70%PC

pretty decent, side quests are boring but mains are good

90%Xbox Series X/S

I think when you look at something critically it's important not to compare apples to oranges. When you read the title and see the key art for this game you know exactly what it's going to be, and A Short Hike delivers. Despite it's short playtime little games like these always make an impression on me. A Short Hike will be burned into my memory by somehow miniaturizing a collectathon. Lovely little game with fun mechanics, cute art, and an endearing story.

85%PC

A sweet short little game that was really enjoyable. This may be the first pure adventure game I've played in that you can go anywhere you want in the game, can do stuff in any order, and there isn't any action or puzzles unless you count beachstickball as action.

95%PC

A Short Hike feels like a warm hug. It is a simple game that reminds you of simpler times.

There are so many faces to meet and characters to help, with so many different things to share with you. Saying "stories" feels too shallow, because these characters feel like real people. Many of them made me laugh and were very kind, but many of them also made me ache and sympathize. They have real struggles, struggles I myself relate to, and as Claire I was able to help and support them.

But Claire also struggles. From the start, when talking to Aunt May, it’s clear Claire is anxious about a phone call she’s awaiting. Aunt May suggests she hikes up to Hawk Peak, both to get reception to her phones but most of all to take her mind off of things. And thus, both Claire and the player start exploring. And soon enough, the awaited phone call is fully forgotten. The anxiety has been replaced by a sense of calm, curiosity and joy. Both for Claire, and the player.

This game allowed me, as Claire, to help characters I met in the world. But the characters in this world, through helping Claire, also helped me. They made me feel calm, safe, included and appreciated. They made me appreciate the now of both their world and my own.

And I don't know about you, but I really enjoyed My (Short) Time as a carefree kid again.

Thank you for the hug adamgryu

35%Nintendo Switch

This game, for me, was super boring.

The goals were so ambiguous, the environment so samey that it was easy to get very lost, and the writing was too generically safe. It lacked heart.

And heaven forbid you try to play it in more than one sitting. I had no idea what my goals were after not playing it for about a week.

The heart that the game did have was cute, for sure. The main character was appealing, and her relationship to her mom/aunt, while WAY minimal, was satisfying and sweet.

The game was nothing more than fetch quests with questionable controls and standard, under-realized, or trite gameplay ideas.

I feel like I’ve played better versions of this game.

60%Mac

More fun if you grab interactive map someone made. But a great ending.

75%PC

It's short, it's different, it's brilliant. Of course, you can't ask this kind of game to be more than something to chill a little. You basically can 100% it on a sunday afternoon. Not my type of fun on paper. But A Short Hike has something unique that makes it fascinating when a lot of similar games only sound lazy.

95%PC

Really loved this title it was so relaxing to play and extremely memorable, teaching lots of life stories.

85%PC

This game will make you feel happy, doesnt matter if your dog just died or whatever, this will cure your sadness. Charming and fun with a really catchy soundtrack. Good vibes all around.

80%PC

I played this game for Pay or Play 4th Cycle of 2024 and it was picked for me by Riku.

Hike, climb, and soar through the peaceful mountainside landscapes of Hawk Peak Provincial Park as you make your way to the summit. In A Short Hike you play as Claire, a young anthropomorphic black bird, who lives in the city. She has come to visit her Aunt May at the Hawk Peak Provincial Park where she works as a park ranger.

It's a very chill and lovely little game where you go on a hike up the mountain! To get to the top, you need to gather some golden feathers to be able to climb and fly higher. The main story ends after you've reached the peak and talked with Aunt May about it, but you can explore the game after it just fine. I did almost everything before went up the mountain though, which is possible.

It wasn't too difficult to play and to 100%. One of the achievements was time specific, so I changed the time on my pc to get it, as I would have otherwise forgotten it anyway. Other achievements were very straight forward, though I used an interactive map on google to find some of the collectibles.

In the end though, the game is very lovely and I think it's worth to play, such a lovely little game.

