Besides jumping, shooting, and dodging, climbing is something we do constantly in video games today. It’s interesting that so few games actually focus on climbing as the main gameplay, letting you overcome challenges by scaling obstacles of all sizes.
Cairn is a game focused on the challenge of mountain climbing. You take on the role of a skilled mountaineer determined to reach the top of Mount Kami.
It seems straightforward until you realize no one has ever done it, and that Kami is famously dangerous, responsible for the deaths of many climbers before you.
Aava is just as driven as Kami is imposing, and the core of the game revolves around this unwavering determination. It really asks: do you have what it takes?
Climbing in Cairn is enjoyable and feels different because of its innovative system. Instead of pre-made animations, the game uses realistic physics and movement, making it feel more natural and grounded.
The challenging gameplay, especially with the responsive controls, is really rewarding when you overcome each obstacle.
You control Aava’s every move as she climbs cliffs, guiding her hands and feet to find grips and pull herself upwards. It might feel awkward at the beginning, and the game isn’t perfect with how it handles movement, but you’ll quickly get the hang of it.
One of the best parts of climbing is how clean the visuals are – you can really focus on Aava and your own movements. She provides clear feedback on your progress; her limbs will shake when she’s getting tired, letting you know you need to adjust your grip or you’ll quickly lose stamina.
The game gives you plenty of pitons at the start. These are crucial for creating checkpoints while you climb, preventing you from falling and letting you rest along the way.
The game deliberately uses music very little, mostly relying on natural sounds like wind and leaves while you climb. This choice enhances the sense of loneliness and the feeling of being in a dangerous situation.
Things can quickly become difficult, so it’s crucial to plan your route and climb cautiously. Luckily, you can always zoom out to get a better look at your path and make adjustments.
Staying healthy is just as crucial, and the game does a great job of making its survival elements feel fair. You’ll need to manage Aava’s warmth, hunger, and thirst, along with her overall health, which adds a bit more challenge and excitement.
If you take the time to explore and use the campsites around the mountain, you should be able to avoid running out of food or water. While you’ll need to eat, drink, and rest, Cairn isn’t overly difficult – you won’t be constantly worried about basic survival.
As long as you’re well-prepared with everything you need in your backpack, you’re free to explore as much as you like, and it’s generally a good idea to do so.
Your ultimate aim is to reach the top of Mount Kami, but you’re free to climb however you like. There aren’t any set paths, and wandering off the main route often leads to cool finds, such as rare items or helpful new gear.
You can save your progress and set up camp in designated areas. At your camp, you can rest to recover health, cook food using your collected resources, reinforce your grip with tape, and repair damaged climbing gear. You can also wait out bad weather, since climbing is much harder when it’s wet.
Climbing Cairn feels liberating because there’s no single correct path. You can take your time and explore as much or as little as you like, and it’s definitely worth enjoying the scenery along the way.
The story is told in a quiet way. Aava spends most of her journey by herself, so she doesn’t have many opportunities to speak.
Because of this, you learn about her mainly through the messages she gets from other characters, or by seeing how people react to her as she climbs the mountain. This makes her seem distant, even to you as the player, mirroring her interactions with everyone else in the game.
The game is surprisingly well-crafted. While some questions remain unanswered at the end, that actually fits the story, considering the main character, Aava, largely avoids interaction and questioning throughout the game.
Okay, so the story itself wasn’t amazing, but honestly, the biggest problem with Cairn for me was how clunky it was to actually use at first. It was really frustrating, and took some getting used to!
On a PlayStation 5, the game offers a smooth experience with an unlocked frame rate, especially in the initial climbing gym. But once you venture outside and approach the larger environments, like Mount Kami, the frame rate frequently drops below 30 frames per second.
It’s not a major issue, since the game is generally slow-paced, but the performance noticeably dips compared to the tutorial. It’s too bad the game can’t maintain a consistently smooth experience.
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2026-01-29 17:07