A Short Hike is a heartwarming journey that doesn't last long, but will stick with you long after it's done. [Issue #49 – November/December 2020, p. 23]
Many games often aspire to deliver more, sometimes bartering in dizzying excesses--be it in high-octane action or through big, sweeping narratives that thrust you into a heroic position. But it's the diminutive tales and everyday experiences of A Short Hike that give the game its comforting, even pastoral allure. It's about seeking quiet communion with nature even as you make your umpteenth hike towards the peak, or finding contentment in stumbling upon tinier, quaint scenes. It proposes that even the smallest and most mundane of vignettes can be as enthralling as grandiose universes and narratives of more ambitious games. As I embark on yet another leisurely trek after ascending the summit of Hawk Peak, I can't help but heartily agree.
Though A Short Hike doesn’t bring much new to the table (many elements will feel similar to Journey, Celeste, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Animal Crossing, or Stardew Valley), the game combines familiar mechanics so well that A Short Hike, despite a few small drawbacks, is a well put together, relaxing game you shouldn’t miss out on.
Wow... Just finished playing it. This game is transcendent. It is literally a form of therapy, while I was playing I was so distracted by the beautiful style of the game, the amazing music, the many villagers and their mini games and quests, and above all my mission to reach the peak. I will definitely replay this game whenever I'm feeling down. The ending moved me to tears and it just makes you feel so warm inside. Don't be thrown off by the price to hours played ratio... I promise you it is worth it!!!!
A Small Hike is a fun little game; visual style is nice and it's satisfying enough to spend a couple of hours with. Saying that, it is very short (as the name suggests!) and there's not enough of a pull to explore every nook and cranny.
It's highly overrated. The game is not bad by any means, but it's simply way, way too short to deserve all the praise it gets It took me about 2 hours to complete, and I don't feel the urge to play it again, ever. It's unfair that a game like this gets more credit compared to certain other indie games which took several years to develop.
It looks allright, the color palette is nice, flaoting in the air is nice enough, and the interactions between the various characters are quite cool - but overall, this game is just so boring. Nothing really happens. You just follow a trail, and find some stuff here and there - 0 engagement. The camera angle is weird as well, making you fall long distances from time to time. I'm sure games like these has its audience, but this certainly wasn't for me.