90%Nintendo Switch

A super cute short game, I loved all the little stories and challenge with the NPC.
It's really a simple game that is nice to play on a Sunday evening.
The mechanics are simple and good, flying is really satisfying and the more you play, the higher you can go.

90%PC

This game was a lot of fun! Some of the achievements were out of the box, which were fun to find/complete. I had to use a guide sadly hehe

80%PC

Amazing little game, made on the steam deck while on a trip ! 100% is not that hard and is fun. The graphics are cute and loved it.
So fun game to make during your holidays or something !

80%Nintendo Switch

A cozy, fun and short game, definitely worth the $9

90%Nintendo Switch

If anyone has ever recommended A Short Hike to you, it was probably recommended on the basis that you'll love it if you like Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley. And while it's true that those games share a large portion of their fanbase with A Short Hike due to their laidback nature, it's still a recommendation that can end up painting the less-popular ASH in a slightly reductive light. The reality is that this game is a totally unique experience, and a game that itself has already become an influential title in its own right.

A Short Hike is a game that lives up to its name; it's possible to beat the game before reaching the hour mark even when playing casually, and a 100% completion should still clock in at under 5 hours. For players with a limited gaming schedule, then, ASH is a marvel; every second spent playing this game feels worth your time. It's the absolute definition of quality over quantity, for though the world is small, it's packed pretty tightly with collectables and mini-quests. No time is wasted while playing this game, and the game's overall aesthetic and character have a lot to do with that. The retro, DS-era graphics add a heavy layer of nostalgia to ASH, making it that much more of a comfy experience. The game's characters are funny and charming, so much so that one of the best things about this game is its dialogue. It feels effortless. It's so intelligent and so playful that it's easy to put yourself in Claire's (the main character's) shoes. For the brief moments you play these games, her new friends feel like your new friends, and her short hike feels like your short hike.

The soundtrack of A Short Hike fits the naming convention as well; there are only a few full songs in this game, but ASH gets a surprising amount of variety out of them. This is thanks to the adaptable soundtrack, which changes based on Claire's movement; this also helps the game create the carefree personality that it aims for. Claire's movement is crisp, too, and almost impressively so for a game of its nature. The controls are simple but effective. The automatically controlled camera can be inconsistent sometimes, which does put a hamper on some areas of the world, but overall it still controls very well. The race side quests in ASH do well to show off Claire's movement, and soaring down from the top of Hawk's Peak is a moment of pure, unbridled joy.

A Short Hike is a game that always feels rewarding to play because it's always rewarding you. In fact, it's so enjoyable that it's almost a shame it's so short, even as that's what gives ASH a lot of its charm. It's such a lovely and relaxing experience that, for some players, it almost doesn't feel like enough. There's a reason why phrases such as "games like A Short Hike" have a truckload of Google results; players want more of this experience. So while it is a fantastic game at its brief length, it feels like it had more to give. Like there was more it could have done without getting stale or uninteresting. But the reason players want more of it or mention that it might be too short all come from the same place, and it's ultimately a place of praise.

It's rare for games this short to be so immersive, but that's part of what makes A Short Hike so special. Even with minimal story, it delivers poignant moments. Even with limited characters, it delivers strong connections. For a game where you control a bird and talk to animals, it feels decidedly human. It's a tremendous investment of such a small period of time, and it will stick with you long after Claire settles in for her midday nap. In truth, it probably would take less time to play than it did to write this review, but maybe there's an ironic art in a review being so long for a game that's so short. So forget everything you've heard about A Short Hike. Forget what it's been compared to. In fact, forget this review, too. Simply play the game and experience a short burst of comforting, uplifting, gaming near-perfection.

95%PC

This was such a relaxing and nice game! While there is a story to follow, there is a lot of encouragement to take your time and explore. It has a lot of features reminiscent of Animal Crossing in the best way, plus you can fly!

