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GoNintendo Review - A Short Hike (written by NintenDaan)

A short adventure that leaves a long-lasting impression
by rawmeatcowboy
20 August 2020
GN Version 5.0

Is there anything better than the great outdoors? At any given moment, you can stumble on an adventure that you never saw coming. This is the approach for A Short Hike, a game made by indie studio adamgryu. The player steps into the role of Claire, an anthropomorphic bird who goes on a journey to explore Hawk Peak Provincial Park. The result is a relaxing adventure that deserves any and all praise it gets.

A Short Hike's main goal is to reach the top of the Hawk Peak. What you do from the first minute of gameplay to the game's end is completely up to you. Use Claire to explore, hunt down items, interact with strangers, and more. Claire is rather weak at first, but once you obtain a few Golden Feathers, you can climb and double jump while gliding. This provides a sense of progression, that nicely compliment's the game's freedom. It's entirely possible to see the game's ending incredibly fast, but A Short Hike is so enjoyable that you won't want to.

The game really pushes you to take your time and appreciate the world around you. This includes the game's characters, which are fueled by some stellar writing. Between the environment and the cast of characters, there is so much to do within Hawk Peak. There are parkour races, a fishing minigame, hidden treasures and even boat rides. Around every corner, you'll likely be delighted, and eager to see what's next.

While playing through, I was overcome by a feeling of relaxation. There wasn't a moment of frustration, irritation or sadness to be found. There's just no wrong way to experience the game. Even when you're maxed out on Golden Feathers, that just means you have a new way to move around and experience the scenery. There's never a moment when I wanted the game to wrap up, and I found myself doing all I could to avoid the end.

It doesn't hurt that A Short Hike looks absolutely delightful on Switch as well. As you've likely seen, the game's default visuals give the experience a decidedly chunky pixel look, which make for a bit of PlayStation/Nintendo 64 charm. For those who don't like this approach, there are four different visual sliders you can mess with to tweak things in one direction or the other.

Along with the game's visuals, A Short Hike's soundtrack is another element that adds so much to the game. The music changes dynamically as you explore the island, making the world feel more alive. It also helps that the compositions themselves are extremely catchy.

A Short Hike is a wonderful adventure that never overstays its welcome. The world is filled with intrigue, and the ending helps paint a picture of what will happen when you move on. The calming atmosphere ensured that I stayed glued to my screen, and never wanted to step away. There's a lot of beauty in how A Short Hike let's you explore the game as you see fit. No matter what personal goals you give yourself, the final destination is an experience you won't soon forget.