Over the Hill Is the Perfect Replacement For Forza Horizon

Over the Hill reminds me more of the meditative rock-climbing games Jusant and Cairn, as well as Death Stranding‘s hiking sections and even the way The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild deals with traversing a natural environment in changing conditions. And sure, there’s some of Saber Interactive’s off-roading sims (Spintires, MudRunner, SnowRunner) in there as well, plus — thanks to a four-player online mode — the friendslop exploration of Peak or the the brilliant Big Walk.

As a mind-cleansing solo gaming experience, Over the Hill is practically perfect. The demo provides you with one environment to explore: Emerald Lake, a Canadian Alpine landscape forested in fir, dotted with lakes and muddy trails climbing into mountainous terrain. It’s all rendered in warm, autumnal splashes of color with Funselektor’s trademark clean textures, characterful low-poly models, and moody, hazy lighting. It’s quite beautiful.

Structurally, Over the Hill is just about finding everything there is to find on the map. There are abandoned crates containing tasty cosmetic customizations for your truck: fenders, lights, roof racks packed with camping equipment or kayaks, spare wheels, shovels, you name it. There are trail challenges, scenic viewpoints, and item recovery missions; in the demo, you need to rescue a bogged-down Land Rover and tow it to a safe point. There are cabins that act as fast-travel points. And that’s it.

Image: Funselektor Labs/Strelka Games

You’ll need those fast travel points when you get your vehicle stuck, which will happen. I drowned my engine in a river, floundered into a peat bog, slid down a muddy slope in the rain, beached my 4×4 on a big rock, and, most embarrassingly, just toppled it onto its side by bouncing down a bumpy track too fast. Sometimes you can winch your way out of these situations if there’s a tree near enough, but sometimes you can’t. You also need to consider the weather and time of day. There are tools available to clear the skies and camp overnight, but it’s exciting to experience the landscape in all its different moods, even if it can make the trail more challenging.

But Over the Hill isn’t too demanding or frustrating, on this map at least. Once you learn not to rush, to click down into low gear when you need to and pick your way along the trails with care, it’s relaxing and gently absorbing to play. It’s a game about being present in the environment, paying attention to your surroundings, and finding your way somewhere new. Just what I needed.

Over the Hill will be released on Windows PC on Oct. 14. A demo is on Steam now. Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X versions are planned for 2027.