Ski Hard: Lorsbruck 1978 Review

Those who enjoyed the 90s-fueled antics of the skiing classic Ski Free might be interested in Odd Chamber’s new title Ski Hard: Lorsbruck 1978. The yeti might not be there, but do these snowy slopes capture the same magic as the Windows classic?

Ski Hard: Lorsbruck 1978 Review

Ski Hard gets right to the point, and immediately gives you access to all of the different runs from the get-go. After choosing from one of four skiers (which differ in turning ability, stability, and top speed), players can choose the specific trail they want from the run of their choice. Everything has got a low-poly look to it, and though it does not break any ground with its aesthetics, the style makes the trees, rocks, and even skiers ironically stand out. There’s no career mode or bevy of options to choose from here – rather, it specializes in its ease of use.

The same principle applies to its controls. Players can move to the left or right, accelerate, or slow down. However, the handling in this game can be overly floaty, and it can often feel like you are fighting with the controls. Any semblance of order is thrown out the window once you hit a jump, with the skier rotating every which way, completely akimbo.This ragdoll effect makes it a crapshoot at times, and some sections require you to clear chasms. It just feels too loose, like the characters don’t have much weight to them.

Steering the player through the different gates on the way to the bottom of the slope fares a bit better. The controls definitely take some getting used to – it’s far too easy to over or understeer, forcing players to position themselves in an awkward position. However, a firm grasp of the controls makes runs go smoothly, and the emphasis on time trial play offers a sense of reward once everything finally clicks. It’s not perfect, but it gets the job done.

It’s just a shame that the camera does not like to play nice. There is no right analog stick control in this game, and the camera has a mind of its own. Too often we found ourselves in an awkward view that did not accurately capture our surroundings. It also led to a number of crashes, and though the ability to instantly respawn the last gate or start the run over was there, it was still an annoyance that could have easily been prevented.

Successfully completing each run will unlock a series of gauntlets that have three races in a row. There is also the ability to unlock a second set of these by placing first on every run, but we were unable to unlock it for our review.

Ski Hard: Lorsbruck 1978’s brass tacks approach to skiing is both a blessing and a curse. It’s focus on speed and the best time is welcome, but the floaty controls and wonky camera make it far more difficult than it has any right to be.