A Short Hike dev drops demo for gorgeous RPG they "might never finish"

A Short Hike was one of the biggest indie surprises of the last few years. It was a brisk and poignant game that felt as refreshing as an actual hike in the woods. Now, its developer has released a peak at one of his canceled projects, a beautiful and cute RPG in the vein of Paper Mario called Untitled Paper RPG.

So why is this game never coming out? Developer Adam Gryu details the reasons in a blog post released alongside the demo. He first started working on it back in 2016, when he was nostalgic for the earlier style of Paper Mario RPGs, some of which are still acclaimed as some of the best turn-based RPGs ever (they even inspired one of 2025's big RPGs: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33). But he launched into the project without much of an overall plan, building characters and systems without having a sense of the overarching story. This approach led to some structural problems and a scope that felt too big. It's possible that he'll come back to it at some point, but the other projects he is working on take priority. These projects include a 3D action-adventure game, an RPG with "claymation-style," and a platformer roguelike.

As for Untitled Paper RPG itself, it makes an impression, despite its unfinished state. For one, it's totally gorgeous, melding the cute, cartoon cutouts of Paper Mario with a colorful, crayola look. The battle system is punchy and exuberant. While the full game may never see the light of day, you can play this version for free. It will last you up to two hours.

You can download and play Untitled Paper RPG directly from its itch.io page for free.

If Untitled Paper RPG has you wanting more stylish role-playing, check out our list of the best JPRGs. If you are looking for more offbeat visions, try our list of the best indie games.

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