Cairn (2025)

I really enjoyed my time with Cairn. Not only is it a solid, albeit clunky rock climbing simulator, its commentary on rabid obsession and purpose is profound for a video game. You play as Aava, a veteran rock climber looking to be the first to conquer the world's greatest peak, Kami. Starting essentially from the mountain's base, you navigate 9000 meters up, uncovering the history of the mountain and its people while learning more about Aava's reasons for being there. [h2]Aava as a Character[/h2] I have seen a lot of complaints about Aava as a protagonist, with many taking issue with her often self centered worldview and abrasive nature. Taking these flaws at face value can lead to frustration, but I believe she is a wonderful vessel for this type of story. The act of climbing is in many ways a direct challenge of nature. It takes a certain level of arrogance and obsession to strive for greatness in a sport that is inherently deadly. It puts you at odds with loved ones who fear for your life every time you hit the trail. It is also a way of trivializing the real world responsibilities of life. Does maintaining a relationship or appearances really matter when you are dangling thousands of feet in the air on the verge of death? Aava encapsulates this energy perfectly. Seemingly lost in her personal life, she sets off for Kami to the dismay of her loved ones with no real intention of coming back. It becomes clear as the game goes on that this was always viewed as a one way trip. On her way up, Aava's girlfriend Naomi releases her frustration via one way radio calls, revealing among other things that their cat has died. Aava grapples with this disconnect constantly but still cannot find the will to call it quits. [h2]Story[/h2] On her climb Aava meets a young man named Marco. Very excited to meet such a legendary climber, he overstays his welcome early on, leading to some lighthearted tension. The two split up but eventually reunite further up the mountain. Apologetic for the way she treated him, Aava offers advice and encouragement to the young climber. Marco does not share Aava's obsession with climbing. He doubts himself constantly and seems at peace with that. But Aava pushes him to keep going, believing he should have the same resolve she does. [spoiler]The two eventually reach the final stretch, meeting another legendary climber named Damas, who attempted to conquer the summit long ago. Unable to do so, he has not admitted defeat, instead choosing to live in a kind of purgatory on the mountain. He has watched hundreds of climbers attempt and fail the last section, accumulating a haunting collection of abandoned backpacking packs. It is here where you are left with a choice: return home with Marco, never finishing the peak and always wondering what if, or continue alone to the top of Kami. Putting aside what Aava would realistically choose, I think giving the player the opportunity to turn back offers a great moment of humility. An acceptance that life with the ones who love you matters more than running away. I carried on of course. Reaching the top was a grind, but the ending was euphoric and bittersweet, the culmination of a long and grueling journey. I think Aava always knew this would be a one way trip, but for her that was enough. She submits to the mountain and becomes one with it. The climbing works as a perfect metaphor for this type of story and it was executed incredibly well.[/spoiler] [h2]Climbing Mechanics[/h2] I am established as a story guy, but I found the climbing mechanics to be very strong as well. The game takes the climbing philosophy I first noticed in Breath of the Wild and expands upon it tenfold. As Aava, you control each limb, making tactical decisions on hand and foot placement that mirrors real climbing. There are jugs, crimps, slopers, and a variety of other climbing techniques to master. The game relies heavily on audio and visual cues to indicate a successful climb. A sturdy placement is obvious in the way Aava's hand rests on rock. Her legs won't be shaking or she won't be letting out exhausted breaths. The game shows you that you are doing well rather than telling you. While the foundation is solid, calling it fully realistic would be disingenuous. Aava might as well be a contortionist the way she moves around the mountain and there are definitely ways to exploit the lack of realism to get where you need to go. But it balances the line between realism and fun about as well as you could for a casual fan of climbing. There are also mild survival elements at play. Hunger, thirst, and temperature gauges work exactly as you would expect and become increasingly important the higher you climb. Inventory management matters, but in general there are enough resources as long as you take the time to look. [h2]Vibe and Presentation[/h2] The music, art style, and world all complement each other beautifully. I always love an electronic score and this game is no exception, especially during the climax. There are elements of Gladiator's score woven in here and given the shared themes it makes complete sense. The art style is beautifully realized with excellent lighting sweeping over grand vistas. Storms are cumbersome and get in the way, and when the clouds part and the sun comes out it genuinely feels like a relief. The world itself has intrigue of its own. You encounter the remnants of a mountain dwelling community long gone, drawn away by the conveniences of modern life below. The cave drawings and sculptures point to a world once full of life that now lays still. [h2]Technical Issues[/h2] I play on aging hardware so I am not ignorant to its limitations, but the game does have a few technical issues worth mentioning. As you climb higher the size of the map increases, which can lead to stuttering and frame drops as well as audio stuttering. The visual issues can be remedied with a launch executable I discovered very late in my playthrough, but the audio issues persisted. In a game with such an emphasis on sound that is a genuine shame. I watched other playthroughs on YouTube and heard the same audio issues, so this does not appear to be purely a hardware problem. That said I do not place too much weight on technical issues unless they are game breaking and completely unfixable, which these are not. [h2]Final Thoughts[/h2] Ultimately I have a lot of respect for this game. It is a grind and while not overly difficult it will challenge you. The journey and payoff feel genuinely earned by the end of its 15 to 20 hour runtime. The game also has free DLC on the way, further proving that indie developers are the best in the business. [b]8.5/10[/b]

Without a doubt one of the best stories in a game ever presented. As you take control of Aava and scale Kami, you slowly come to understand that the mountain may not be the biggest challenge facing her. Also helps that the climbing is very fun and satisfying. Resource management did bother me a little, especially near the end, but it adds to the desperation of the climb, I suppose.

I litterally just got to Kami's summit and I am still shaken by the experience while writing. Look, I've played video games since I was a kid in the 90s. I've played a lot of them. Cairn is one of a handful that I've played in like 30 years that managed to touch me at a very deep level. It's beautiful and unique. It's so calm and relaxing, while being one of the toughest experience I've had. Kami is a challenge. The game FEELS physical and exhausting. While you climb you can FEEL the intensity of the effort, the pain. The rewarding feeling of making it to the next edge and be able to put up your bivouac is real then. Every step of the way feels like a battle and the mountain is watching you struggle. The story, the music, the characters, I wouldn't want it any differently. To the team who crafted this gem, please know that you made a contribution to the world that was worth the effort. You did good. Thank you for that.