Cairn is a climbing journey all about perseverance and obsession

I’m an awful rock climber. Maybe fear of heights doesn’t help. But when I tried it, I liked the slow, methodical action of moving from one edge to the other. It reminds me a lot of why I love running; In both sports, you can achieve seemingly insurmountable goals by taking one step at a time. cairna new game from The Game Bakers, is one of the few games I’ve played that truly captures this feeling.

You will play as Aava, a famous climber who is obsessed with climbing a mountain called Kami. You climb by moving the Aava’s four limbs, one at a time, to find cracks, bumps and safe ledges that allow you to reach higher, all while managing the tools and resources carried in your backpack. Climbing games have become something of a trend, however cairn Different from Josantwhere you can only control the character’s hands, or Baby stepsa more silly game where you can only control the character’s feet.

It’s been a decade since my brief membership at a rock climbing gym, however cairnOur team mechanics brought back all kinds of memories of my time spent climbing walls, especially the importance of good footwork. Based on my experience as an amateur, it’s a great rock climbing simulator. By putting nails into the walls, you can create places where your rope can catch if you slip off the face of the mountain. The robot companion picks up the pins when they reach safety so you can use them again. By using chalk, you can get a temporary boost to your grip. Through food and drink, you will help keep yourself fed, hydrated and warm.

Progress can be exhausting. I was constantly on edge as I methodically looked for the next place to place Aava’s hand or foot. Slippage comes at a cost. You’ll fall to your last height or to the ground, and depending on how far you’ve gotten, that could mean another long climb, crashing into a wall, or, in the worst case, death. Rain, wind, snow and ice make things more difficult.

But it’s also peaceful in a way. I was hyper-focused while playing, and more than once, I found myself holding my Steam Deck up to my nose while searching for the next step of my climb. I was often quite in the zone. During my journey, I began to internalize Aava’s quest as my own. When I scoffed at good grip, I’d be glad I had a brief moment of safety. When she was about to fall precariously, her breaths would quicken in panic, and my stress levels would rise as well. When she fell, she would often scream in frustration, usually reflecting how she felt about the situation.

Aava will meet other people along her journey and hear from people who care about her, offering her companionship during what is largely a solitary mission. But sometimes, she is also rude to them or alienates and ignores those who care about her. Ava even takes out her anger on her robot boyfriend. However, I can relate. Like Ava, I also wanted to climb the damn mountain, and normally, I didn’t want anything to stand in my way.

I am inclined to admire cairn: I love long distances, and for me, there are things less satisfying than the feeling of overcoming a seemingly insurmountable obstacle one step at a time. I recently stopped running, and I’ve missed it. cairn It reminded me of what’s possible when you focus only on the next thing in front of you—and on the complex emotions that come with persevering through an endeavor.

^{cairn Available now for PC and PS5.}