Valley Peaks

feels smooth as ♥♥♥♥ and 20 minutes in I'm getting extra mileage out of this that wasn't present in the already fun demo

画面鲜艳清爽的第一人称登山游戏，风格和理念上都给人一种强烈的《A Short Hike》的感觉，不过与后者的“小而精”不同，《Valley Peaks》在开放地图规模和内容上都大得多，当然这并不意味着它就优于《A Short Hike》，因为开发者在开放地图上的设计还有内容填充是比较粗糙的。 我们暂且先不提缺陷，说说本作的亮点：在游戏的大地图中有着11座山峰，每座山峰都有三条不同路线，完成一条路线到达山顶可以推进剧情，完成三条路线则可以获得解锁全新登山妙妙工具和为其升级的票子，如何巧妙使用这些妙妙工具登山也是一大玩点。因为开发者显然鼓励玩家反复挑战登山路线速通，所以工具也是必不可少，从一开始的时停手表和滑翔翼，再到后面解锁的喷气背包和炸药，本作在爬山上相当有自由度（直接一发炸药把自己炸上山顶速通这块）。并且每座山峰之间的难度曲线过渡合理，每条路线都会引入新的机制和障碍，即使是同一座山峰，不同路线的攀爬体验也不一样，可以说在核心体验上确实很棒。更厉害的是地图有着两个不同季节版本，不同季节的同一座山，路线也是完全不一样的。 另外本作可能有个区别于其它登山游戏的点：因为游戏没有血条也不存在掉落伤害这一说，所以到了山顶可以直接跳下去返回地面，不会有任何惩罚，游戏的下坠速度感很强，令人上瘾，本人现实恐高但玩这游戏就巴不得多空中飞人几次（ 夸完爬山，说说缺点了。首先本作虽然有着开放的地图，但是除了爬山以外的内容填充非常蹩脚，首先是满地图都是的蘑菇和金属零件，蘑菇相对来说用处不算大而且数量完全溢出，但是金属零件是修复地图设施的重要材料，修复设施可增加使用工具的燃料还有快捷跑图以及扭蛋等功能，算是重要资源，问题是地图设施在修复之前是不会告诉你它的功能的，等于说每种设施至少都得修一次才知道重不重要。修复这些设施需求的零件数量普遍也比较高，但是你平时开一个箱子只能拿到一两个，而这样的箱子在世界里几乎洒满了整个角落。。。 还有像钥匙挂件、手表颜色、照片这种外观/剧情收集品，虽然数量没有上面两者那么夸张，但游戏给了玩家地图却又不给任何可以在地图上显示这些收集品的途径，想寻找缺失的只能去游戏外看攻略，强调收集但不给兜底途径，何况这还是个开放世界，放大了这个设计缺陷。 除了主线爬山以外游戏也设计了不少支线，但是基本都是纯粹的“到xx地点取得xx，再回到xx把xx交给xx”的形式，没有什么有趣的长支线可言。游戏里有着近百个可以对话的npc，可以给予任务的npc在地图上却也没有标记，你只能自己苦苦寻找头顶上有？的青蛙，这就导致最后剩下的那部分及其难找，反正我是放弃了，大部分支线的奖励也不怎么样，作为探索的驱动力而言也挺差的。剩下的还有地图中几处可以游玩的小游戏，也是玩完拿个成就就完事的水平，而且我还遇到了小游戏成就没有正常解锁的情况，这下好感又down了。 本游戏画面、音乐优秀的同时，核心的登山玩法设计可圈可点，在其它内容上也看得出开发者有意识地进行堆料想让游戏世界更加鲜活，不过显然还是没有多少经验，收集和任务繁多而无趣，小地图缺少辅助功能，这开放世界最有玩头的地方我看还是看风景跑图。虽然给了推荐，但讨厌本作这种开放收集的玩家自然也不少，游戏的优点也难以掩饰这些缺陷，如果开发者还能有玩法类似的新作，希望能够吸取经验做得更好。

This is like if [b]White Knuckle[/b] and [b]A Short Hike[/b] had a baby they dropped on its head a couple of times.

Had a really good time with this one. It's simplistic climbing mechanic starts out really chill, but then gets all sorts of really creative obstacles towards the end. Everything fit the world really well and I kept wanting to complete all the routes available just so I could keep climbing. The various npcs and their side quests were fun to interact with as well. If you liked: Celeste, Surmount, or want a cozy version of Cairn, definitely pick this one up. Deserves way more love. Also, thanks for including the demo. I played it and immediately bought the game instead of letting it sit on my wishlist.

This is not necessarily a negative review so much as it is a middling review. For starters, there are lots of great rock climbing based games, and this is just an okay one. The first half the game starts you with a nice learning curve up until you scale the last mountain, then the training wheels are off. From that point on the game gets frustrating instead of rewarding. In addition there are achievements for doing all the side-quests in this game, however, there is basically one half-finished guide on steam explaining how to do this achievement and the game lacks any sort of system to help guide you along as to what you are missing or any extra quests you might be missing. And so, you must endlessly wander around the hub area talking to every NPC, I get it's an indie game, but if you're going to make an achievement to do everything, at least make that part of the game fun. First 3 hours of the game were really fun, and the rest of it was not, a shame really.

