The Deer

About

The Deer is a single player action game. It was developed by Giulia Airoldi and was released on March 28, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"The Deer" is an educational game taking players back to the Pleistocene epoch as an ancient deer. Explore this ice age to learn about larger mammals, the extinction of dinosaurs and megafauna like Megalodon, all through the vibrant illustrations of Giulia Airoldi. Unfortunately, no T-Rexes will be encountered as they had been extinct long before this era.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

69%

Audience ScoreBased on 426 reviews

graphics31 positive mentions

replayability4 negative mentions

The game features beautiful artwork and soothing music, making it a pleasant experience.
It serves as a fun and educational tool for young children, providing interesting facts about the Pleistocene epoch.
Despite its short length, the game can be enjoyable for kids and offers a unique perspective by allowing players to experience life as a deer.

The game is extremely short, with gameplay lasting only a few minutes, which may leave players feeling unsatisfied.
Controls can be unresponsive, and the mini-games lack depth and replay value, making the overall experience feel limited.
The educational content is poorly presented, with grammatical issues that could confuse young players, detracting from its intended purpose.

graphics
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
51%
44%
5%
The graphics of the game have received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with many users praising the cute and clean art style, likening it to high-quality titles like The Witcher 3. Reviewers noted the visuals as "fantabulous" and "adorable," contributing to an immersive experience, although some mentioned minor resolution issues. Overall, the graphics are consistently rated as a standout feature, often receiving perfect scores.
- “My word, these are by far the best graphics I've seen in an MMO, or any game for that matter.”
- “This was the greatest piece of work I've ever had the honor to play, the graphics were so amazing and the world seemed so real, I actually got fleas from the forest creatures around me.”
- “Btw best game ever played, took me 12 hours to complete, puzzles are extremely difficult, engaging story, amazing graphics.”
- “The graphics could have been used for illustrative purposes, but all the animals wear Santa hats, so I wouldn't count that as a reasonably realistic depiction.”
- “It is three puzzles, poor graphics, and some interesting facts.”
- “The graphics are cute, although I had some problems with resolution.”
gameplay
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
35%
55%
10%
The gameplay experience varies significantly among users, with some praising the immersive and engaging quest system and fast-paced combat mechanics, while others criticize the limited content and short duration, often citing gameplay lasting only a few minutes. Many reviews highlight issues with polish and bugs, suggesting that while the core mechanics can be enjoyable, the overall execution leaves much to be desired. Overall, the gameplay is described as simplistic and aimed more at casual engagement than depth.
- “The gameplay is just magnificent.”
- “The combat itself is fantastic, fast-paced combat with blocking, parrying, and dodging away from enemy attacks; it just makes the overall gameplay loop that much more enjoyable.”
- “Now I'm sure a lot of this is seeming daunting to you, but trust me when I say, it makes for one of the most immersive, interactive, and engaging gameplay experiences you will ever have.”
- “There's not a lot of gameplay - click around for some minigames that'll teach you things about prehistoric deer (and other animals), but it's more to keep a kid engaged than anything else.”
- “Additionally, there is very little content (what do you expect for 57 cents?), and the little gameplay that does exist is unpolished (issues with the game engine).”
- “Gameplay lasts 10 minutes and it was enough for at least 3 bugs to appear, including a disappearing cursor.”
music
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
42%
12%
The music in the game is widely praised for its calming and soothing qualities, making it an excellent backdrop for gameplay, especially for children. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as amazing and charming, complementing the cute visuals and educational content. Overall, the music enhances the relaxing atmosphere, encouraging players to linger and enjoy the experience.
- “The illustrations and music are so calming and sweet, and the information throughout the game was perfect for small children as an introduction to the Pleistocene era and prehistory in general.”
- “The soundtrack is legitimately amazing.”
- “The music is okay as background music, and the visuals are cute and neat.”
- “Cute graphics, soothing music, and simple gameplay.”
- “I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
story
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
37%
13%
