A climber clutches on to a vertiginous rock face, toes digging in, knuckles turning white, a limb trembling from the sheer strain. In this precarious moment, a few options present themselves: move swiftly to rebalance, take a few seconds to rest, or simply let go – praying that the belay holds the weight of a body that has succumbed to the massif.
Cairn, the new “survival climbing game” from French studio The Game Bakers, is full of such dicey, panicked moments. There is no visible stamina bar, which means that the player must glean all their information from the state of their playable alpinist, Aava. Under acute duress, Aava’s breathing will intensify, becoming quicker and shallower, and her body will begin to tremble. “We want you to focus on her posture and on the handholds in front of you,” says creative director Emeric Thoa.
