If you spent your weekend getting bogged down in the mud, rescuing your friends with a portable winch, and taking polaroids of bald eagles, you definitely weren’t alone.

Funselektor, the brilliant indie studio behind the critically acclaimed art of rally and Absolute Drift, just dropped the debut Steam demo for their highly anticipated 4×4 off-road adventure, over the hill. The response? Absolutely massive. Over 150,000 players traded the race tracks for the untamed wilderness over the weekend, proving that there is a massive appetite for a slower, more mindful kind of driving game.

Moving at Nature’s Pace

Unlike traditional racing games that demand white-knuckle speed and perfect apexes, over the hill shifts into low gear. This is a digital outdoor expedition simulator where the real enemy isn’t a timer or an aggressive AI driver—it’s the terrain itself.

The Steam demo drops players directly into Emerald Lake, the opening area of the game’s Canada region. Inspired by the rugged, breathtaking beauty of British Columbia’s Valhalla mountain range, the map is a gorgeous blend of dense woodlands, tranquil lakesides, and treacherous, rocky alpine trails.

Instead of hammering the throttle, players have to focus on:

• Methodical Route Planning: Choosing the safest path through unpredictable environments.
• Authentic Physics: Managing throttle control, momentum, and wheel placement across mud, rock, and steep inclines.
• Resource Management: Utilising vital off-road gear like Repair Kits, Portable Winch Anchors, and Planks to cross dangerous gaps.

“Over the hill lands closer to real love of the wheel: Funselektor understands it in a way that an awful lot of studios miss.” – PC Gamer

4×4 Customisation and Co-Op Cruising

The demo lets you test drive three classic off-road vehicles inspired by the golden age of cross-country expeditions (the 1960s through the 1980s). Each rig features its own distinct weight distribution, traction profile, and handling quirks. As you explore, you gather an in-game currency called “pebbles” and recover fallen meteorites to unlock cosmetic upgrades, roof racks, and fresh coats of paint at the local merchant.

But the real magic happens when you bring a crew. Over the hill supports up to four-player cooperative multiplayer. You and three friends can venture out into the wild together, tackle gruelling Challenge Trails, or help pull each other out of a tight spot when someone invariably flips their rig trying to show off.

When you need a break from the mechanical stress, the game features a built-in Camera Mode. Players have been flooding social media with gorgeous snapshots of the local wildlife—including moose, wolves, and black bears—to populate their in-game Compendiums.

Community Feedback & What’s Next

With 150,000 drivers hitting the trails simultaneously, the demo served as a massive stress test for the small indie studio. While the feedback on the game’s “cozy SnowRunner” vibes has been overwhelmingly positive, some players noted performance hitches on certain PC configurations.

True to form, Funselektor has already been incredibly proactive. They’ve rolled out a hotfix patch addressing multiplayer bugs, fixing camera issues, and opening up a beta branch on Steam specifically aimed at testing early optimisation tweaks.

Don’t Miss Out: The Clock is Ticking!

If you haven’t played it yet, you need to act fast. This exclusive look at over the hill is part of Steam Next Fest and is only available until June 22nd.

The full game is scheduled to launch on Steam later this year, with versions for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and the Nintendo Switch 2 to follow.

Head over to Steam, grab your winch, and go see what’s waiting just over the hill.

Find out more here

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