The story is praised for its engaging narrative and moral lessons, emphasizing resilience and the unpredictability of life. While some reviewers found the story length to be perfect, others felt it was either too long or lacking in depth. Overall, the plot twists and artistic presentation received positive feedback, with many expressing excitement for potential sequels.
- “Btw best game ever played, took me 12 hours to complete, puzzles are extremely difficult, engaging story, amazing graphics.”
- “It's a story of a lovely deer and a walk through time.”
- “Wow the plot twist in the end, I can't wait for the deer 2!!!!”
- “The story was lacking.”
- “The story is way too long.”
- “If you have $1 and nowhere to spend it, come here and support this game; maybe in the future it might have updates and more facts and story.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
83%
25%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it both funny and entertaining, often highlighting its comedic elements as a key aspect of the experience. However, there are mixed opinions, as some users question the effectiveness of the humor, suggesting it may not resonate with everyone. Overall, the game is appreciated for its blend of beauty, education, and humor.
- “Beautiful game, educational and funny on top of it.”
- “A short, but funny little game.”
- “Funny to play with them.”
- “Not funny?”
- “Not funny?”
- “Not funny?”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The game's replayability is highly inconsistent, with some users praising it for offering a lot of replay value, while others criticize it for being too simple, short, and limited to just three mini-games that lack engaging feedback. Overall, the feedback suggests that while there may be potential for replayability, many players find it lacking.
- “Very good game with a lot of replayability”
- “But even for them it's too simple, too short, and lacking any replay value.”
- “There are 3 mini games... only 3, that have no replay value. I know that the attention span of kids is low, but 3 very, very mini games... every game is just played and finished without any feedback. When you finish it (or you think you did), you need to press the back button to return.”
- “The deer easily get stuck and there is not much replay value here.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews indicate a lack of emotional connection to the protagonist, particularly during a pivotal moment near the end of the game. While some players found the experience to evoke tears, it was often attributed to frustration with the game's mechanics rather than a genuine emotional engagement with the story or characters. Overall, the emotional impact appears to be inconsistent and overshadowed by gameplay issues.
- “2/10 - Bambi would cry again.”
- “... but... this game is so lazily made that it made me cry.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game is highly optimized, achieving around 90% GPU usage and approximately 1000 fps, making it accessible for a wide range of computers with performance exceeding 60 fps. This stands in stark contrast to the poor optimization seen in titles like Call of Duty: Black Ops 3.
- “Really well optimized, 90% GPU usage with around 1000 FPS.”
- “Can run on almost all computers, over 60 FPS unlike the Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 poor optimization.”
- “Can run on almost all computers, over 60 fps unlike the COD: Blops 3 poor optimization.”
- “Really well optimized, 90% GPU usage with around 1000 fps.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game frustrating due to its brevity, as the entire experience can be completed in about five minutes, limiting opportunities for card farming. The simplistic design, while appealing to younger audiences, is undermined by complex text that may not be suitable for its intended demographic, making the grinding feel unfulfilling. Overall, the lack of depth and meaningful engagement in the grinding process detracts from the game's appeal.
- “Normally when cash farming cards, I will play until I unlock them, but you can't do that here because you can run through the whole thing in about 5 minutes, consisting of some text, some scenery, and 3 or 4 mini puzzles. Although a game this cute, short, and simplistic would be geared towards young children, I still can't recommend it as half of the text consists of information that would fly right over a child's head, using words that I'm sure some of their slower parents would have trouble pronouncing.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has been reported to have several bugs, leading players to feel that it is somewhat incomplete.
- “The game is a bit buggy and gives me a feeling of being incomplete.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight exceptional character development, indicating that players find the growth and evolution of characters to be a standout feature of the game.
- “Awesome character development”
- “Awesome character development”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently praised for being highly immersive and engaging, creating a captivating environment that enhances the overall experience.
- “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into the game's world.”
- “The game's atmosphere is hauntingly beautiful, creating a sense of tension and wonder.”
- “Every detail contributes to a rich atmosphere that keeps you engaged and on edge.”