A game that caught my eye from the get-go via its presentation alone, Cairn promises to bring to players its own take on realistic climbing, while pairing it with a character-focused narrative. But does the game succeed in that? And do you need to be a long-time fan of the sport to enjoy it?
Here are our thoughts.
Intuitive Climbing Meets Resource Management
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Putting players in the shoes of Aava, a legendary climber who embarks on a quest to be the first to ever claim the summit of the unforgivable Kami, Cairn‘s experience can be described as a mix of climbing simulation and survival. But don’t get me wrong, the story is what keeps it all tied together, as it emphasizes choice, all while perfectly illustrating our protagonist’s inner conflict and showing the beauty and dangers hidden in the mountain via its standout art and sound direction.
Although I could rave about the story for a little longer, the game’s main feature lies in its mentioned intuitive climbing system, which tasks you with placing and adjusting Aava’s limbs and movements accordingly as you advance. Things are not as simple as finding the next foothold, though, as you must take into account weight distribution, form, and the terrain when planning your next steps. I know that might sound intimidating to some, but it allows each win, no matter how small, to come with a wave of both relief and excitement that pushes you right into the next.
To make matters easier, you are not alone in your journey, with Aava’s Climbot being a constant presence. Among its functions, it can gather and recover your reusable pitons, used to both create moments of vertical respite with belays and save you should you fall. Using Remote View is also a vital part of the experience, as it allows you to get a birds-eye overview of the path ahead and plan your ascent. You can also use it to see certified routes (if paired with a map) or to review your whole path since the start of your climb.
Aava can also boost her grip strength by keeping her fingers taped and using chalk, as well as get all types of buffs via consumables, either found/collected as you climb or cooked by using their set ingredients while at a bivouac. That’s when resource management and the game’s survival mechanics truly shine, as the latter are your only way to fight off the cold, thirst, and hunger mid-climb. Just don’t forget that your backpack is not infinite, and sacrifices must be made as you move forward.
Your Path Is Your Own
As advertised, Kami is literally your theme park in Cairn, with going out of your way being incentivised and rewarded via multiple items, including gear/upgrades, letters, recipes, and documents that might play a part or help you better understand the faces you will meet and the troglodyte civilization that once called the mountain their home. Upon many major discoveries or moments, Aava can then unlock keepsakes, which will stay in her inventory on later playthroughs and can be hung on your backpack.
In other words, even if the story is linear by itself, your choices build the experience. Want to stop and look for all three parts of a doll said to control the weather? Why not. Saw a set of fireworks? Grab it. Found a map hinting at a secret? Follow it. Trust me, you won’t regret it, as in the game, each journey is personal. Needless to say, that also means that visual storytelling plays a huge part, so keep your eyes peeled.
To further tweak your experience, Cairn allows players to face the Kami in three difficulties: Explorer, Alphinist, and the permadeath Free Solo, where you must free climb from beginning to end with no bivouac saving. Those on Explorer and Alphinist can also make use of Assist Options to ease the difficulty at any time. Among them, you can even unlock the ability to rewind time and disable the survival aspects of the game in their entirety. For your first playthrough, I recommend going with Alphinist and not touching the above, as the tension is what makes the journey so endearing and its moments of quietude so impactful.
How Long Is Cairn And What About Performance?
Cairn is not a long game, with my first Alphinist and overall playthrough taking around 15 hours/20 in-game days to complete. Keep in mind that even if I took my time, I didn’t uncover all of the secrets during my first successful climb, and have yet to do so, to be perfectly honest. Performance-wise, we have some mixed feelings, as even if we experienced no bugs, frame drops were noticeable on PS5 while entering and moving within open areas.
Final Thoughts
From the beauty of its silent moments to the tension present in many of its trickiest sections, Cairn ties its addictive and intuitive climbing simulation to both a solid story and a living mountain that begs to be explored.
Pros:
- A beautifully crafted experience, with a solid story and a good amount of secrets.
- Its climbing system is extremely intuitive and addictive. Each small win feels like a milestone worth celebrating, while mastery is a differential.
- Rewards replayability.
Cons:
- The console performance is not perfect, with frame drops being a common occurrence in certain sections.