85%Nintendo Switch

A Short Hike

🎮Switch
🕹️Exploration Chill

✔️Beau Pixel Art
✔️Liberté sur l'île
✔️Pleins de petites quêtes
✔️C'est relaxant
✔️OST dans le ton
❌La caméra parfois qui fait nimp
❌Aucune indication sur rien
❌Pas de stats de progression

⏱️1h40
🎯Fini à 90% je pense

🎼17/20

60%PC

I got this game for free on epic store. It takes only 7 golden feathers to beat the game which takes 1 hr or so to get. The only goal is to climb to the top, however you are free to explore and do whatever you want. It's meant to be a relaxing experiance, you can complete side quests for npcs, open chests, dig up cash, fish and much more. For me it was alright, it didnt hit me as hard as it hit other ppl.I wouldn't buy it to re-experiance it.

85%Xbox Series X/S

Great indie game with a wholesome concept

100%PC

Short and sweet game, entertaining with a wholesome art style, characters, and story

80%PC

A model for how indie games can create mechanics within scope and find their niche. Cozy without being insincere.

75%PC

Giocato per sbloccare obiettivi su GP, carino e intuitivo, in effetti meccaniche anche meno semplici del previsto considerata la natura limitata del titolo, come ad esempio il volo che funziona piuttosto bene. Non poter girare la telecamera e non avere una mappa rende un po' tediosa l'esplorazione che va a memoria (anche se c'è la bussola). Carino ma non indimenticabile.

90%PC

A genuinely lovely time.

A game where you play as a teenage penguin attempting to hike a mountain is just the sort of goofy fun I remember video games being like back in the late 90s and early 2000s when I was just a few years old. To add to this nostalgic feeling, the graphics are intentionally pixelated, and that beautiful styling gives this game an incredibly cosy vibe.

It helps that the gameplay, while simple, is incredibly fun too. You run, climb and glide over the island, the controls feel incredibly responsive and the challenge never gets too frustrating to deal with.

A genuine work of art that I recommend everyone play.

75%PC

Audio-visual: 8 Gameplay: 7 Story: 7 Enjoyment: 7

90%PC

Great short game
+ Enough tasks and some small mechanics that the game felt fresh all the way too the end
+ Very chill pallet cleanser game in between large harder games
+ Cute art style

90%PC

Super charming little world to explore by climbing and flying around! The writing of all the little characters is awesome and it's a short, good time!

90%Xbox Series X/S

In previous reviews, I've briefly mentioned my admiration for works that accomplish what they set themselves out to do, even if the main idea, or in the case of video games, the gameplay, is not explored to its fullest. As they say, art is never done, it just stops moving.

You can spot A Short Hike in any top or list of "cozy games". And by the looks and vibes, you wouldn't be wrong to say that's the identity of this title. Many would also describe it as "Breath of the WIld meets Animal Crossing", which may give you a hint of how the adventure will develop.

They all fall short to properly describe this game. Some weeks ago I remember I spotted a list on Backloggd named "A Short Hike-Likes". Now I get it. A Short Hike is so, so much its own thing. There's an open environment to explore, there's fishing and cute animals to talk to. There's also the flying and the gliding, and the mountain and the rivers.

Beyond some camera issues and an awful inventory management screen, there's nothing else that bothers me. This is a wonderfully designed piece with a huge heart, and it wasn't the shortest hike at all, as it took me 8 hours and 41 minutes to finish and get all of the achievements. I'm sad I don't get to keep feeling this incredible joy of exploring such a sweet place.

Played on Xbox Series S through Xbox Game Pass.

80%Xbox One

Wings spread, mountains call,
Trails winding, friends call out—
Wonder in each step.

85%Xbox One

A cute, very chill game you can complete in 1-2 sessions.

100%PC

Such a cute game, it's relaxing, fun and, like the name, short. Everything about this game gives a good vibe and some entertaining secondaries. I'd recommend to achieve the 100% just cause you'll have a great and chill time. :D

70%Xbox Series X/S

A chill little experience, mostly about exploring a neat map with some at times, wonky platforming. An enjoyable Game Pass title.

