Lonely Mountains: Downhill

Here's why you shouldn't buy this game: "waaah waah 'archaic' tank controls" Listen they aren't for everyone, and they can be changed in the settings. "Not built for keyboard, annoying to play with it" Yeah, I have to agree, but in general, this critisism is a skill issue, the only reason I don't like them is cause I'm not used to them. "Super stressful and definitley NOT relaxing", listen, it's a game about optimization, rage-inducing for some, satisfying to others, I will say that the advertizing definitley makes it seem more calming game-play-wise than it may actually be. "I ran into a boulder and died????" I will admit, the level geometry is certainly janky at times, but a few tweaks to your setup and you'll get jumps consistently, but like, also, the people complaining here are complaining that they jabbed their arm into a tree while going at mach 10 expecting the game to not hurt them so for the most part, skill issue. "STUPIKD FUJKKVNJKC CAMRWA" for the most part, you can see what's coming, there have certainly been times where it was my first time on the trail, so I hesitate to move fast, and then boom;giant gap I was supposed to build up speed for, but, in the specific instance I'm thinking of the level layout was very obviously coaxing me to speed up, so, skill issue.

In conclusion, don't buy this if you find speedrunning, and optimizing fun, and be on your way.

The perfect time trial game for quick burst sessions!

Gameplay is tight, challenging, and incredibly satisfying to pull off. Global leaderboards with complete rankings make it a real fun game to chase good times on, and with 16 (+4 free DLC) trails across 4 mountains to choose from, there's a lot of room to flex your creative insanity. The level design is fantastic: It typically features a singular main path for a safe but slow way to reach the end, but also several side paths, some intended by the devs & some not, that may come with a lot more risk, but potentially huge time saves as well. There's also a daily challenge that mixes a trial up with a few modifiers (like mirrored mode or extra obstacles) that helps to keep things fresh.

Progressing through stages & their associated challenges rewards you with higher tier trials, cosmetics, and bike parts, which can be used to unlock a total of 6 bikes. Each bike has its own distinct playstyle: Some are suited to going as fast as possible on stable ground, some are all-rounders, and others are better at taking on big jumps or tight corners. My favourite, Geronimo, is built almost exclusively for bombing down near vertical drops & sticking the landing, which allows for some really creative shortcut taking, further demonstrating just how strong the level design is here.

The minimalist visual presentation is beautiful, though turning depth of field off feels like an absolute must. There's really solid visual variety across the 4 mountains, further enhanced by a rather beautiful night mode. The lack of an OST pairs with the visuals perfectly, though the sound design as a whole is still very good. The sounds of birds, braking, skidding, and even crashing, all come together to form a really pleasant atmosphere.

As good as the overall experience is, I do have a few minor gripes. Annoyingly, if you've only unlocked the beginner challenges & set an expert challenge time, the expert challenge isn't automatically completed once you unlock the expert tier: Once I'd figured this out, my beginner runs became a case of "why bother trying for a good time if they're not going to count anyway" which is a shame, though the levels really are fun to replay, so it's not a MAJOR issue. Audio options don't exist outside of a single master volume slider, which is irritating because there are a few things, like waterfalls, that are just deafening compared to the rest of the soundscape. I understand the developers are going for a consistent ambient experience, but it would still be nice to be able to normalize the levels just a little bit.

Still, the pros vastly outweigh the cons, and the end result is one of the best time trial games I have ever played. If you're looking for something sporty to play in short spurts on a Steam Deck or on the couch, consider pairing this with titles like "Super Video Golf" and "Super Woden: Rally Edge" for the ultimate pick up and play burst gaming library. Me? I'm going to check out "Lonely Mountains: Snow Riders" from the same developers - It's time to ski!

I love this game!
It goes from a chill ride in a beautifull park to an adrenaline-filled, tryhard challenge in a smooth curve, all while jumping across canyons and splashing through waterfalls.

Genuinely such a blast to play. Great to just pick up, do a daily ride and/or some challenges and then put down. The camera angles can sometimes be a bit annoying, but they're hardly gamebreaking like some dudes say. Play the demo, if you enjoy it, get the game.

I haven't put a huge amount of hours into this game though I don't really have to, to say this is honestly one of the best games I've played.
The mechanics and gameplay are simply, get down the mountain however you want but this is what makes it special, it's simple, exciting, frustrating and absolutely brilliant.
Playing on the Legion Go S Z1 and the game runs and looks incredible. It takes me back to the ps2 era, there's skill involves and a hell of a lot of luck.
Honestly credit to the dev. Free DLC to! Do yourself a favour and pick this game up. Wish I picked it up sooner!!

This is a game of two halves that I really enjoy!
The first being an incredibly relaxing bike-riding experience. I love taking my time, exploring the mountain trails and soaking in the beautiful soundscapes. (Seriously, I can't praise the sound enough. The world sounds so alive as you move through it!)
Secondly, the game can be a devious, thrilling and wonderfully compelling challenge. Trying to complete courses within increasingly more difficult time limits, without falling off your bike, etc. It's extremely challenging, and so rewarding!
The controls are a little tricky to adapt to at first, but if you're happy to accept failure for a little while they soon click. It's very satisfying to feel yourself becoming better at the game.
There are also unlockable customisation options for your bike and character, leaderboards, secret rest spots to find... There's a heck of a lot to discover in this game.
I should also mention, it's a dream to play on Steam Deck

Really enjoy this as a beat-your-own-time racer. No other bikers, just bike around and explore. Definitely a bit stressful to get the faster times to unlock certain things, but it's pretty forgiving about unlocking new areas with lower times and goals. Great game.