Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders [PC] | REVIEW

Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders has been one of my most anticipated games of early 2025, and man, it has really delivered everything that I hoped for.

I put SO many hours into its addictive bike-riding predecessor, with it the perfect game to unwind to with a podcast or your favourite Spotify playlist, so the idea of having the same kind of experience but on skis across snowy mountains really, really, REALLY, appealed to me. And you know what? I’ve loved every minute that I’ve spent with it so far, with the game capturing the same simple yet rewarding gameplay loop that returning players will undoubtedly appreciate.

Check out some screenshots down below:

Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders is a skiing escapade with one main goal: getting from the top of a mountain and down to the bottom, with each mountain made up of various perilous courses that’ll have you weaving in and out of checkpoints whilst avoiding obstacles in your path. It’s a simple concept, but one that’s incredibly satisfying to play thanks to the intuitive controls, the balanced yet challenging difficulty, and that constant urge to have ‘one more try’ to better your previous performance.

The skiing itself is pretty straightforward, with multiple control schemes on offer to find something that suits you. Players are able to crouch whilst skiing to increase their momentum and speed, whilst short and long jumps can be performed to clear the large gaps in your path – you can also perform a few tricks in these moments, though you might want to keep things simple in your early few runs as you get used to the game. As you start to get to grips with the controls, you’ll figure out a few additional manoeuvres to make it easier to make those tight turns, whilst it won’t take too long to realise that your body position is often the difference between a successful and failed run down the mountain. It’s a bit of a cliché to say, but the game is easy to learn but difficult to master.

“Lonely Mountains: Snows Riders is an absolute delight to play thanks to its addictive challenges, wonderful presentation, and brilliant gameplay loop.”

There are other things to consider when skiing, such as the incline of the mountain you’re speeding down, the heavier snow that’ll slow you down, or the ice patches that’ll see you zipping along but with minimal control of your direction. There are a variety of shortcuts to find across each course too, some of which are pretty easy to utilise and other which will require a LOT of skill (and a daring approach) to take advantage of. It adds to the allure of the experience, and whilst going fast is a priority, those who take the time to take advantage of their surroundings will often find the most success.

It just feels sublime to play, and with three mountains to play across made up of courses that vary in difficulty, there’s plenty to get stuck into. There are a ton of objectives to work towards too, and believe me, it’ll take a bit of time before you’re able to match some of the time challenges whilst having minimal crashes. Like I said, it has that ‘one more try’ appeal to it, and a lot of that is thanks to the addictive nature of chasing those objectives. Being able to instantly return to a checkpoint during crashes ensures the flow of the action never slows down, but getting that perfect run with zero crashes for the first time? It’s glorious… and very rare – Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders can be tough, but that’s what makes your success all the more satisfying.

Check out some screenshots down below:

With unlockable apparel to customise your character and additional skis to open up that bring with them varying stats, there’s a steady sense of progress to Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders that continually rewards players for their success. And best of all? It brings with it multiplayer action, with players not only able to compete to get the best times on leaderboards but also jostle in races across the mountains. Whilst Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders can be at its best when playing to unwind, having epic showdowns with opponents in multiplayer has kept me hooked in for hours on end already.

It all looks the part too, with the sparkling glow of the snow giving every course an alluring sense of beauty. You’d think the constant white of the snow might make courses feel a little repetitive, but there are plenty of variations in the wintery landscapes and the vistas that surround them to ensure that players will constantly be kept in awe of the game’s gorgeous low-poly aesthetic. Add to that a minimal audio presence that focuses on the sounds around you and the carving of the snow, and you’ll quickly find that Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders manages to deliver across all aspects of its presentation.

Developer: Megagon Industries
Publisher: Megagon Industries
Platform(s): PC (Reviewed), Xbox Series X|S
Website: https://store.steampowered.com/app/2545360/Lonely_Mountains_Snow_Riders/