A Short Hike
Rating: 4/5 - Worth playing
Difficulty: 2/5 - Low skill expectation
Replayability: 2/5 - Achievement hunting only
Commitment: 1/5 - Easy to complete
Play Time: 6.7hrs* | Achievements: 6/12 | Story: Completed | Platform: Steam | Controller Recommended
Available on: Nintendo Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Itch.IO, Epic, Steam, GOG
Website: https://ashorthike.com/
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A perfect option if you’re looking for a bite-sized game to relax with, A Short Hike offers a choose-your-own feel of an adventure on an impressively small map, regardless of how big it feels in game.
As it’s primary feature, the movement in the game feels incredible, though may take a bit of getting used to, and once you get the hang of it, you may even find yourself gliding around just for the fun of it. The only negative is that occasionally, the camera will switch to a jarringly different angle, and it can be difficult to recover your sense of direction for a short while after.
Exploration is a large part of this game, with certain helpful items hidden in areas that only the curious go. Though you may often feel like you are lost, there are many paths and walls to climb that make it easy to find your way back. The landscapes are beautiful, and it really is impressive how big the map feels whilst you are climbing around it.
The NPCs are a wonderful addition that make the world feel alive. There is no requirement to talk to any of them, though you may want to do so, as some of them are hiding items and stories worth exploring. You are definitely rewarded for talking to whoever you bump into, but ignoring them won’t take away from your enjoyment.
The soundtrack of the game is delightful, it doesn’t distract you from the game but is just interesting enough to immerse you, and for you to acknowledge that you’ve entered a new area.
It is a shame, however, that the achievements are slightly buggy whilst also being tricky to acquire. I had to play the game twice for Steam to give me my end game achievement, and a purchasable item did not unlock any achievement like it was meant to. I initially wanted to 100% the game, but this did deter me from it.
Overall I had a delightful time, the parkour aspects are simple to understand whilst giving room for a lot of skill to improve your journeys, you aren’t shoehorned into any specific route, though some will be easier, and I also must mention that I love this art style.
This is a game that, being less than 400MB, I can easily download in the future to play again, and I just might, as one of the mini-games ended up a lot more enjoyable than I first thought.
*replayed to review
