
- “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 music and atmosphere is above average, and it doesn't overstay its welcome.”
- “You are buying an atmosphere.”
music
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
42%
7%
The music in the game has received a mixed reception, with many players praising its relaxing and emotive qualities that enhance the overall atmosphere. While some found the soundtrack beautiful and well-suited to the game's narrative, others noted that certain tracks, particularly those intended to evoke fear, fell short. Overall, the music is generally considered a strong point, contributing positively to the game's experience despite some criticisms regarding voice acting and repetitive loops.
- “The soundtrack is beautiful.”
- “While limited to only a handful of fairly short pieces, the music is very emotive, and combined with the black and white world, really transported me to another place.”
- “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.”
- “They have the balls to sell an OST for 5 euros on this 0.7 hours long 'experience'.”
- “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
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
38%
8%
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their minimalist and stylized art style, creating a beautiful and atmospheric experience, particularly in the wintery woods setting. While some reviewers noted the simplicity and lack of detail, they appreciated how the visuals contribute to the game's eerie ambiance and narrative. Overall, the graphics are considered attractive and effective, especially given the game's low price point.
- “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.”
- “Beautiful visuals, lovely soundtrack.”
- “I really liked the minimalistic approach and the overall aesthetics of the game, and I would recommend playing it purely for that.”
- “The graphics are simple and stylized, with a decided 'Slender Man mobile app' look and feel in terms of the way the environment appears.”
- “I feel as though the environments could be made to seem a little more expansive/larger even if just for aesthetic sake.”
- “Tldr version: the graphics are meh, the story is terrible, and the game is short.”
emotional
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is widely recognized as both touching and impactful, with many players noting its ability to evoke strong feelings, including tears. While some critiques mention the story's simplicity and perceived moral oversimplifications, the overall consensus is that it offers a meaningful experience that resonates deeply, particularly for those who appreciate narratives centered on nature and emotional bonds. The immersive storytelling and evocative music further enhance the emotional journey, making it a memorable experience for many players.
- “As someone who loves animals, this was very nice and touching.”
- “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.”
- “I was left crying at my desk by this soft, yet emotional experience.”
gameplay
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
70%
13%
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some praising its simplicity and artistic focus, while others criticize its lack of challenge and short duration, typically around 30-40 minutes. Players noted issues with controls, particularly the choice of the action button, and many felt the experience was more about exploration than engaging mechanics. Overall, while the game offers a contemplative atmosphere, it may not satisfy those seeking deeper gameplay or a more substantial narrative.
- “Excellent music, excellent game mechanics all done just right.”
- “Gameplay/story: the game runs very well and uses few controls to play, which makes it very easy for the player to get started as well as get a good grip on the story early on.”
- “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, starting with a comedic exploration of family dynamics in a foreign setting, leading to a quirky and amusing conclusion. Players find the narrative's progression and the unexpected ending to be particularly entertaining.
- “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
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is criticized for its minimal replayability, with players noting that it can be completed in under 30 minutes and lacks engaging story and gameplay elements. Despite this, some feel it is still worth the price given its brief experience.
- “Almost no replayability.”
- “It took 15 minutes to beat (and that's with over-exploring). It has no replay value, and the game lacks luster in its story and gameplay.”
- “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.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The optimization of the game is not criticized, as users note that performance issues are not a concern; however, the voice acting, particularly that of the main character during tense moments, detracts from the overall immersion.
- “This had nothing to do with the game being horribly optimized or dreadful or anything like that, it's just very simple and short.”
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, particularly in the early chapters where essential mechanics fail to function properly.
- “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.”
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 slow; even when running, your pace feels sluggish, making exploration tedious.”
- “The grinding aspect is frustrating because it feels like you're just going through the motions without any real sense of progress.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it feel like a chore rather than an enjoyable part of the game.”