Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders

Release Date: January 21, 2025

Arcade, TPP, winter sports, indie games, Game Pass, multiplayer, singleplayer, internet

8.1

OpenCritic

90%

Steam

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A skill-based arcade game, based on the gameplay created for Lonely Mountains: Downhill. In Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders we play as a skier and descend the side of the mountain, looking for shortcuts and performing tricks along the way. The game allows us to play solo or in online multiplayer for up to 8 people.

Gameplay
Game modes
Graphics

Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders is the second installment of the skill-based game series dedicated to extreme mountain sports, which began in 2019. The developer is the independent studio Megagon Industries and their previous project was the cycling downhill game titled Lonely Mountains: Downhill. This time we are given a skiing variant of that idea.

Gameplay

In Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders we watch the events from various angles. The camera can be suspended above our character's head showing them from the back, but can also move to the side, and sometimes even show our protagonist from the front.

During the game, we take on the role of a skier and descend the slopes, making our way from the top to the base of a given mountain. On the way, we have to plow through the snow, glide on frozen lakes, and also jump on ramps, which provides an opportunity to perform various tricks.

It's worth noting that the route we choose depends solely on us. Apart from the most frequently traveled paths, there are also unknown roads waiting to be discovered here. It is worth being vigilant, as these latter ones pose an additional challenge as often as they provide useful shortcuts.

As we progress, we unlock new equipment for our character, as well as new tricks that we can perform during subsequent rides.

Game modes

In Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders we can play alone or in multiplayer mode over the Internet for up to 8 people. Apart from races where all players compete against each other for victory, there are also cooperative events here, where players team up and share checkpoints with each other.

The element of competition is also introduced through leaderboards, where we can boast about the points we have scored and the times of runs on specific slopes.

Graphics

The graphic design of Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders is maintained in the low poly style (the whole is based on a small number of clearly visible polygons), known from the first part of the series.

Videos and Screens

[1:11] Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders - Release Date Announcement

8.1

OpenCritic Rating

Game is Recomended by 86% of Critics. There are 15 Critic Reviews.

OpenCritic

Video Chums: 4 / 5 by A.J. Maciejewski

Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders presents a superb follow-up that makes hugging each corner and landing jumps an absolute joy. ??

Full Review

Shacknews: 7 / 10 by Ozzie Mejia

Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders is about chilling out, chasing personal bests, and enjoying the bone-crunching hits that ensue. Ironically, that means this game is at its best when it isn't so lonely. Grab some friends and hit the slopes, but maybe wait for a few patches first.

Full Review

XboxEra: 8.5 / 10 by Jon Clarke

The developers at Megagon Industries have done a great job on building on their first game by adding a bunch of excellent new ideas, a fun multiplayer suite and what feels like a great, fresh take on skiing with the tight, responsive controls they’re known for. It’s addictive, thrilling stuff and I can’t wait to hit the slopes as soon as I’ve finished writing this. It’s available on Xbox Game Pass and Steam, and I hope you try it out.

Full Review

90%

STEAM Score

All Reviews: Very Positive (403)

STEAM

User Reviews Summary generated by AI

The main pros of the game

Gameplay Mechanics: The game features excellent physics and controls that make skiing feel smooth and responsive. Players have praised the ability to perform tricks, the depth of movement, and the satisfaction of mastering the slopes.
Visuals and Sound Design: The graphics are stunning, with beautiful snow effects and well-designed environments. The sound design, featuring the sounds of skis on snow and the ambiance of the mountains, has been highlighted as immersive and enjoyable.
Multiplayer Mode: The addition of multiplayer, allowing for competitive racing and team challenges, has been well-received, adding a new layer of fun and replayability to the game.
Level Design: The trails are creatively designed, with shortcuts and multiple routes, encouraging exploration and experimentation.
Challenging Yet Relaxing: Many players appreciate the balance of challenge and relaxation, making it a good game for both casual play and competitive time trials.

The main cons of the game

Content Limitations: Several players expressed disappointment with the amount of content, noting that there are only three mountains with a limited number of tracks and challenges, leading to a feeling of repetitiveness.
Challenge Difficulty: Many reviews mentioned that the challenges are too easy compared to the predecessor, Lonely Mountains: Downhill. Players felt that there should be more varied and difficult challenges to enhance replayability.
Camera Issues: A significant number of users criticized the camera system, stating that it can obstruct visibility and lead to frustrating crashes due to poor angles.
Bugs and Performance: Some players reported bugs, particularly with multiplayer matchmaking and performance issues on the Steam Deck, which affected the overall experience.

The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users

More Single-Player Challenges: Players miss the variety of challenges from the previous game, such as no-crash completions and more complex objectives that require multiple runs to master.
Night Mode and Free Ride: Users have noted the absence of a night mode and free ride options, which were features in Lonely Mountains: Downhill that provided additional replayability and fun.
Enhanced Multiplayer Features: While multiplayer is a highlight, some users desire more robust options, such as better matchmaking systems, private lobbies, and a stunt mode for trick competitions.
Additional Mountains or Tracks: Many players hope for future updates that will include more mountains and tracks to explore, as well as a broader range of challenges.

Summary

Overall, "Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders" is seen as a worthy sequel with enjoyable gameplay and stunning aesthetics, but it suffers from content limitations and some technical issues that players hope will be addressed in future updates.

Summary generated on: February 17, 2025