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From Downhill to Snow Riders
“With great risk comes great reward”
If you want a line to sum up Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders, then that remark is pretty much as good as you’re going to get. It should well be enough to tempt you onto the slopes too, where you’ll find a classy game that is full of exploration, adventure, time trialling and racing.
Should you have found love with Megagon Industries’ Lonely Mountains: Downhill from back in 2019, then you should be swapping two wheels for a set of skis in an instant, diving headlong into everything that has been delivered in Snow Riders. And no matter whether you join for the solo adventuring, the zen vibes or the slightly more manic, fast paced multiplayer world, then you’ll discover a game that delivers on all fronts.
In Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders you take charge of a lone skier, dropped atop a mountain, with the world ahead of them. Your task is to guide them, as safely as possible, through a number of checkpoints, culminating in a finish line. Cross it in one piece, you’ll get rewarded with some XP and in-game currency, before being thrown back to the start with focus on doing it again; quicker, with less crashes, down a different slope or mountain range.
That is pretty much Snow Riders in a nutshell and with the same blocky, minimalist visuals that were honed with the mountain biking version, it looks great too. There are vistas to take in (at least when you play it in the more explorative Zen Mode), carving of snow to enjoy, using old lines to help aid with new runs and plenty of obstacles to navigate around, through and over. And you can pull off tricks, grabs and spins too; at least if you fancy it.
Snowy Vistas and Open Slopes
With a white palette broken up by concise detail, tree-lined avenues, rocky cliff faces, flowing rivers, chasms and more, there’s no doubt that the aesthetic Megagon have made their own works in this setting. In fact, it’s a pleasure to fly down the slopes of Snow Riders, with clever camera angles consistently hinting at the route to take.
Of course, you don’t need to take heed. Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders is very open, so much so that there are multiple routes down any one mountain, further variety kicking in as shortcuts are discovered across both Blue and the, slightly tougher, unlockable Black routes.
Solo play of Snow Riders sees a huge focus left on ticking off objectives, such as completing runs in a set time, within a certain number of crashes, or with an eye on a combination of both. But then global leaderboards aid replayability further as you careen down the three mountains included in-game: Tannenstein, Monte Guanaco and Sierra Gelida. Each of those comes with four different trails too, complete with their own challenges and distinct ideas. Remember, this is most definitely a game full of risk, capable of providing tons of reward.
Zen Mode, Customisation, and Multiplayer Madness
Hidden resting spots are also available for those heading off the beaten track, best left for that more casual Zen Mode which does away with any tension or chilled anxiety. And there’s also a decent amount of customisation of character, gear and skis, with better kit unlocked the more you progress. In fact, we’d say that unlocking new skis, with their own unique skills, is a necessity for any progress to be made in this world of Snow Riders.
For the most part, if you enjoyed some downhill mountain biking previously, then you’ll be safe with Snow Riders. But aside from switching mode of transport and seeing Megagon inject some snow, ice and chill to proceedings, the biggest amendment here is in the inclusion of multiplayer, either as you go racing, or join others for some team based fun.
Honestly, I’m not overly bothered by the multiplayer aspects, but can fully see a certain cohort of gamers lapping up its integration. It works well too, as riders bash and clash for space on the slopes, crashing into each other time and time again, utilising shortcuts made by others, taking in the carving of snow, to aid any straggler. It’s also a great idea to occasionally drop in, and then use the skills and no-how of others to then help you navigate a particularly tricky single player objective.
A Thrilling and Chilled Winter Sports Adventure
The fact that the whole online world is front and centre of Snow Riders, even situated above the solo play in the main menu, tells you everything you need to know as to the plans of the developers going forward. If that’s your bag, fill it. If not, then there’s plenty of single player challenges and unlocks to keep you more than busy. Perhaps it would have been nice to see Megagon really go to town with another mountain or two, maybe even an additional route to those already included, but it is what it is and there’s plenty here to keep you busy.
More of the same, but brilliantly different, is probably the best way of summing up Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders. Those who adored the Downhill scene should jump at the chance of switching sport, proving to the world once again that with great risk comes great reward. And this time, if you need some multiplayer madness to complement things, you’ll be well catered for.
Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders Shreds a Path onto Game Pass, Xbox and PC – https://www.thexboxhub.com/lonely-mountains-snow-riders-shreds-a-path-onto-game-pass-xbox-and-pc/
Carve Your Path: Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders to Hit Xbox Slopes – https://www.thexboxhub.com/carve-your-path-lonely-mountains-snow-riders-to-hit-xbox-slopes/
Xbox and Game Pass – 10 Must-Play New Games Releasing in January 2025 – https://www.thexboxhub.com/xbox-and-game-pass-10-must-play-new-games-releasing-in-january-2025/
Download Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders on Game Pass – https://www.xbox.com/en-gb/games/store/lonely-mountains-snow-riders/9pf3mc3v9q27