Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders – Ski adventure across snowy peaks

• DEVELOPER: Megagon Industries
• PUBLISHER: Megagon Industries
• PLATFORMS: PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox Game Pass
• GENRE: Skiing / Multiplayer
• RELEASE DATE: January 21, 2025
• STARTING PRICE: 24,99 €
• REVIEWED VERSION: PC

Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders, a skiing adventure game developed and published by Megagon Industries, builds on the success of its predecessor, Lonely Mountains: Downhill (2019), swapping bikes for skis in a snowy follow-up. This game invites you to carve down pristine, snow-covered mountains, balancing serene exploration with high-stakes challenges, while also offering a lot of replayability and multiplayer modes.

Set across three peaks: Tannenstein, Monte Guanaco, and Sierra Gelida, the game features 12 trails split into beginner-friendly Blue slopes and tougher Black slopes, unlocked via challenges. Building on Downhill’s minimalist ethos, it adds online multiplayer for 2-8 players, cross-platform support, and a trick system, aiming to appeal to both solo adventurers and competitive skiers.

Gameplay: Dance of Precision and Chaos

At its core, Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders is about descending mountains as swiftly and stylishly as possible. You control a skier dropped at a peak, tasked with reaching the base through checkpoints, dodging trees, rocks, and cliffs. Solo Mode offers a time-trial gauntlet with challenges: beat par times, limit crashes, or nail perfect runs to unlock trails, gear, and cosmetics. It’s a race against yourself, with leaderboards tracking global times.

On the other side, Zen Mode gives pressure-free sandbox to explore slopes, set custom checkpoints, and soak in the scenery with no timers, just vibes. Last but not least, multiplayer is a major addition, offering two modes: Racing (2-8 players compete to reach the bottom) and Team (co-op descents sharing six checkpoints, earning points for proximity and tricks).

Controls are intuitive yet demanding. Although it can be played on a keyboard, the experience is much smoother with a controller. For the best experience, using a controller is recommended. You steer with analog sticks, crouch to gain speed, brake to avoid disaster, and jump (short or long) to clear gaps or perform tricks like grabs, flips, skiing backwards.

Ski types (for example, Viper for agility, Ram for stability) tweak speed, steering, and landing, earned by leveling up via snowflakes from challenges. The fixed camera, sometimes behind, sometimes isometric, often forward-facing, adds a cinematic flair but can obscure hazards, demanding you to react quickly in some instances. But it’s not flawless: the learning curve is steep, controls can feel wonky (especially jumps), and the camera’s positions can frustrate some runs.

Low-Poly Winter Wonderland

Visually, Snow Riders retains Downhill’s low-poly charm, now draped in a snowy palette. The three mountains dazzle: Tannenstein’s dense forests, Monte Guanaco’s icy rivers, and Sierra Gelida’s stark cliffs each glitter with powder that deforms under your skis. It’s not photorealistic, but its stylized beauty evokes a painterly solitude, rivaling SSX’s vibrancy with indie restraint.

However, my biggest issue is with multiplayer. If the host leaves mid-race, the game ends suddenly and sends everyone back to the menu. Playing with random players is unpredictable, some races end quickly if someone skilled joins. The trick system also feels wasted here; points don’t affect your rank, so showing off feels pointless rather.

The Team mode’s cooperative vibe is a nice break from the intensity of Racing. It rewards teamwork and planning, especially in private lobbies with friends. The shared checkpoint system adds tension without being too punishing, and trick bonuses let creative players stand out. However, the single-player mode is where you’ll likely have the most fun, as it lets you experience the game at your own pace and style.

Thrilling Yet Flawed Descent

Honestly, you’ll likely have fun with this game. If you’re getting it just for the single-player experience, don’t think twice – it’s worth it. However, the multiplayer might disappoint, so keep your expectations low. The game can also be frustrating at times, as it’s heavily trial-and-error-based; the more you fail, the better you’ll get. The camera can be annoying, though it has its good moments, even if it highlights the flaws occasionally.

It’s tough to please everyone. The difficulty might push casual players away, but the rewards are worth it for those who stick with it. Leveling up and unlocking new ski types and outfits is a nice touch, though it doesn’t drastically change gameplay. In the end, it’s a unique indie gem that shines on its own terms so probably getting it on Xbox Game Pass is much more worthwhile than anything.

Review copy provided by the publisher

4