A Short Hike
Hike, climb, and soar through the peaceful mountainside landscapes of Hawk Peak Provincial Park. Follow the marked trails or explore the backcountry as you make your way to the summit. Along the way, meet other hikers, discover hidden treasures, and take in the world around you. Explore the island any way you like. Choose your own path to follow and see where it leads you. You never know what you might stumble into! Hike at your own pace — there’s no need to rush to the summit! Take your time fishing along the river banks or swimming by the lakeshore. Collect hidden treasures to reach new heights. Try taking a dive off the mountain peaks to soar above the forests. Chat with the other hikers you meet along your route. You might be able to help each other out! Listen to a lush original soundtrack by Mark Sparling that progresses dynamically as you explore the wilderness.
Game Discussion
Steam User 70
The perfect "touch grass" game for shut-ins everywhere. Unlike in the real world, everyone is friendly and everything is warm and pretty (don't you dare reduce the pixel chunkiness setting). The game has a Nintendo-wholesome all-ages feel to it; it's a very welcome break from the torrent of war crimes I find myself committing in other games. You can just go straight to the top of the mountain or you can take your time exploring - there are plenty of satisfyingly jangly coins to collect, minigames to play, and friends to make on the way. The overall experience is comfier than being wrapped in a blanket, drinking a mug of steaming cocoa and watching the rain outside while Youtube plays lo-fi beats to study to in the background. You can finish this within the refund period if you rush like an utter Philistine; if you abuse this fact I hope you step on Lego.
Steam User 35
Sometimes all you need to wind down is to play a game where all you do is muck around on an island playing with kids, fishing, sailing in a motorboat, collecting shells, digging up lost treasures, climbing a mountain top, freezing your tailfeathers, and dropping down from the mountain with no damage whatsoever.
Steam User 31
Great game.
+ Lovely world, cute characters, great conversations, a living world
+ Great core mechanics and unlock progression
+ A lot of open-world content, everything interesting and enjoyable
+ A lot of alternative routes and approaches are viable (very generous for reaching the main story objective)
+ Good story/main objective pacing
* Distinct, pixelated graphics - unique style, pixelated-cute characters, good artistic rendering choices
* Well designed achievements
* ~5h for 100% playthrough(?) (I previously played it on epic; savegame automatically taken over)
If you're interested, the dev talked about development and reception in a GDC talk (2020):
Steam User 32
Not usually my type of game, but I've been really stressed lately and this is exactly what I needed. Super cozy game, no stakes or expectations, and quite short so not a lot of commitment. I had a great time just exploring the island, chatting with people, fishing, doing mini-games, etc. I went for 100% here not out of a sense of obligation, but because I truly loved my time in this world and wanted an excuse to stay a bit longer. Fully recommend this to literally everyone who just needs a break!
Steam User 34
A cute, relaxing game with funny writing and beautiful music. Tip: You can turn off the pixelation in settings for a smooth look.
Steam User 18
Cute little peaceful game about growing up, realizing that the world is not as scary as it seems, and that the friends we made along the way are indeed what the experience is all about.
A Short Hike is about a bird who wants to call her mom, but does not have phone signal, so she needs to get to the top of the mountain. Is there an enemy stopping you? Not at all. No checkpoints (not that they're needed). You're just there to enjoy the path you tread, explore and help those around.
Simple, yet beautiful experience.
Steam User 47
The equivalent of someone telling you to go for a walk to mentally unwind, but doing it by playing a video game instead