Draft:Duck Season (video game)

Duck Season
Developer(s)	Stress level Zero
Publisher(s)	Stress level Zero
Platform(s)	Window, VR
Release	Pc September 14 2017 VR September 15 2017
Genre(s)	Horror, VR, Action, Indie, Psychological Horror
Mode(s)	Single-player

Duck Season is a 2017 virtual reality horror video game developed and published by Stress Level Zero. It was re-released for PC in 2019 as a standard first-person game. The game serves as a homage to early Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) titles, particularly Duck Hunt.

The story is set in the 1980s, where players assume the role of a young boy who acquires a retro video game cartridge. This cartridge, however, turns out to be haunted by a dog mascot. The narrative unfolds as the player progresses through the game, facing challenges from the dog. The final outcome is determined by the player’s choices, leading to multiple possible endings.

Duck Season received generally positive reviews from both critics and players.

Gameplay

Duck Season is played from a first-person perspective and is a single-player experience. Players assume the role of a young boy in the 1980s who becomes immersed in a mysterious, haunted video game called Duck Season. Within the game, players can interact with various objects, such as toys and books, though the central focus is the Duck Season cartridge.

Upon inserting the cartridge, the boy’s character is transported into the television to play a duck-shooting game. Players control the character within the game, where they are greeted by a dog mascot. The game provides a basic tutorial, instructing players to shoot 10 ducks over three rounds. In addition to shooting ducks, players can also interact with other elements in the game, such as shooting the dog to antagonize it. After completing the game, the perspective shifts back to the boy in the real world.

To progress through the narrative, players must complete the duck-shooting game eight times to reach the story’s conclusion. Between each session, the environment surrounding the main character changes based on the player’s actions in the duck-shooting game. There are multiple possible endings, which are determined by the player’s decisions throughout the game. For example, shooting the dog within the game can lead to three distinct outcomes. After completing six playthroughs and unlocking six different endings, a seventh ending becomes available. Additionally, a secret ending can be unlocked by interacting with a special book, which transports the characters to a sandbox area.

Duck Season also includes eight mini-games, each serving as a homage to classic Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) titles. These mini-games are accessible by interacting with additional cartridges the character possesses and are played using light gun controllers.

Plot

 Duck Season is set in 1988. The story begins when a boy’s mother rents a video game called Duck Season. As he continues playing, the boundary between reality and the game world starts to blur. In the 1980s setting, the boy is thrilled when his mother surprises him with Duck Season, a game he has been eagerly awaiting. He begins playing immediately and soon encounters a dog character, apparently the game’s mascot. However, as the game progresses, strange events unfold—such as blurred vision and the dog mysteriously disappearing from the game. His mother also mentions a missing knife, while a news report covers an unsolved case of a missing child. Eventually, it is revealed that the dog is not simply a character but a real, malevolent force attempting to harm the boy. In the end, the outcome—whether the boy or the dog survives—depends on the player’s choices.

The first three endings are determined by the player’s success or failure in defeating the dog.

In the Canon Ending, the dog attempts to kill the boy in the real world. However, the boy defeats the dog and continues to live his life.

In contrast, if the player loses to the dog in the real world, the Kill Ending is triggered, in which the dog kills both the boy and his mother.

The Stuck Forever Ending occurs when the boy loses to the dog in the final game, and the dog traps him inside the television permanently.

The Fiesta Ending presents a surreal conclusion, where the characters live happily, celebrating together while playing maracas.

In the Best Men Ending, the dog is tracked down and killed by the police in the boy’s backyard.

The Nuke Ending sees the sun exploding, instantly destroying all life in the game world.

Finally, in the Final Dog Ending, the boy discovers that the dog controls the entire sequence of ending credits.

Development and release

Duck Season was heavily inspired by Duck Hunt. A nostalgic classic game from 1984 that was released on the Nintendo Entertainment System(NES). It was developed by Bone Work Stress Level Zero a VR indie game studio. There is no clear information about the exact date and time when the development of duck season began. However, it first appeared in a video named “ Dog Shot in the Backyard “ uploaded on a YouTube channel named BrandonJLa on February 17, 2017. Shortly after, the teaser and trailer were released consecutively on March 9, 2017, and September 2, 2017. Finally, The Duck season was released on 15 Sep on Steam and fully supports VR headsets such as Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. soon after, Stress Level Zero takes 2 years to port to the PC version and release it on Steam with Duck Season PC on June 17 2019

Reception

After its release, Duck Season received a review score of 6.9/10 on the PC platform from Metacritic. On Steam, the game was reviewed by over 2,000 users, receiving a "mostly positive" rating, with only 62 negative reviews. The community response to Duck Season has been largely favorable, with discussions about the game in many subreddit groups. Fans frequently talk about its nostalgic gameplay and intense storyline.