A Short Hike
adamgryu · adamgryu · 2019
Cozy Score
Very Cozy
★ 4.8
User Rating
1.5-3 hours
Playtime
$7.99
Current Price
Available on
Hike, climb, and soar through a peaceful mountainous island park. A relaxing adventure about enjoying the journey.
Our Take
Adam Robinson-Yu was working on a Paper Mario-inspired RPG and getting stressed about its scope. In December 2018, he parked that project and started a small side game to clear his head. Something simple. A hike up a mountain. That side project won the Seumas McNally Grand Prize and the Audience Award at the 2020 Independent Games Festival, beating Untitled Goose Game for both.
You play as Claire, an anthropomorphic bird visiting her Aunt May at Hawk Peak Provincial Park. Your goal is to reach the summit. That is it. Climb the mountain.
Getting there is the entire game. You explore a compact island, collect golden feathers that each add one unit of climbing and flying stamina, talk to NPCs, and discover shortcuts. Three mechanics carry everything: running, climbing, and gliding. The gliding especially feels incredible for a game this small. Catching a thermal off a cliff edge, soaring over the treetops, and spotting a hidden beach below you hits differently than it has any right to in a game made by mostly one person.
The island is packed with small joys. There is BeachStickBall, a volleyball minigame on the beach that becomes surprisingly addictive when you try for the 30-volley achievement. A fisherman is too lazy to fish but will buy your catch. A kid challenges you to a boat race that ends with you hitting a ramp and your boat shattering. Marathon runners race you to the hilltop. You can pick up trash from a beach. A bucket lets you water plants that grow into jump pads. A pickaxe opens cave shortcuts for fast travel.
What happens at the summit (spoiler)
When Claire finally reaches the peak, her phone gets reception. It rings. It is her mom, calling to say her surgery went well. The entire hike, Claire was waiting for this call. That is why she needed to reach the top. That single moment reframes a two-hour exploration game into something deeply personal. The mountain was never really the point.
The honest criticism: it is short. Genuinely short. Ninety minutes if you explore at a reasonable pace, two and a half hours if you chase every collectible. Some players felt the emotional beats were unearned given how briefly you interact with each NPC. There is no map, which can make navigation frustrating on a first visit.
At $7.99 it is hard to argue about value. The ratio of emotional impact to playtime is almost unmatched in games. It respects your time completely. No padding, no filler, no crafting trees, no upgrade loops. Just a mountain, a bird, and a phone call.
the cozy factor
Why It's Cozy
The entire island exists to be explored at whatever pace feels right. There are no enemies. Nothing can hurt you. If you fall off a cliff, you glide gently back down. The pixel art layered over low-poly 3D creates a visual style that feels like a warm memory. Every NPC interaction is brief, kind, and human.
for the cat lovers
Why Cat Lovers Love It
The main character Claire is a bird, not a cat. There are no cat-specific elements. We include this game because it is one of the definitive cozy experiences and belongs in any cozy game database. Cat score reflects the absence of cats, not a flaw in the game.
Where to Buy
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