Enjoy a Slice of Nature in A Short Hike | Game Review
This game made me wanna take a break! Just a short one. A Short Hike is a quaint and brilliant game about the joy of the outdoors.
What is A Short Hike About?
You play as a young bird, Claire who lives in the big city. Her mother thinks she needs a mini break so packed her off to visit her aunt, Ranger May, on Hawk Peak Island.
Claire, unable to leave her troubles behind, tells her aunt she is waiting for a phone call. But there’s a problem – the only good reception on the island is at the top of Hawk Peak Mountain. If she wants to take that call she’ll have to hike up to the very top.
Hike, climb, and soar through the peaceful mountainside landscapes of hawk peak provincial park. Follow the marked trails or explore the backcountry as you make your way to the summit. Along the way, meet other hikers, discover hidden treasures, and take in the world around you.
A Short Hike – Steam
My Gameplay Experience of A Short Hike
I stumbled upon A Short Hike while I was on holiday in Wales. My fiance, his family, and I went to Betws-y-coed recently. A beautiful valley in the Snowdonia Forest Park. It was a much-needed break from the hustle and bustle of my home city in Norwich.
I rarely walk anywhere these days. Walking around a big city sucks quite frankly.
But my head needs the cobwebs blowing out now and then so I can get back to feeling myself. So going on holiday to Wales was a breath of fresh air, literally. When I came back to our holiday rental to take off my walking boots I reached for my Switch and started looking for new walking sims.
That’s when I came across A Short Hike. It was the perfect companion game for a walking holiday.
The Joy of Walking and Exploration
The developer of A Short Hike was inspired to make this game because of his joy of hiking around Canada and the United States National Parks.
In a way, A Short Hike is a love letter to nature and the big outdoors. There’s nothing better to lift your mood than escaping to the woods, picking a trail, and just putting one foot in front of the other.
There are no instructions per se, rather you get to where you need to go in the game by talking to people, just as you would if you need directions without a map.
I loved stumbling across little areas and meeting the animals of Hawk Island.
Ambiance and Artwork
The overall vibe of this game is incredibly comforting. From the low-res graphics to the scenery and colours. Every detail has been well thought out. A Short Hike’s atmospheric music comes in like waves, gently lulling you into a state of relaxation.
You can change the levels of ambiance, music, and sound effects to your tastes in the options menu. I personally loved an even balance but it was fun to do a run that was heavy on ambiance, it gave a real-world feel.
If you’re not a fan of low-res graphics the developer also included a couple of options on the Nintendo Switch – big and crunchy pixels or small and tasty. On PS4 and PS5 you can even play in 4K!
However, the charm of A Short Hike really comings from its art style. I encourage you to have an authentic playthrough first, before playing around with the settings. Personally, I preferred smoother graphics as it was easier on the eye, but I respect that the pixelation gives A Short Hike the feel of movement.
Compared to Games like Haven Park and Lil Gator Game
A Short Hike really stands on its own as an indie game. But it has since spawned imitators. I unfortunately played Haven Park before this game and I couldn’t help but draw comparisons. I say unfortunately because I truly loved Haven Park! When I played A Short Hike I kept thinking that the art style wasn’t as nice and the exploration wasn’t as deep.
I wish I could have played A Short Hike first.
However, I can appreciate that Haven Park was merely an adaption of A Short Hike. If you can, play A Short Hike first.
Lil Gator Game though is another walking exploration simulator with a similar art style. It will be a hit with younger gamers while A Short Hike will be appreciated more by an older player base.
Is A Short Hike Worth Buying?
Absolutely! If you’re anything like me you’ll steam straight through the storyline in 1hr! But it’s definitely worth going back and playing again. I missed so much on my first run-through… or rather, walk-through.
There’s so much to see in A Short Hike. Did you get all the feathers? Play volleyball on the beach? Take a trip on the boat? To complete everything takes roughly 3 hours.
A Short Hike helped me reconnect with my love of walking. The story in this game was probably over-simplistic, but it did give me a reason to explore. But what the story lacked, the aesthetic made up for in ambiance and coziness.
Though A Short Hike may not be heavy on story elements, it is charming and endearing. A game I’ll want to pick up again for the nostalgia feels in the future.
As an INFP, Wendy is always late for her house. Her wardrobe is stuffed with snuggly jim-jams, and her hot water bottle is her best friend. Wendy enjoys playing a little bit of everything, but she'll always prefer to unwind with simulation and management games.
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