We reviewed Deer & Boy

Driftwood
Monday, June 22, 2026 | 4:00 PM
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Even though the warm weather has arrived and the pace of new releases has slowed down a bit, we’re still on the job to bring you informed reviews of June’s games. Today we’re taking a look at Deer & Boy, which recently got a demo—albeit a very short one—on Steam.

Verdict

The cinematic platformer genre is definitely on the rise this year. Planet of Lana II, Darwin’s Paradox, and Replaced have already made an impression on those who’ve had a chance to try them, each with its own unique worlds and atmospheres, but a new contender is already preparing to enter the arena. Deer & Boy is developed by French studio Lifeline Games—apparently their very first project—and while it makes no claim to revolutionize the genre, it nonetheless offers a delightful, carefully crafted adventure. Without giving too much away about the story, Deer & Boy tells the tale of the unlikely encounter between a young runaway boy and an adorable little fawn affected by a tragic event (we’ll let you guess which one). A story of friendship that will, of course, serve to explore the meaning of life, but which—while it begins in a fairly realistic setting—doesn’t hesitate to incorporate fantastical elements, or even venture into a certain kind of dreamlike realm. Mechanically speaking, the formula used here couldn’t be more classic: the game features platforming, stealth, and escape sequences, with a few sections laced with a touch of puzzle-solving. The presence of two characters allows for a cooperative system between the two protagonists that is reminiscent of the one in Planet of Lana. The child can thus ask the fawn to interact with certain mechanisms by pointing them out using the right stick, but it’s important to note that their relationship begins with the animal being more dependent; at first, it must indeed be carried around in a backpack, which in turn limits the boy’s movements and forces him to put it down regularly. Progression is generally straightforward, with no real roadblocks, although you may occasionally have to replay certain sequences once or twice. Since the game saves automatically very frequently, this is never a problem, and unlike a game like REANIMAL, you never find yourself getting stuck on a section simply because you didn’t understand how to react to the scripted sequence the developers had in mind.

With its fairly minimalist aesthetic, featuring flat colors, and the art direction’s low-poly approach, Deer & Boy is certainly visually charming. We also really appreciated the attention to detail in general and the use of depth to add dynamism to movement, which takes place primarily in a 2D plane (with one exception toward the end of the game). In fact, the character often starts moving toward the back of the screen while following the single path laid out by the developers, which adds a touch of variety to the presentation. It’s also worth noting that the game relies on the player intentionally changing planes; at times, you’ll need to climb onto a background element to continue progressing. Subtle (yet clearly visible) visual cues effectively indicate the path to follow, ensuring that what’s expected of you is always clear and that you never get stuck for no reason. While the adventure is short, it’s ultimately quite well-crafted, and the inclusion of full-3D sections and a runner-style sequence in the game’s final part keeps it from becoming monotonous. Deer & Boy is also an immersive experience thanks to its sound design, which is just as meticulously crafted when it comes to filling the game’s world with sound effects that match the locations you traverse as it is in the moments when the soundtrack takes center stage to underscore key, emotionally charged moments. The game may not feature any spoken dialogue, but it is nonetheless deeply moving on several occasions, and while it never quite reaches the level of mastery seen in the genre’s greatest titles, it certainly has its moments. For the €/$20 price tag, some will undoubtedly feel that the playtime isn’t substantial enough to give it a chance, and to a certain extent, we can’t say they’re wrong—especially since there are no collectibles to incentivize a second playthrough. That said, the price seems entirely fair to us, so it all comes down to how much you enjoy the cinematic platformer genre. Be aware, however, that despite its very childlike appearance, the game may not be suitable for very young children unless you accompany them on the adventure. It’s not that the gameplay mechanics are too complex for less experienced players, but certain sequences—which are more stressful due to their atmosphere and the stakes involved—might be quite upsetting for more sensitive children.