Hike Isle

Step into a journey full of unique experiences and beautiful vistas with Hike Isle. A highly entertaining and undeniably charming walking simulator, Hike Isle tasks players with indulging in their urges for adventure as they discover the wonders of a beautiful island.

If exploring large open worlds is just the kind of thing you love about video games, then Hike Isle is certainly the type of game for you. However, the lack of meaningful interactions and the game's short length severely hinder what could have been a truly unforgettable journey. Is Hike Isle worth your time? Let's find out!

Gorgeous Landscapes

As a general rule for walking sims like Hike Isle, the surroundings you'll explore have to be entertaining enough to justify being the sole focus of attention for most of the game. Some games that nailed this concept were What Remains of Edith Finch and The vanishing of ethan carter, just to name a few.

Hike Isle delivers one of the most breathtaking locales to explore. In that regard, the game is outstanding. Everything feels colorful and alive, even if the player is never allowed to interact with almost any object they come across. From the mighty trees to the tiny flowers, everything in Hike Isle feels like it's only there for decoration purposes.

Relaxing Experience

Even though the game doesn't let you interact with the environment, it does offer some great spaces for exploration and relaxation. The combination of a soothing soundtrack and warm, vibrant colors makes the game feel unlike anything else – a true adventure focused on exploration over everything.

Though most of the presentation might look a bit barebones for the most demanding visual enthusiasts, I think the simplistic art style works well for Hike Isle. It reminded me of Firewatch, and that's always a good reference for a game like this one. The lack of complex textures also means that this is one of those games that will run great on almost any PC.

Straight to the Point

Some players – me included – don't have the same amount of free time they once had to play video games. Long games like The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt, as appealing as they are, just don't fit in with everyone's busy schedule. That's why there must always be some games like Hike Isle.

Taking my time and seeing every gorgeous detail the game has to offer, I beat the game in a little over an hour. That might seem short for most games, but I think it works perfectly for a walking sim like this. Still, I wish the game would offer some kind of incentive to play through it more than once, as Road 96 did.

Pros

• Gorgeous visuals and art style
• Calming soundtrack goes well with the relaxed gameplay
• No compass serves as an incentive to explore

Cons

• The same lack of compass can also have you wander aimlessly
• Too short, even compared with other walking sims
• Lacks interaction with most elements of the environment