Cairn (2025)

Cairn completely pulled me in from the very first seconds and did not let go until the last feet of the climb. I loved the atmosphere, the scale and the views i discovered along my journey to the very top. Every part of the mountain felt carefully crafted, making the ascent both breathtaking and intimidating. What impressed me the most is how the game captures the feeling of climbing. Every move carries weight, every decision matters, and the tension can become so hard I caught myself feeling as if my own hands were trembling alongside the protagonist's. It was a beautiful, bright and emotional adventure. Despite some minor optimization issues on lower-end hardware, Cairn is absolutely worth giving it a try.

Stamina management with a view. This game is one of a kind, and it without a doubt deserves way more recognition than it has received. There are very few games like it that I know of, but none of them are as realistic or in-depth story-wise as this one. The art style of this game, in my opinion, is absolutely beautiful and unlike anything I've ever seen before. It's like a stylised, graphic cel-shaded look focusing on bold lines to create an easily readable environment. Due to the fact you spend most of your time climbing in this game (who would have guessed), you're mainly staring at a barren rock face, which could grow rather boring if there is no dialogue or story going on at the same time. Thankfully there is, and it's an absolute cinematic masterpiece. This game has so much depth and emotion in terms of its story; it genuinely had me fully invested in the protagonist's feelings and intentions, and towards the end of the story, I was almost in tears. Something that stands out is the fact that one of the two endings you can pick from is left up to the interpretation of the player in terms of what 'truly' happens. The cooking feature in this game is really satisfying, as there seems to be an infinite amount of combinations of ingredients when trying to make different recipes, and each one you make is unique and different from the one before because of the different effects it offers. Having to manage your backpack's space is another nice addition that adds a pinch of strategic thinking, as you have to decide what you want to take with you on your ascent up Mount Kami. This game has an abundance of replayability as there are so many possible routes you can take to reach the summit. Obviously, the main storyline is linear and stays the same, but the route you take up the mountain is completely in the hands of the player, figuratively and literally. Also, to obtain 100% completion expect a couple playthroughs and a few guides as there are some achievements which are mostly, or entirely, out of the way of the main objectives. Another thing this game does well is give you a realistic perspective on what climbers do in real life, making you realise that there are people out there crazy enough to do this out of their own free will and then try to convince you that they enjoy it after! This game is a work of art and will forever have a special place in my heart. Do not rule this game off as a 'generic rock climbing game'—there is so much more beneath the surface than it seems. [i]Buy it, climb it, brag it.[/i] 9/10

This game is the reason i started bouldering 10/10 only problem is i havent finished it yet cause i go bouldering so much