Cairn is released earlier this year and after playing during Steam’s Next Fest I was intrigued and knew I had to give the full game a try. The game is a story lite rock climbing game that has you climbing to the top a huge mountain very few have been able to accomplish. The game is third person and has you following Aava as she bumps into various others on her climb to the summit.

I have not beaten the game after only a few hours, but I am liking the game so far! The art and views in this game are just breathtaking! They do a good job with the sound design, making you feel isolated and lonely besides the company of your trusty climbing bot. As someone who enjoys getting out into nature, this game scratches an itch in just the right way. No flashing monsters or action scenes to fill the gaps between events, just empty halls of a once-thriving mountain community. I have only bumped into a few other people on my climb, but the interactions were far apart enough that each one felt like a treat.

The game allows you to pick your own routes, allowing for some replayability unless you don’t mind climbing up and down to get into every nook and cranny. For me, this breaks the immersion a bit, so I just climb and see what I see. I really like the freedom, though. As far as core gameplay goes, the climbing gives me mixed feelings. I am not sure how else you would do a game like this, but some aspects can be a bit frustrating at times. You have to place each limb as you climb, and sometimes what seems like an easy hold turns out to exhaust Aava in a hurry. There are times when the hand placement to reach the next ledge has to be very specific to get her to clamber up. A bunch of these little things that rub me the wrong way in little ways that add up.

Overall, I am really enjoying the game and think that if you like walking sims, enjoy nature, or are interested in rock climbing, this is a good game to pick up. I have a long way to the summit, but I look forward to coming back to this game from time to time just to relax and climb. I could see myself recommending this game to the right people because it definitely scratches a very specific niche in a new and unique way.

I Would Give Cairn a 7.5 / 10