Over the Hill Review: The Road Not Taken Is the Whole Point

Over the hill looks like a cute arcade off-roading game, and it is one. But the moment a new point of interest appears on the map, it quietly turns into a puzzle game about picking the most ridiculous possible route to get there. Just because over the hill gives you roads doesn’t mean you have to take them.

Developer: Funselektor & Strelka Games
Platforms: PC (Steam), out now; PS5, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch 2 in 2027
Released: October 14, 2026
Played on: PC

Roads are a suggestion

This game never punishes you for a bad decision — unless you count parking your 1970s Scout II at the bottom of a lake. I had so much fun exploring every location, with a perfect soundtrack backing every mile.

My loop became simple: a new marker pops up, I load the rig with equipment, set off and see what insane route I can carve to reach it. Those insane routes are where the secrets live — abandoned cabins, crashed airplanes and… Bigfoot. Sadly, the cryptid managed to dodge my camera. I never did find the beast.

Rip it or take it slow

You can rip through the trails at “high” speeds, or take your time, soak in the scenery and photograph the wildlife. Sometimes the game greets you with a challenge instead: a proper off-road course, or a stranded vehicle that needs towing to the nearest cabin, which sometimes isn’t near at all.

Photos, exploration, challenges and discovery all feed the same reward loop. Complete them and you unlock new vehicles and cosmetics to match, plus upgrades for your rig so it can handle the nastier terrain.

The 2am yap sesh game of the year

As relaxing as over the hill is solo, it truly shines with friends. This is my 2am yap sesh game of the year: the boys and I loading up the rigs and escaping into the unknown, recapping the terrible weeks we slogged through to reach that small semblance of peace that is the weekend. The minimalist art style and calming music give you a little world to escape into, without the stress that comes with the rest of the multiplayer games in my library.

Verdict

over the hill is a chill off-road exploration game that secretly becomes a puzzle game about the dumbest possible route, and it’s at its best with a convoy of friends. If you want a relaxing co-op game to wind down the week with, this is the one. If you’d rather have your racing loud and fast, Dom’s Driving Rogue review has you covered.