The whimsical 2019 indie game A Short Hike will soon come to PlayStation 4. Previously only available on PC and Switch, A Short Hike will arrive on the console along with six other indie games that PlayStation revealed yesterday. Exactly what the title says, the game involves guiding a bird on a short hike. Along the way players can interact with various other anthropomorphic animals, take part in mini games, and collect feathers to reach the peak of a mountain.
The concept is simple, but it’s also relaxing, as any short hike should be. Developed and published by Adam Robinson-Yu, the creator of the game wished to capture the experience of going on a hike through the medium of gaming. In a post on the PlayStation Blog, he discusses the phases of hiking and the resulting feelings that the game seeks to evoke:
There were some specific moments I wanted to capture, such as the moment of respite upon reaching the summit, and surveying the landscape from a new perspective. But generally, I wanted to try and recreate the peaceful meditative feeling you get as you explore the world around you.
To help create a sense of freedom, I tried to design the game as a tiny open world. I wanted to encourage exploring the road less travelled, and have your curiosity be rewarded. This meant I had to design around the player going the exact opposite of the obvious route, and have the game’s pacing still feel good!
True to its name, A Short Hike takes around an hour and a half to complete. But of course, it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey. Players can go at their own pace and take in fishing, boating, and volleyball along the way, set against the backdrop of the adaptive soundtrack by Mark Sparling.
You can lace up your virtual hiking boots when A Short Hike arrives on PlayStation 4 this fall.
