A Short Hike

Genre: Open-World Action-RPG

Players: 1

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Review:

A Short Hike, first released on PC in 2019 and ported to Nintendo Switch in 2020, is a family-friendly game that sorta’ fits in the genre of Action-RPG, albeit with strong Platforming elements. I say “sorta’” because it doesn’t have a lot of the things people may associate with this sort of game – there are no enemies, there’s no health bar, no dungeons to explore. It’s also an Open-World game, though the world is small in comparison to most other games in the genre and traversal is somewhat limited by the natural terrain… okay, I may not be explaining this too well…

Picture a game like a much smaller-scale The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (though, again, without monsters or dungeons), seen from an isometric overhead perspective. Like Breath of the Wild, you can go anywhere you like, so long as you can actually get there with your current stamina level, in this game measured in golden feathers. Every additional feather players add to their inventory gives them an additional flap of their wings (these act as additional mid-air jumps), or a bit of extra strength to make a strenuous climb, or an extra second or so of running. In addition, there are other items players can collect that give them other useful abilities, such as a pail that allows them to water flowers or a shovel to dig up treasure. Players scour the game’s island locale to find these treasures, collect coins to buy things from some of the game’s characters, and can help the locals with various mini-quest-esque tasks, with the end goal being to gain enough feathers to be able to make the trek up to the island’s central mountain.

This is a quest that will take only a few hours, tops, and isn’t terribly difficult, but it clearly isn’t intended to be. In keeping with this game’s family-friendly nature, this is a game that was undoubtedly meant to be something a child could complete without too much trouble, but that’s not to say this game is kid’s stuff. Players looking to speed run the game to the top of the peak will find it a simple matter, but there is plenty to explore on the island for those looking to flesh out their time with the game, and all sorts of secrets to find. It’s a delight just looking around, seeing what little nooks and crannies in the island you missed, what treasures you haven’t yet uncovered, or what residents you have yet to talk with.

The game’s characters are one of the more delightful parts of this game, actually. A Short Hike’s writing has a casual, witty style to it that made me smile countless times throughout my short… er, hike. What’s more, the optimistic and amiable tone is really a delight and really helps to underscore the relaxing nature of this game.

On that note, I need to mention this game’s outstanding soundtrack by Mark Sparling, who has created something truly wonderful here, with placid acoustic instrumentals that perfectly accentuate the laid-back nature of this game. To get an idea, check out Beach Buds, Somewhere in the Woods, and Snow, Lots of Snow. These tracks have been arranged in different ways that fade in and out of each other depending on what you’re doing at any given moment, making the entire thing feel like it’s constantly adapting and changing as you play.

Less impressive, but certainly distinct, is this game’s visual presentation, which is fairly simple but appealing, featuring a colorful, cartoony 3D world and characters in a stylized fashion, and by default presented in an intentionally low-resolution “large pixel size” style that gives the game a look akin to a Nintendo DS game. Players can opt to change this in the game’s option menus to opt for a more traditional presentation, but honestly I prefer the “chunky pixel” look this game defaults to, which really sets it apart from just about everything else on the Nintendo Switch.

While I absolutely adore most aspects of this game, it’s not without its flaws. Beyond the disappointingly short nature of the game (I would have loved to play this game for a full 10-20 hours if they could have stretched this experience out that long), one thing that really frustrated me was the game’s camera, which players only have extremely limited control over, and which shifts and moves as players travel from one area to another. This can at times make it difficult to keep track of exactly where you are and which direction things are in, a problem exacerbated by the lack of a world map. Thankfully, the world isn’t so large that getting lost lasts for very long, but it’s still a frustrating element that this game unnecessarily places players in far too frequently.

Still, despite these flaws, it’s hard not to love A Short Hike. This is a beautiful experience, despite its unassuming exterior, easy challenge level, and regrettably short length. With a memorable visual style, gorgeous soundtrack, fantastic writing, and fun exploration-focused gameplay, this game packs a lot of delight into that short run time. Despite my sadness at this game ending far too soon, I loved every second of it and would gladly recommend it to just about anyone. This hike may be short, but it’s a joyous one while it lasts

tl;dr – A Short Hike is a family-friendly Open-World Action-RPG, albeit one without enemies, dungeons, hit points, or a significant level of challenge, and one that’s smaller than most open worlds. Still, despite this, and despite how short the game is, it is an absolutely amazing experience from start to finish. Superb writing, a beautiful soundtrack, a memorable visual art style, and wonderful exploration-focused gameplay all make this a hike that, while short, is one well worth taking.

Grade: A-

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This game has been nominated for one or more of eShopperReviews 2020 Game Awards:

Runner-Up: Game of the Year, Best RPG/Action-RPG, Best Platformer, Best Music, Best Song – Snow, Lots of Snow (Long Hike) by Mark Sparling, Best Song – Beach Buds (Long Hike) by Mark Sparling

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