Can I create separate save slots or profiles?

The developers said in an AMA that multiple save slots were not planned at that time, although they might reconsider based on player requests. Manually backing up and restoring the Saves folder is different from using an official in-game profile selector.

How do I repeat the tutorial?

Resetting the tutorial makes it start again the next time you play in single player. Use that option if your aim is to revisit the introduction rather than replace your save folder.

Should I restart because achievements stopped unlocking after the demo?

Update the game and reload your existing save before considering a fresh run. A post-launch update fixed some achievements that former Next Fest demo players could not unlock; if the problem persists, record the achievement name and save origin when reporting it.

Help & community

Over the Hill Save Reset: Back Up and Restore Progress

Back up, reset or recover Over the Hill progress with Windows and Steam Deck save locations, Steam Cloud precautions and steps to preserve your current save.

Updated October 20, 2026

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Preserve your save before starting again

To back up, reset or recover Over the Hill progress, close the game and copy the entire Saves folder to a separate backup location. Before testing a fresh start or restoring that copy, temporarily disable Steam Cloud synchronization or work offline, and rename the current folder instead of deleting it.

Find the Saves folder on your device

On Windows, find the save folder at Documents/My Games/over the hill/Saves. Back up this entire folder, including the JSON progress files, the FogOfWar folder containing .fow files and the Animals folder containing .png files.

On Steam Deck using the native Linux runtime, check ~/My Games/over the hill/Saves. If you run the Windows build through Proton, check the virtual Windows Documents folder inside the app-2929250 Steam Proton compatdata prefix, then locate My Games/over the hill/Saves.

Choose the location that matches how you actually run the game. Before changing anything, inspect the folder you found and preserve its contents together; do not build a backup by selecting only the files that look important.

Back up your current progress

Close Over the Hill completely before handling its save files. The game reads the save at startup and can write progress during play and when you quit, so editing files during a session can leave your changes overwritten.
Open the Saves location for your platform and runtime. This brings you to the folder whose complete contents you need to preserve before experimenting with a reset or recovery.
Copy the entire Saves folder to a separate backup location. Keep that copy untouched so you have the original progress available if the fresh-start test or restoration does not give you the result you wanted.
Inspect the copied folder before proceeding. Check that its files and subfolders are present, and give the backup a clear label so you can identify the run you intended to keep.

Test a fresh start without deleting the original

Temporarily disable Steam Cloud synchronization for the game, or work offline, before changing the active save folder. This keeps cloud synchronization from interfering with the local save you are testing.
Rename the current Saves folder while the game is closed. Preserve the renamed folder alongside your separate backup rather than deleting your existing progress.
Launch the game to test the fresh start. Check the progress shown before settling into the new run, and keep your preserved folders available while you decide whether to continue.

Restore progress from a preserved backup

Close the game completely before attempting restoration. Make the replacement between sessions so the running game cannot write over the files you are trying to recover.
Temporarily disable Steam Cloud synchronization or work offline for the recovery test. Keep synchronization controlled while replacing the local save with your preserved copy.
Rename the current active Saves folder before replacing it. This preserves the current state as another fallback instead of immediately discarding it.
Copy your chosen backup back to the original Saves location, keeping all its components together. Restore the whole folder rather than mixing progress files with Animals or FogOfWar files from a different run.
Launch the game and inspect the restored progress. Check that it matches the run you wanted to recover before making further changes, and retain the untouched backup during testing.

If an old save returns or your changes disappear

Check Steam Cloud before repeating the reset. Synchronization can replace a local save with the cloud copy, and a conflict prompt does not always appear. Preserve your backup and control synchronization before trying the folder change again.

Also check that the game was fully closed when you changed the files. Save changes made while it is running can be overwritten by a later write. Close the game before repeating the restoration with your preserved copy.

Save profiles, tutorial resets and demo progress

Can I create separate save slots or profiles?: The developers said in an AMA that multiple save slots were not planned at that time, although they might reconsider based on player requests. Manually backing up and restoring the Saves folder is different from using an official in-game profile selector.
How do I repeat the tutorial?: Resetting the tutorial makes it start again the next time you play in single player. Use that option if your aim is to revisit the introduction rather than replace your save folder.
Should I restart because achievements stopped unlocking after the demo?: Update the game and reload your existing save before considering a fresh run. A post-launch update fixed some achievements that former Next Fest demo players could not unlock; if the problem persists, record the achievement name and save origin when reporting it.