A Short Hike (2019)

Review for the Nintendo Switch version.

A game that warms your heart and soul. The perfect cozygame to unwind. There is so much to this game, as simple as it may look. You can take a short hike, or you can explore every little corner of the island, talk to all the cute animals, complete little missions, play games, race, fish, you name it! This kinda made me want to go on a real hike.

To be honest, I have nothing bad to say about this game. It is perfection for me. Perfect length and size of the map, very balanced in terms of "quests" and things to find, and enough variety of activities so that the game does not feel just like a cute walking simulator. The aesthetics are good (pixelated, but also not that pixelated), dialogues and interactions, and the music.

If you decide to give this game a try (and you should), I recommend taking the time to squeeze all that you can from it. It will be very rewarding and fulfilling, I promise!

I started up this sweet little game tonight after not feeling particularly motivated to make progress on any of my current games on Steam and it was kind of perfect for that mindset. The island offers a neat little sandbox with NPCs for you to wander through and play around with as well as a light story to enjoy alongside it.

The game actually had more mechanical depth than I expected. I opened it expecting something akin to a walking sim with maybe some light platforming and fun dialogue thrown in. While I'm sure some might summarize this game exactly as such, the various tools and little upgrades you get help flesh this out beyond what might otherwise be a fairly standard cozy experience.

The writing is pretty funny as well! All the characters have a silly charm that makes them pretty endearing right from the get go. It pulls a little from Animal Crossing with some of its mechanics and humor. The game also doesn't overstay its welcome. I finished in one short sitting, but there were definitely some little bits of side content I could have spent more time on had I wanted to sit with it a bit longer. I could see myself revisiting it someday to clean up the remaining collectibles.

I picked this little gem up during the peak of the pandemic, August 2020, after seeing it on a Direct. It was one of those experiences that leaves you feeling not quite like yourself anymore. Like you have changed irrevocably. It made me long for a place like Hawk Peak. It made me long for simpler connections and new friends.

At the beginning of 2021, I decided to get a Penpal app to address some of these newfound desires. This is where I would meet my future partner. She lived in a completely different place from me. I told her about one of my favorite games, A Short Hike. She excitedly told me about her hometown and a tower up on a mountain that you can hike to. Fast forward almost 3 years and I am living in that same town, working a dream job, and seeing that beautiful tower up on the mountain.

All of this is to say that A Short Hike is one of those games that changes your life. It is more than just a simple story of climbing a mountain. It is about the journey of life itself. It is about a slow and uncertain pace, unlikely friends, and adventure in the smallest things.

The music by Mark Sparling is fantastic. The dialogue is simple and sweet. Every character is a delight to talk to. The environment is atmospheric and a blast to explore. Even the game's short length and abrupt ending serve to make it a relaxing and succinct experience. I have no bad words for this game and I believe that if you have ever experienced the uncertainty of change, the grief of illness, or the daunting task that is life you will come away from A Short Hike feeling like you just might make it yet.

Give it a try if you haven't played this gem. It still sticks with me even after 3 years.

A Short Hike is a game I've been meaning to get to for quite some time, and I finally picked it up during the Steam Summer Sale. This lovely romp is just as the name describes--a short little walk in the park that made me feel completely invigorated and inspired by the time I reached the end credits. I knew going in that I was going to enjoy the game on a base level, because I adore the visual style. To my delight, I found that the game excels in almost every other aspect as well, offering compelling gameplay, charming dialogue and amazing music.

In A Short Hike, you step into the role of Claire, a cute bird who's searching for a stronger phone signal while on vacation in a forested island. You decide to take the titular short hike up to the island's mountain peak in order to get the reception needed for an important phone call. The island is filled with distinct landmarks and a ton of wonderful NPCs that were a total joy to discover.

In terms of gameplay, this is a mini-adventure platformer of sorts, where climbing up the mountain requires you to find and collect golden feathers that extend Claire's ability to jump, fly and climb over various platforming obstacles. This game is, most of all, about exploration. You are free to wander the island from the onset, and are only gated by your stock of golden feathers. You can find them just sitting in hard-to-reach places, or as rewards for interacting with the island's many inhabitants. The game never rushes you towards any particular objective, and it offers plenty of side activities that let you just hang out in its wonderful world. There's fishing, treasure hunting and a handful of mini-games that you can take part in, giving you plenty of opportunities to extend your stay and immerse yourself in the captivating atmosphere.

