A Short Hike is an example of master-class game design from an indie developer. The gameplay is easy to get a handle on but not condescendingly simplistic, the platforming is solid and surprisingly free of bugs, and there's a startling amount of depth to this world. Hawk Peak Provincial Park (that's "state park" for those wearing Canada as a hat) is well-designed, and an absurd amount of diversity in the landscape makes playing A Short Hike an absolute joy. A short list of everything I loved about this game: -Characters are simple and easy to remember, and they always seem to be easy to find despite freely roaming around the park -Everyone talks like they're conversing in Twitter DMs, which is cute as heck -The lack of a map of any kind is offset by Hawk Peak's intuitive design, an optional compass, and directional signs that are just frequent enough to prevent you from getting lost -The sheer variety of gameplay elements echoes some of the best open-world games (most reminiscent of Animal Crossing, but with its own flavor) without feeling cluttered -The size of pixels on-screen (for the feaux-retro look I love so much) can be adjusted all the way from "thick and crunchy" to "small and tasty" -Native Linux installation available! -A vast array of options catering to every playstyle. Want to speedrun the plot? Go for it! Want to challenge yourself and finish the hike with as few golden feathers as possible? You can! Wanna bum around the park and earn a bunch of golden feathers, making the hike a breeze? Sure thing! -Many of the characters display surprising depth, despite their dialogue limited to tiny chunks. Pay attention to the kid selling golden feathers for an exorbitant rate... his story might be a bit of a test of humility. -Plays flawlessly without any configuration on Steam Deck -So much more I don't have room for! Don't let the length of the main plotline fool you: A Short Hike is anything but. Trust me: you WILL find something to love about this game.
