Game: Reindeer Story
Genre: RPG
System: Steam (Windows)
Developers | Publishers: Azzie | Smoggysoft
Controller Support: Full
Steam Deck: Playable
Price: US $7.99 | UK £6.49 | EU € 7,99
Release Date: November 1st, 2024
A review code was used, and many thanks to Smoggysoft.
One of the great things about exploring and reviewing small indie games is that it allows a gentler, often more inclusive view on games that would (and, sometimes, should) go otherwise totally ignored. Reindeer Story, by solo developer Azzie, isn’t an A-list or even B-list video game release and can’t possibly hold up against this year’s surprise crop of excellent JRPGs, much less the return of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.
But it doesn’t have to. There’s a delight in finding small games built out of a pure affection for its premise and a chunky but educated understanding of how it’s supposed to play compared to all its famous predecessors. Reindeer Story is definitely an imperfect game, which is going to make handing it its final score a little complicated. But like its star, a red-nosed reindeer named Lux (it’s a copyright law thing), there’s a lot of heart on display to admire.
It’s Always Christmas in Reindeer Story
Like a certain tale about a wannabe dentist and the local weird kid, Reindeer Story initially bounces a lot of stories between a shop elf named Robin, who just wants to be the best at their job, and Lux, who isn’t just a weird kid (reindeer). Still, an over-sugared Ryan Reynolds-with-anxiety-age-12 weird kid who will make you cookies for breakfast and then beat himself up because he forgot he left the kitchen a wreck.
This puts most of the early story into motion. Lux is infamous in Christmas Town, and this time, it’s not because of his nasal disorder. He wants to be the cool hero so badly that he’s overextending what his charisma can actually pull off. It’s actually affecting how quickly we see others take advantage of him for that, leaving him holding a sloppy bag of consequences. Showing a pretty good understanding of not just the greater Rankin-Bass Christmasverse but the original legends of the wintery trickster sprite, it’s Jack Frost out to steal Christmas — and with Lux’s heartbreakingly helpful nature on deck, he succeeds at it.
With a lack of silly Christmas-themed games available, it’s already nice to see this one playing so heartily with what it’s setting up. It even features an option at the beginning of the game for naughty or nice dialogue for those worried about what Santa might think. I put it on naughty, and I came across a few colorful jokes that dance close to a mild edge but still nothing too out of pocket for most gamers.
The World of the Old School RPG
Made with GameMaker, which helps a lot of novice creators get off the ground for the first time, Reindeer Story is visually as chunky as an NES game. The color palette is limited, the pixels can be hand-counted, and the result is a game that’s going to be a little rough to look at at first. The gameplay is equally crunchy, mixing bits of Mario RPG and Undertale into a blend of classic turn-based combat with familiar modern twists and a bit of platforming.
The combat is pleasantly simple: time your button press on an attack and do extra damage. When it’s the enemy’s turn, your defender gets to dodge around a portion of the screen and even potentially counterattack with some basic skills. On easy, you’ll go ages without ever taking damage, letting you enjoy the story at a fairly rapid pace.
My one quibble with the controls and the game’s deliberate — and understanding — echo of old-school games is that the platforming is incredibly floaty. Such was the style at the time, sure, but even some simple cloud-to-cloud hopping saw me sliding into the void more times than I liked. Also, like those old-school forefathers, failing those jumps will also impact your HP, eventually leading to a game over.
This is ameliorated by the ability to save anywhere, meaning you won’t lose any progress so long as you think to save before and/or during some potentially annoying segments. Those used to floaty jumpers will have fewer troubles, too, so on the whole, this is not a deal breaker. However, it is a note to keep in mind.
Conclusion
Reindeer Story is the sort of game meant for people who enjoy very old-school RPGs and who want to support new developers who put a lot of very visible effort into something they genuinely care about doing. It’s far from a perfect game; its deliberate archaicness is going to make it feel sluggish and even difficult for some newer gamers, and there are occasional minor errors like misspelt or badly wrapped text. In the game’s defence, I remember professionally distributed NES and SNES games having these issues, too, so I don’t consider these big flaws.
The game’s biggest draw is its charming story, which starts from some familiar but copyright-safe origins and then begins to spread into the sillier mythos of Christmas. Fans of the equally cornball Zeboyd games (Cthulhu Saves the World, etc.) are probably the best base from which to support developer Azzie in whatever project they’re ready to tackle next. And I do hope they keep going.
Available at a budget price on Steam and filled with plenty to do, it’s not a game I can easily recommend to a casual cozy gamer. But for those willing to share some Christmas spirit and slice off a whack of some actually pretty tasty fruitcake, I hope you give it a visit. It’s a little funky, but I can’t help but admire its charm.
Final Verdict: I Like It
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