Over the Hill, the off-roading game from Funselektor and Strelka Games, will release in full on Steam on October 14, Rock Paper Shotgun reports. The date follows a demo that ran during Steam Next Fest in June.
The game sits between a hardcore trail-running simulation and a more relaxed driving game. Rock Paper Shotgun describes it as taking the kind of terrain work found in a sim such as SnowRunner and sanding off some of the edges, leaving a slower countryside drive that can still punish carelessness. Players can seize an engine by fording a river that turns out to be too deep, or roll a vehicle into trees at an angle that makes it difficult to right again.
Rock Paper Shotgun’s impressions of the June demo characterised the game as two things at once: a companionable drive through nature, alone or with friends, and a trickster that lulls a driver into a false sense of security before the terrain turns against them. The outlet described the resulting breakdowns as the game cackling at a player’s misfortune rather than as a failure state.
Exploration is the central activity. Its open wilderness maps are built around spotting wildlife and hunting for points of interest, including cabins to stay in, upgrades for a customisable vehicle, and off-road trails that test driving and winching. The game can be played alone or in co-op with up to three other players.
Funselektor is best known for Art of Rally and Absolute Drift, and Rock Paper Shotgun notes that Over the Hill carries the same combination the studio has used before: minimalist visuals and a calm atmosphere layered over mechanics that can still catch out a player who stops paying attention.
The October 14 date places the release shortly after Star Wars: Galactic Racer and close to Valor Mortis, a September castoff, though Rock Paper Shotgun notes the three games have little else in common. Over the Hill is listed on Steam, where it can be wishlisted ahead of launch.
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