If there was an award for chillest game at PAX East 2024, it would be A Corgi’s Cozy Hike. I managed to preview the title at the event, and came away all smiles due to how sincere it was with its cuteness.
Just Relax and Have Fun
When I started the demo as the main character Corgster, I was told there were really no objectives, and to just explore and have fun. The only bit of guidance I got from developer Dan Scalise was to check out a small mountain in front of me and find a statue if I wanted to power up with Corgi Butt Power and gain the ability to climb the terrain. I did so because a bunch of cats were telling me my legs were too stubby to climb anything, and I had to prove them wrong.
Once I ascended some hills, noticing the stamina wheel that was very reminiscent of Breath of the Wild, the world became my oyster. I was free to utilize the dedicated poop button, and was bemused to find out I could eat said excrement. A denizen of the island shouted “CORGI!” and ran away in terror as I chased them. There were bones to collect and other statues to uncover, one of which gave me a cape and allowed me to glide in the air. Overall, I only had five minutes to test out A Corgi’s Short Hike, but it was enough to tell me that this is mainly a game of relaxation.
Inspiration and Motivation
I was lucky enough to get a chance to talk to Dan before and after my meeting. As I suspected, the game’s aesthetic is inspired by A Short Hike, while its gameplay pays homage to the Spyro the Dragon series and Banjo-Kazooie. There is no death, violence, or game overs in the title. Corgster is a Pembroke Welsh corgi, but you can unlock a Tri-color and Blue Merle variant, among others. While you can scale the mountain and reach the top as a main objective, the main message of the experience is to have fun and teach islanders to enjoy the little things in life. Only two people are involved with the game, Dan and artist Johnson Do, and anyone who buys the game will have 10% of their purchase donated to animal shelters.
A Corgi’s Cozy Hike could be many players’ dream game. It has things to collect and secret paths to discover for those completionists out there, but it is also just a meditative adventure with a sandbox in which you can get lost. If you are intrigued by my description, you can wishlist the title on Steam and even try out a demo. The full release is shooting for a Q3 2024 launch window, and may hit consoles after that date if it does well enough on PC. I’m hoping it does, because this seems tailor-made for the Nintendo Switch.
