Sandfall Entertainment, the studio behind blockbuster J'RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, has taken some time to shout out fellow French devs on the release of their game. While the nod is nice on its own, it contains a funny reference to Sandfall's hit release.
The game in question is Cairn, a climbing sim about being the first to reach the top of a particularly treacherous mountain, and it comes from France-based outfit The Game Bakers. Not only is the team French, but they're apparently based in Montpellier, the same southern city as Clair Obscur's creators, prompting some recognition.
"Expedition 69's favorite game is out!!" the official Sandfall account posts on Twitter. "Congratulations to our Montpellier friends at The Game Bakers!" What's clever here is that to people who aren't familiar with Expedition 33, this seems like a silly joke, but there's more to it.
See, Expedition 69 actually existed in Clair Obscur. They were sent to gather information, and decided to help map out the Continent on their travels. This included making fingerholds on cliffs and mountains for anyone following in their wake, making them known as an expedition of climbers. Sadly, they never made it home, but their spirit is felt by anyone who finds traversing the Continent that much easier.
All of which is to say, that particular expedition would definitely enjoy what Cairn has to offer. Aiming to emulate the experience of actually tackling an unforgiving mountainside, you have to consider each and every movement on your way up Mount Kami, as well as manage your hiking supplies. The intricacies make it seem daunting, but there are multiple difficulties to help take the edge off.
You can check out Cairn's Steam page here, and it's also on PS5. Hopefully you'll fare better than the Continent's travelers.
