Over the Hills Launches in October With Four-Player Off-Roading

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In an interview with Gamersky, Canadian indie studio Funselektor said it will release its third game, Over the Hill, in October, and its clearest new idea is four-player online off-roading. The studio was founded in 2014 by Dune Casu, a real-life off-road enthusiast who also studied driving technique at a racing school, and the project continues the off-road and driving thread that runs from Absolute Drift to Art of Rally.

That consistency is not accidental. Casu made Absolute Drift as his first project at a GameJam, then, from 2015 onward, began traveling across North America in an RV. Art of Rally was completed during that RV journey, which makes Over the Hill feel less like a sudden genre switch than another attempt to turn real driving experience into game design.

Multiplayer is the biggest change this time. Over the Hill adds a four-player co-op mode, inspired in part by the convoy teamwork of real off-roading. That changes the read on it. This does not sound like a game about beating other drivers to a finish line; it sounds more like a game about getting a group across mud, slopes, streams, and rough ground without rushing the process.

It still sounds demanding. The developers describe nature itself as the main obstacle, including unpaved surfaces, muddy roads, gentle slopes, mountains, streams, and other natural terrain. Players will have access to off-road tools such as a winch, a jack, and a radar that can detect currency hidden inside rocks. It sounds calm on paper, but the studio says it still demands focus and precision.

One detail stands out: the team rewrote the physics engine for Over the Hill. The stated goal is to preserve the signature driving feel of Funselektor's earlier racing games while moving into slower, more deliberate driving. That is the part to watch, because a relaxed off-road game still lives or dies by how precise the vehicle feels at low speed.

Vehicle customization falls into appearance and performance. Cosmetic changes do not affect vehicle behavior, while performance upgrades alter the driving feel. Engine upgrades can increase the top speed at which the vehicle delivers torque, tire upgrades increase grip, and suspension changes affect chassis height. The game also includes modifications for vehicle protection and water-crossing capability.

At this stage, Over the Hill is expected to offer 20 to 25 vehicles after release. Those vehicles fall mainly into four categories: light off-road, touring off-road, work, and expedition vehicles.

This is also Casu's second collaboration with Strelka Games. Funselektor is more focused on the creative side, while Strelka Games brings experienced programmers and project-management experience. According to the interview, although Funselektor and Strelka Games are two companies, in practice they now function as one full development team.

The useful takeaway is simple. If you liked the clean visual language of Art of Rally and can enjoy slowly working a vehicle through difficult terrain, Over the Hill belongs on your wishlist. If you mainly want quick, frictionless driving, it may feel fussy. This looks more interested in careful off-road problem-solving than in a burst of speed.