A Short Hike
- Platform:
- Release: Apr 2019
- Developer: Adam Robinson-Yu
- Publisher: Humble Bundle
- Composer: Mark Sparling
- Genres: platformer - exploration
- Other platforms:
August 13, 2026
"I'm glad you're here"
Today I’m bringing you a relaxing game, far removed from endless maps, tough combat, or millions of pending side-quests.
I wanted to immerse myself in a pleasant natural environment, move around freely and, simply, enjoy a little walk without too many complications.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve experienced a natural disaster up close, a devastating wildfire that has left a mark that’s difficult to ignore. In that context, A Short Hike became, without me even looking for it, a little oasis of escapism.
In this adventure, we play as a bird visiting Hawk Peak Provincial Park. She needs to make an important phone call, but there’s a small problem: to get phone reception, she’ll have to make it all the way to the top of the mountain.
A tiny open world set in nature, full of characters, secrets, and little corners to discover. We can explore at our own pace, help other characters, and find items along the way.
And that’s precisely where much of A Short Hike’s charm lies: in its simplicity.
If you’re looking for this kind of experience, I think it’s well worth giving it a chance. I’ve played it on Linux PC using the executable you get when purchasing it on itch.io, which I also find particularly interesting: a digital game that you can buy and keep, without having to rely on the store of some megacorporation that you never know when will stop caring about its users… cough, cough… S0NY.
What I liked the most
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The music is fantastic: it dynamically adapts as we move around the map and, on top of that, the melodies are lovely.
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Once we complete the main quest, we can keep playing and continue exploring every corner of the adventure.
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It’s a game that radiates a genuine love for game development:
- It doesn’t try to be bigger than it needs to be. There is no unnecessary filler or pointless features. It’s simple and, at the same time, surprisingly complete.
- It focuses on the player’s enjoyment, giving us a goal and simple controls that encourage exploration, without rigid guidelines or unnecessary restrictions.
- It’s full of secrets and little details.
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The sense of tranquility it conveys. Its art style, smooth controls, adorable characters, and beautifully designed environments come together to create an incredibly cozy atmosphere. It invites you to slow down and get lost in the map simply for the sheer enjoyment of it.
What didn’t win me over
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The inventory is somewhat chaotic:
- There is no distinction between items that can be equipped and those that can’t. For example, coins appear in the same row as the shovel.
- We have to leave and re-enter the menu to equip an item.
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Dialogues cannot be skipped once they have started.