The one minor gripe I have is the occasional conflict between its locked camera and the emphasis on exploration. The game lets you climb and glide, but the fixed angle makes navigation quite difficult at times. The perspective of the island changes depending on your location, which turned getting the lay of the land into a confusing affair. I got lost quite often, and the lack of any map is the main reason I didn't try to 100% the game. At the same time, I appreciate that this style gives the game a really deliberate old-school vibe, and I respect the choice.

Looking back, I regret not dipping into A Short Hike sooner. The experience was incredibly good, and I find myself wanting more. I'd call it a masterpiece if it didn't leave me hungry for a deeper exploration of this gameplay concept. Even then, it's undeniably one of the most memorable indie games I've ever had the pleasure of playing.

ENG

As its name says, this game will take you on an hour-long lovely adventure if you focus only on completing its central objective, reaching the top of the island. However, if you prefer to explore the game, it can take up to two hours longer.

If you have read some of my previous reviews, you will know that I love games with a big personality in terms of visual style. Well, A Short Hike is not impressive in this aspect but it has an eye-catching aesthetic (I love it). It's full of paths, secrets and people that will offer us different and very entertaining tasks. In general terms, it's a calm and nice hike thanks to the scenery and its simple controls (especially when you are flying).

In short, I highly recommend this game, although it won't appeal to those who need a lot of action, because in A Short Hike it's more important to enjoy the journey than to reach the goal.

ESP

Tal y como indica su nombre, en este juego te embarcarás en una aventura encantadora de una hora de duración si te centras únicamente en completar su objetivo central, llegar al punto más alto de la isla. Sin embargo, si prefieres explorar el juego, puede alargarse hasta dos horas más.

Si habéis leído algunas de mis reviews sabréis que me encanta los juegos con una gran personalidad en cuanto a estilo visual. Pues bien, A Short Hike no es impresionante en este aspecto pero tiene una estética entrañable (me encanta). Está lleno de caminos, secretos y personas que nos propondrán diferentes misiones muy entretenidas. A grandes rasgos, es un paseo tranquilo y simpático gracias a los escenarios y a sus controles sencillos (sobre todo a la hora de volar).

En resumen, recomiendo muchísimo este juego aunque no gustará a aquellos que necesiten mucha acción, ya que en A Short Hike lo importante no es llegar a la meta sino disfrutar del camino.

A Short Hike as the name implies is not a very long game. It's a pleasant platformer with no combat or difficult puzzles. However there is enough challenge to be more than just a walking simulator.

The tale revolves around Claire, a bird on a retreat with her aunt on an island. Claire being a city person desperately wants connection with the outside world. Her aunt tells her the only place that has cell signal is on the top of the mountain. And so, the whole point of the game is to make the short hike up the mountain.

At first, the task seems trivial, just follow the route markers up the mountain. But then the game throws several curveballs at you, such as having a series of platforms that can't be reached or changes in the weather that hinder your movement. The only way to scale the mountain is to improve your abilities by talking with the other animals along the route and listening to their requests. The requests range from playing mini-games or collecting a certain amount of items. The writing is grounded, funny and charming all at the same time. It strikes the right balance of real world talk and the typical dialogue seen in video games.

The game is free form. There is no set path and there are multiple ways to scale the mountain. You also don't need to follow through with every single request to complete the game. In a way the game feels almost like a large platforming puzzle found in the Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.

Once Claire reaches the summit, the reveal is more significant that what is initially presented. Overall, I came away liking this game a lot. It's a concise game and doesn't overstay its welcome. A Short Hike might not be some grand epic RPG, but it delivers charm in spades and completely won me over.

a short hike is a bit like the title says.

(and imo it's best played somewhat blind.)

BUT it's a fairly charming little indie/gamejam action-adventure game from an isometric perspective (but feels a lot like a JRPG in spirit) where you wander about and talk to people and do various little sidequests at a summer camp. each one helping you achieve your main quest, to complete a challenging hike.

Overall this is a very impressive little gem and very good design and difficult to dislike do to it's easy going gameplay and charming aesthetic

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS IN THIS REVIEW.

When I was a little girl, maybe about 6 or so, I watched my uncle die from Aids.

