A Short Hike: Game Review

As the name suggests, A Short Hike is a relatively short game with beautiful pixel art and a mellow soundtrack, wherein you play a bird who must fly up to the top of Hawk Mountain. This indie game was developed and published by Canadian programmer Adam Robinson-Yu and offers a fun and relaxing gameplay experience.

As the young bird Claire, you can roam around the park, befriending strangers, solving small quests, and collecting pebbles but you must finally make your way to the summit (where there is cell reception) so you can answer an important call from your mum. The player might choose to make the “short hike” right away or they might want to wander around and explore the richly detailed world (we recommend the latter approach) of Hawk Peak Provincial Park.

In fact, once you start talking to the characters, you’ll discover that there’s a lot of interconnected storylines, and the side activities help you find and collect “golden feathers” which in turn make the steep uphill climb easier. Although the game recommends you collect seven golden feathers before embarking on the hike, you can attempt the climb with less or more feathers depending on how much of a “challenge” you want it to be. In the Park, you can jog, climb, fly and glide through the air, fish, dig for coins and even play a volleyball-like mini-game called “beachstickball”.

Image via Steam

As the days wear on, the colors change, suggesting a passage of time. The different anthropomorphic characters are fun to talk to, adding a sense of liveliness to the game. Plus, the Park itself is full of secrets- with tunnels, buried treasure, and hidden camping spots for the player to discover. In fact, even after making the climb, you can choose to come back and explore more of the park.

A great achievement of this game is how it allows the players to do what they like. They can explore the park or climb the mountain or do both at their own pace. None of the challenges are too difficult, which makes it an excellent comfort game. So if you’re in the mood for something short, simple, and beautiful, with vivid natural scenery, A Short Hike is worth checking out.