I find myself constantly drawn to the world of rock climbing games. They offer a tantalizing taste of the real thing until I can overcome my scheduling woes and return to the gym. In the meantime, Cairn has captured my attention since its announcement at Summer Game Fest. Now, with its demo out, I'm finally getting to experience it firsthand.

Unleash Your Inner Climber with Cairn's Unique Blend

Introductory Area and Early Rock Face

The demo showcases Cairn's introductory area and an early game rock face. It sets the stage for the game's story, where protagonist Aava plans to scale Kami, a mountain never climbed by humans before, with less than half of those who attempted returning. Alongside her is a robot buddy that supplies pitons, enabling her to build and retrieve anchors as she ascends higher.

Navigating this initial section was both exciting and challenging. The attention to detail in the rock face design makes you feel like you're truly on the verge of an epic climb. Each crack and ledge seems to beckon, inviting you to test your climbing skills.

The way the environment interacts with Aava's movements is seamless. You can feel the tension as she reaches for that next hold, and the anticipation builds with every step upward. It's a truly immersive experience that draws you in from the very start.

Climbing Mechanics: A Balancing Act

Cairn's climbing mechanics sit somewhere between games like Jusant and Valley Peaks, focusing on anchor points and full body movement, and games like New Heights and Crux, which emphasize individual limb movement.

Controlling Aava's limbs is intuitive yet requires a bit of finesse. You use your left thumbstick to position them and press X to place them. However, getting the hang of when and how to make each move can be a bit tricky. There were moments when I found myself trying to outthink the game's choices by rapidly pressing X, but that didn't always lead to the best results.

The climbing felt most natural when I focused on moving quickly without getting tangled up. It's a delicate balance that takes time to master. But once you do, there's a sense of accomplishment that is truly rewarding.

Survival Elements: A Necessary Addition

One of the things I unreservedly love about Cairn is its survival elements. Entering Aava's bivouac allows her to use destroyed pitons to create new ones, sleep to recover health, and cook on a hanging camping stove.

The cooking system is a delightful touch. Combining ingredients into meals and seeing their UI descriptions get "bites taken out of them" as you eat is a unique and immersive experience. I found myself getting carried away with cooking and eating all my food immediately, only to realize later that I needed more.

Foraging for food in the world and refilling water bottles from streams adds another layer of realism to the game. Everything is neatly piled up in your backpack, and you can feel the weight of your supplies as you explore. It makes you truly feel like you're out in the wilderness, relying on your skills to survive.

Even if I'm still getting the hang of the climbing, the combination of climbing mechanics and survival elements makes Cairn a game designed specifically for me. The freedom to choose your own path up the mountain adds an extra layer of excitement, and I can't wait to see where it takes me.

I'm going to keep playing Cairn and sharing my adventures. You can join me too and experience the thrill of climbing and survival combined.