Despite blocking out a majority of my childhood in order to function even halfway as an adult, I do have an extremely vivid memory of seeing my uncle lying in a bed in the back room of my grandparents house, sickly and pale, asking for me to come give him a hug. I didn't, and it's been one of the biggest regrets of my life. He understood. He knew it looked scary, he held no anger towards me for it. After all, I was just a child, I didn't know any better. But there's something else about my uncle that you should know. He was the only other queer person in my entire family (at least that we know have known of), and because he died when I was such a young age, he never got to really know me, as another queer person, and that bond that could've been being extinguished so early has also always haunted me as well.

When I was a kid, and even until I was about 16, my stepfather would take me hiking. He used to take the whole family camping yearly, mostly to Yosemite, but wherever he could really. We saw Yellowstone, Redwoods, you name it. By the age of 11, I'd hiked Half Dome in Yosemite. I've spent time deep in the Redwoods. I've seen all the geysers at Yellowstone, and I've rolled down sand dunes in the Death Valley Desert. I like hiking and camping.

A Short Hike caught my eye immediately with it's Animal Crossing-esque visual style, a game that looks ripped right out of a Nintendo console, complete with goofy dialogue and calming musical interludes. Sure, you COULD race right up the mountain once you have enough Golden Feathers, but where's the fun in that? No. You should take your time, catch some fish, participate in some beach games and look for treasure. Take in as much relaxation as you can, because you won't just need your energy for climbing that mountain, you'll also need it to get you through the crushing pit at the top. See, your entire goal, as this teenage bird girl, is to get to the top of the mountain so that you can get cell phone reception. Right from the get go, you are given the vague impression that you don't really want to be at this campsite, but that you didn't really have a choice, and that something back home is wrong. Boy, was that an understatement. Once you gain access to the top of the mountain, you finally get reception and get a call from your mother, who was, apparently, undergoing some sort of surgery (possibly for a numerous time?) and was worried that you would be damaged by being around for it.

A Short Hike is pain disguised as pleasure. Overcoming grief and loss (or potential loss, in this case, since her mom didn't actually die) is very much like climbing up a steep mountain. It takes all your strength, your effort, your drive, to want to actually reach the top and come face to face with the thing that scares you the most. And, to avoid dealing with it, you're going to try and do everything else first. You're going to try and put as much distance between yourself and your painful goal as possible, by following treasure maps or selling fish to a sailor. You're going to try and fill the possible upcoming void with hobbies and activities so that when the void finally hits, you aren't left with a feeling of absolute hopelessness. Instead, you have other things to focus on, to distract yourself with. This is, from my own personal experience, how grief works.

I've seen many reviews state the same thing: that the buildup of the game itself doesn't warrant the emotional crux at the peak, but that's actually, to me, as someone who's survived a LOT of trauma, what makes it very realistic and painful. Rarely in life are you prepared for something like this. Often times, the death, or potential loss, of a loved one comes out of the clear blue sky, and you're taken completely by surprise of it. Only if someone gets diagnosed with a terminal illness do you get the chance to maybe contemplate their impending demise, otherwise it's more or less "Hey, got a phone call from mom today, grandpa slipped in the kitchen and is dead now" and that's what you suddenly have to deal with. So no, I don't agree with those reviewers. I was certainly not prepared for my uncles death, but for different reasons, the main being I was a child and didn't really understand what was happening, so I couldn't really process it. And sometimes it's easier that way, to not be able to acknowledge something before it happens, to instead be caught off guard, because then you don't dread it happening, it just happens and you have to deal with it. I was in the hospital a lot myself when I was very little. I nearly died a few times from a few different things. Having not died, and not being older, knowing I'll have to die eventually, at some random time, is actually worse.

A Short Hike is beautiful. It's a calming, pseudo therapeutic slice of life with no real stress attached to it. Pick up and play numerous times, with a charming atmosphere, a gorgeous visual aesthetic and a wonderful message. It's so easy to play because it's just life. It's a snapshot into a window of time before you're hit with something terrible, and then you look back and go, "god, remember when things were easy?" It's a portrait of that ethereal, something feels wrong but I can't quite put my feather on it, sort of emotion you have right before something hits, and it's wonderful. Overcoming grief and pain, clawing your way to recovery, is a lot like climbing a mountain. The only difference is it isn't a short hike, at least not for me. It's a long, arduous process that requires sleeping in a tent in the absolute worst conditions, hoping that instead, the next day will see even just a hint of a ray of sunshine.

Because listen, I may be a super pessimistic bitch, but sometimes, man, sometimes that brief ray of sunshine...it's really, really worth weathering the storm.