Frequently, I grow anxious when thrown into open areas in games with little to no direction. Even in massive titles, that hold a plethora of side activity to conquer, I find comfort in the assurance that the main path is in sight when I'm ready to go down it. A Short Hike is fully committed to a lack of hand-hold behavior, with no map and few directional boards scattered around, yet there exists no anxiety in the gameplay experience.
A Short Hike's success, I believe, is only achievable through its short playtime. The forest/island area, at first, lacks visual distinction. Quick paths along the shore, small land masses planted in the middle of the swimmable sea, a campsite building amongst tall trees. From the game's opening, there is no incorrect pathway, with only the task of reaching the hike's peak in front of you.
What begins as foreign territory quickly grows familiar in just under a few hours. Generic landmarks, like a cemetery or lighthouse, fill the relatively small map size. While overwhelming at first, the game does not punish aimless exploration. Getting from Point A to Point B on two separate sides of the map only takes a few minutes, or even less as you upgrade your flight abilities and learn optimal pathways.
The map is small in size, yet dense in activity. Just the simple action of learning to get to a specific piece of higher ground with weaker flight options is reward in of itself, largely in thanks to the tight ground movement and satisfying gliding mechanic. More importantly though, a variety of animal hikers populate the trail, offering rewards to your collectibles and traveling. Cute in design, their placement on the map adds to your sense of surroundings, their wacky conversations filling the small gaps of stillness in your hike.
The rewards that hikers offer you can be valuable at times, upgrading your flying and climbing abilities. Many times though, your reward is relatively useless, like a medal or hat cosmetic. While these may make certain side quests less useful over others, I just do not care. An excuse to spend more time in the beautifully vibrant art design, listen to the quaint yet pleasant soundtrack, and attempting to test just how fast I can glide from high points, is well worth it.
I see many label A Short Hike as this apex of the recent "Cozy Indie Game Movement" created in the last few years. The gameplay experience is warm and relaxing, but I feel the negative connotation unfairly matches the title. A Short Hike is so much more than its aesthetic, and I'm pleased to have finally gotten to one of the best indie experiences I've ever played.
A Short Hike's success, I believe, is only achievable through its short playtime. The forest/island area, at first, lacks visual distinction. Quick paths along the shore, small land masses planted in the middle of the swimmable sea, a campsite building amongst tall trees. From the game's opening, there is no incorrect pathway, with only the task of reaching the hike's peak in front of you.
What begins as foreign territory quickly grows familiar in just under a few hours. Generic landmarks, like a cemetery or lighthouse, fill the relatively small map size. While overwhelming at first, the game does not punish aimless exploration. Getting from Point A to Point B on two separate sides of the map only takes a few minutes, or even less as you upgrade your flight abilities and learn optimal pathways.
The map is small in size, yet dense in activity. Just the simple action of learning to get to a specific piece of higher ground with weaker flight options is reward in of itself, largely in thanks to the tight ground movement and satisfying gliding mechanic. More importantly though, a variety of animal hikers populate the trail, offering rewards to your collectibles and traveling. Cute in design, their placement on the map adds to your sense of surroundings, their wacky conversations filling the small gaps of stillness in your hike.
The rewards that hikers offer you can be valuable at times, upgrading your flying and climbing abilities. Many times though, your reward is relatively useless, like a medal or hat cosmetic. While these may make certain side quests less useful over others, I just do not care. An excuse to spend more time in the beautifully vibrant art design, listen to the quaint yet pleasant soundtrack, and attempting to test just how fast I can glide from high points, is well worth it.
I see many label A Short Hike as this apex of the recent "Cozy Indie Game Movement" created in the last few years. The gameplay experience is warm and relaxing, but I feel the negative connotation unfairly matches the title. A Short Hike is so much more than its aesthetic, and I'm pleased to have finally gotten to one of the best indie experiences I've ever played.
aidsn
3 months ago