20%PC

A Short Hike 2/10:
- Controls feel weird, you have to use arrow keys to move around
- Camera angle sometimes gets stuck and you will have to play with that one until you jump and fly
- Basically you go there do that task, get a new ability and move on (Pretty boring for me)
- I mean if you like chill games you should try it but it's not really a story-driven game
- Also pretty fast for the price, I at least expected an hour game and not a 45 min one

85%PC

this game is a really nice experience that i'd recommend to anyone. it has an interesting style with its pixelated graphics and a really nice soundtrack that reminds me of animal crossing. the characters are also sweet, and the landscape is really nice to explore.

its shortness is a double-edged sword; while on one hand it makes the game more accesible to anyone, on the other it is perhaps too short for anyone who wants to experience more of it. yes there is some additional content, but i personally didn't look forward to it and therefore did not pursue all of it to the end - i would've much rather had more things to explore.

nonetheless, i will be on the lookout for any new releases from the developer! the game was just that sweet

90%PC

Un bon jeu rafraîchissant, sans prises de tête et pas trop long

90%PC

Very short but very cute and cozy. Little replay value but very much worth it :)

70%PC

-74-
For what it is, I really liked this game. It was super chill and it let you explore the island pretty freely. The side quests are nice, all in all the game is very wholesome. It wasn't super special to me, but I enjoyed it for the short while, the short hike that I played it. Also playing with someone else made it even better :)

60%PC

I wish I were a bird.

85%Nintendo Switch

A Short Hike is a sweet, bite sized game with a focus on exploration. You play a penguin, an ironically flightless bird, who is trying to reach the top of a mountain to make a phone call while on vacation. While trying to do this, you explore an open world filled with cute and funny characters, find upgrades to your climbing and flying abilities, and also partake in the occasional minigame.

The whole game can and should be completed in one afternoon, but it'll be a game you think about for a while to come, that leaves you with a smile on your face, and maybe even a happy tear in your eye.

85%PC

Esse jogo é a prova de que há sim beleza nas pequenas coisas. As interações entre os personagens, a trilha sonora, a gameplay simples, porém aconchegante... Tudo traz uma leveza e calma pra alma que dá vontade de chorar. Joguem, é incrível.

100%Nintendo Switch

The definition of cozy. Beautiful, relaxing game.

100%PC

Foking osom, except for that camera.

85%Xbox Series X/S

I want to live here plz and thz

80%Xbox Series X/S

It makes sense at the very end

80%PC

toujours trop bien, super musique et ambiance, perso rigolo et mignon, jeux reposant à faire en une soirée

80%PC

Dificuldade: ★☆☆☆☆
Historia: 9/10
Gameplay: 9/10
Arte: 10/10
Musica: 8/10
Preço: 8/10
Tradução: 8/10

Um visual muito fofo, o jogo é curtinho e muito relaxante.
Vale cada segundo da investido.

70%PC

A Short Hike | Bewertung
Story 1/2
Gameplay 2/2
Grafik 1/2
Charaktere 2/2
Sound / Musik 1/2

Bewertung zuletzt editiert am: 19.06.2024

75%PlayStation 4

cool game not really worth 8 dollars in my opinion

95%PC

jogo curto. mundo aberto bastante bonito e cheio de coisas para fazer. imerção no mundo
musica boa. final bonito. chorei.
bastante coisa aleatoria para fazer procurando no mapa.
voo final gostoso, mas tive problemas.

85%Nintendo Switch

Jogo criativo, diálogos interessantes, gameplay satisfatório, arte charmosa e tempo de gameplay suficiente. Recomendo

55%PC

Ha estado bien pero tampoco ha sido una locura, no me ha gustado que no tenga mapa (aunque supongo que es parte de la gracia) para poder ubicarme.
Muy bonito y sencillo visualmente.