Frequent readers may have noticed by now, but my love for unique indie titles knows no bounds, and A Short Hike is just the latest to catch my attention. After the disappointment that Turok: Escape the Lost Valley, my expectations for low-priced indie titles had been reset, in hopes of avoiding being let down once more. I guess that’s what made my time with A Short Hike such a pleasant surprise. It was the perfect antithesis to Turok; instead of actively fighting against me at every turn, the decisions made here feel like they were made explicitly to enable the player to explore and experience the game at their own pace.
A Short Hike is what you would get if a game like Animal Crossing focused more on exploration and discovery, and less on the predatory home loan practices of the neighborhood tanuki (I’m looking at you, Tom Nook). You play as Claire, a young anthropomorphic bird, who is attempting to regain cell phone service by making her way up Hawks Peak, the tallest mountain in the area. Add in a healthy dose of exploration mechanics clearly inspired by one of the highest rated games of all times, and a dash of witty writing à la Night in the Woods for good measure, and you’ve got yourself an indie darling in the making.
As you can probably tell, A Short Hike‘s aesthetics are unique, and are pleasing in most regards. The landscape you explore is colorful and interesting, and the soundtrack which accompanies you on your adventure is an absolute treat. One thing of note is that the game is presented with a filter that applies a slight pixelation, which unfortunately doesn’t scale terribly well at higher resolutions. The filter can be turned off in the game’s settings, but I would suggest leaving it on and either lowering the resolution, or just playing the game in windowed mode.
A game can look as good as it wants, but if it isn’t fun to play, it’ll never gain any traction. Luckily, A Short Hike shines in this regard, as well. The main traversal mechanics you’ll leverage to explore the island feel like they were pulled directly from the recent classic The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, and I love them here just as much as I did there. You’ll spend most of your time monitoring stamina, represented by collectible “Golden Feathers”, as you ascend the mountain. These feathers will allow you to climb mountains and structures, fly/glide, and eventually sprint. Flying and climbing are essential to getting the most out of exploring this game, so nab those Golden Feathers whenever you can!
While your main objective is to reach the summit of Hawks Peak, you’d be forgiven for getting lost in the countless activities that are presented to you along the way. Fishing, treasure hunting, racing, beachstickball (you read that right), and that’s not including all of the quests from folks you encounter on the trails leading to the mountain. It’s entirely plausible to finish this game within an hour or so, but you’d be doing the game, and yourself, a major disservice.
In fact, I’d argue that these extracurricular activities are the real draw this game provides. Sure, the game technically has an overarching story, but it is so hands off that you may even forget it was there. It wasn’t until the climax of the narrative that you are given any context to Claire’s motivations Even then, the tonal juxtaposition between the story’s culmination and the game’s often whimsy and silly nature leading up to that point could be seen as jarring to some players.
I tend to write mostly about games that have had some sort of impact on me personally, mostly because those sorts of personal experiences are inherently easier to write about. There was a moment, perhaps about an hour or so in, where I noted to myself how far off the beaten trail I had found myself and how much of a pain it would be to find my way back. Almost immediately after finishing this thought, as if the developer themselves had been listening in, I stumbled upon an entrance to a derelict mining shaft. After walking through the entrance of the cave, the mining shaft had spit me out withing throwing distance of the campsite where my adventure had first begun. I’d enjoyed my time with the game up until that point, but the serendipitous nature of this series of events really solidified my feelings towards this game.
In retrospect, it’s interesting to ponder how much of a lasting impact this game has had on me. Anecdotally, in the weeks since I finished the game, I’ve picked up both walking and rock climbing in my free time. While the former has had multiple influences (did you know Pokemon GO is still a thing?), the latter feels directly connected to my experience with this game. Heck, you are even introduced to the climbing mechanic by being made to scale a climbing wall. Both of these new hobbies have allowed time for reflection, which I had never really made time for previously. I wouldn’t say that A Short Hike is necessarily a profound experience, so your mileage may vary, but the confidence with which the game presents itself makes it hard not to be swept up in its whimsy. And who knows, it may just be enough to kick-start some change in your life, as well.