I have really enjoyed this game. but i have encountered so many bugs. the last bug has just ruined a big part for me. ive already completed all of [spoiler] the winter and summer courses on each mountain, and had unlocked every upgrade for every gear except 2 upgrades, the last for the last 2 gear. i had unlocked all the upgrades for the jetpack (all 3) and had been using it to help with the timed trials on the mountains now. but when i started playing today, for some reason the jetpack would not go up, it would just hover. and then i looked and the last upgrade was also gone, but all of the mountain courses were done and all the completed tickets i could get were bought, so there is literally nothing for me to do. ive tried restarting the game and it just is permanently gone which makes the save just... obsolete and i cant try to get all the timed trials. :/ [/spoiler] edit: lmao, all the things that i constructed with gears and ♥♥♥♥ too are also all now unbuilt... incredible 2nd and hopefully last edit: seems that the reason this was the case was that the steam cloud pulled over the save but doesnt pull important ♥♥♥♥ like the buildings you construct which is a large oversight. idk if the last [spoiler] jetpack upgrade is something i actually had or am misremembering, but it still sucks so much that it doesnt save important things like the boost buildings to the cloud. it's kinda pointless to have ur save in the cloud if half the content is missing from it [/spoiler]

Valley Peaks is a first-person adventure that blends tactile climbing mechanics with a warm, playful sense of discovery, resulting in an experience that feels both cozy and quietly demanding. Developed by Tub Club and published by Those Awesome Guys, the game casts you as an enthusiastic frog exploring a compact open world of rolling hills, rocky cliffs, and inviting peaks. Your broad mission—installing radio transmitters atop mountains to connect the valley’s inhabitants—acts as a gentle framework rather than a rigid objective list, allowing the journey itself to take center stage. The game’s tone is welcoming and humorous, yet it never shies away from testing your coordination and patience as you learn to master its core systems. Climbing is the heart of Valley Peaks, and it’s implemented with an unusual amount of physicality for a first-person game. Instead of simple button presses or automated mantling, ascents are driven by alternating hand inputs that mimic the act of pulling yourself upward. Early climbs introduce the fundamentals with forgiving angles and generous handholds, but later routes demand careful planning, rhythm, and composure. Slippery surfaces, falling debris, spikes, and moving elements gradually complicate the act of ascent, turning each climb into a small puzzle of timing and momentum. The satisfaction of finally cresting a difficult route is substantial, not because of flashy rewards, but because the climb itself feels earned through deliberate effort. Beyond the vertical challenges, the valley below provides a calm counterbalance. Once transmitters begin to dot the landscape, the world opens into a network of paths, villages, and scenic detours populated by friendly frog characters. These NPCs offer light side activities, bits of humor, and small goals that enrich the setting without overwhelming it. Optional diversions like races, treasure hunts, and exploration stamps encourage curiosity and reward players for straying from the most direct path. This structure creates a pleasing rhythm: moments of focused tension while climbing followed by relaxed wandering and social interaction on the valley floor. Progression is subtle but meaningful. Completing climbs and side activities earns stamps that can be exchanged for upgrades, such as improved stamina, movement tools, or traversal aids that expand how you approach the terrain. These enhancements don’t trivialize the challenge but instead broaden your options, making revisits to earlier areas feel fresh and empowering. Multiple routes up many peaks, often graded by difficulty, invite experimentation and mastery, catering both to players who want a gentle climb and those who seek a tougher test. The game’s presentation reinforces its inviting atmosphere. Visually, Valley Peaks favors bold colors, soft shapes, and a stylized aesthetic that emphasizes charm over realism. The environments feel hand-crafted and readable, while character animations lean into expressive simplicity. The soundtrack complements this approach with light, uplifting themes that underscore exploration and accomplishment without becoming intrusive. For some players, the saturated palette and textured shading can feel intense during long sessions, but it undeniably gives the game a distinctive personality that sets it apart from more subdued adventure titles. There are moments where the experience can feel uneven. Certain obstacles demand precise timing that may frustrate players expecting a purely relaxing journey, and navigation tools can occasionally feel less clear than ideal. A few mechanics introduced later can interrupt the otherwise smooth flow of climbing and exploration. However, these friction points are generally brief and often serve to heighten the sense of achievement once overcome, rather than undermining the game’s overall appeal. Taken as a whole, Valley Peaks succeeds by marrying a genuinely engaging climbing system with a world that encourages curiosity, patience, and playfulness. It manages to be cozy without being passive and challenging without becoming harsh, offering a thoughtful balance that rewards both careful mastery and casual exploration. For players drawn to indie adventures with a strong mechanical identity, a gentle sense of humor, and a world that feels inviting to explore at one’s own pace, Valley Peaks delivers a memorable and satisfying climb from start to summit. Rating: 8/10

Truly a hidden gem. It really shocks me that the game has less than 150 reviews on Steam. I wish it was more known, let's hope it lands in some bundle one day and get the appreciation it deserves!