If you liked Snowrunner, Over the Hill seems like a game you have to try.

      Funselektor Labs, Strelka Games

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      Many individuals enjoy games like Snowrunner and Expeditions for relaxation. This was initially surprising to me until I experienced it firsthand. There’s a “flow”—a deeply relaxed state you enter when playing, as the mournful guitar blends with the sound of rain on a rugged trail, or when you catch sight of a watchtower as the sun sets. So, it shouldn't have come as a shock when Dune Casu, the developer of Art of Rally, unveiled Over the Hill, an overlanding game that can be played solo but is best enjoyed with friends on the trails. The first gameplay trailer has been released, increasing my excitement.

      One of the first things that grabs your attention in this footage is the minimal interface while driving. There's a map displayed in the lower-left corner and an indicator for four-wheel drive settings, and that’s all. It seems very contextual, showing trail starts with augmented reality-like graphics and revealing winch controls only when needed. Over the Hill appears to be less of a technical simulation than Mudrunner, so it might be able to maintain a more streamlined presentation. Regardless, I think this approach benefits the game.

      The gameplay also demonstrates that the camera effectively frames the environment. You can switch between near and far views, allowing you to appreciate the scenery at your leisure, then focus on challenging areas when necessary. A broad perspective and free camera control are crucial in this type of game, and if the camera were static and always zoomed-out like in Art of Rally, it wouldn’t enhance the experience.

      I must also highlight the water effects. We catch a quick glimpse of how water interacts with a vehicle when the player's car drives through it at about 20 seconds in, and it's very satisfying. The way the concentric ripples reflect the truck's lights, and how those reflections fade as the water settles is truly remarkable. We also see how a crystal-clear lake mirrors the mountains and trees above like glass in another scene. This game is going to be visually stunning, but we probably knew that from the start.

      Developer Funselektor will soon be gathering players for a playtest of Over the Hill ahead of its yet-to-be-announced release date. If you're interested and have a PC to play on, you can sign up through the studio’s Discord server. And if you play on a PlayStation or Nintendo Switch, don’t worry—Art of Rally made it to those platforms in due time, so it’s likely Over the Hill will as well.

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