I have a soft spot for climbers. It’s a skill I’m very much a novice at, bouldering being something I need to get back into, but free climbers and extreme heights both scare and captivate me. Yet whilst I know my limits, I can thankfully live out those lofty ambitions through Cairn.
A seemingly relaxing-looking experience, Cairn is a minimalistic climbing/survival adventure following one woman’s attempted ascent of a notoriously dangerous mountain.
The Game Bakers are back, from boss rushes in Furi and whimsical adventures in Haven, with something both grounded and lofty in ambition. Does it reach new heights of tension and excitement, or does it peak too early? Let’s fight out.
Onwards, Upwards…
I did wonder if Cairn would have a story, or go for something muted and open-to-interpretation like Journey or Inside (in terms of lack of narrative, I mean). Fortunately not, it does have one and we have a motivation. Well, besides the apparent vertically inclined one.
We play as Aava (pronounced as Ah-va), an experienced climber who wants to tackle the big one: Mount Kami. It’s a perilous climb, having claimed the lives of many before her. But that’s not a deterrent, instead a motivation to climb and surpass those that have come before.
Along the way, Aava is sent messages of encouragement from family members via her Climbbot, a little robotic companion. She’s also regularly sent messages from someone named Chris, who I can’t work out is either a partner/ex-partner or PR guy/manager. I’m not far enough in to tell yet.
In terms of tone, I’m getting a sort of… Celeste vibe. Like there’s something bigger afoot, as if Aava’s hiding some dark secret or forbidden past. Or she’s climbing away from something…
Maybe she’s just an introvert and scaling rock faces is her way of ignoring the world, who knows? It’s not a narrative-heavy, exposition-dumping scenario and I’m grateful for it.
Sculpted From Stone
As in keeping with the The Game Bakers’ catalogue, Cairn shares a bright and colourful aesthetic like its stablemates. I would say it’s much more akin to Furi, more bold colours that the almost watercolour style of Haven. Which is impressive given that, for the most part, players will be looking at rock faces.
But credit where it’s due, Cairn is a wonderful game to be enveloped in. Yes, the rock faces are mostly… well, stone. But Aava herself is unique in her thermal wrappings (at least I assume that is, or a bad mummy costume), as we invest in her climb.
There’s a sense of both newer climbing communities and old fashioned folkloric traditions in Kami. As we climb, we see flags marking previous efforts, statues and troglodytes reminiscent of old settlers. Broken cable cars, decaying walkways and rails, notice boards and little “pay it forward” stash boxes are part of the climb.
As we get higher, these become less frequent, instead opening up the skies to eye-catching sights. In daylight, we can see just how far we’ve come, as the lights of our training room become like fireflies in the distance. At night, the stars blanket the world, as Aava climbs through the early morning hours.
Yes, that sounds very fancy and whatnot, but honestly it’s justified. It’s a very good looking game.
Solving Problems
So… the climbing. This one’s going to be hard to explain because, objectively, Cairn is a beautiful game. But to an outsider, if they were to see how it’s played, it’s extremely daft without context. I would say, were I not invested, that it’s the vertical version of QWOP, or a more artsy Baby Steps. And I mean that nicely, by the way.
If you’ve cut your teeth on Assassin’s Creed, or the even easier yellow ledge offerings, prepare yourselves for a shock. Cairn is more of a sim, rather than “a means to get to the next objective on a fetch quest”. What this means is careful planning, looking ahead, and working Aava’s limbs independently to climb.
Once a problem (what they call routes in climbing) is started, players will move one limb at a time to reach suitable holds. This is done with the right thumbstick, allowing full 360° rotation of an appendage to find an appropriate hold. Once the hands are attached, the feet come next: these will need to brought up to a reasonable height to allow Aava to reach the next hold, and so forth. Sometimes a little overreach is necessary, but you have to be careful not to leave yourself hanging, literally, or burning stamina.
There’s an assist that tells you if you’ve got a decent hold/foothold, and from there, working one’s way up the many rock faces of a mountain. I make it sound easy enough, but let’s expand on that…
Shake It Out
As well as working out an optimal climbing route, players must keep an eye on Aava’s well-being too. Besides an overall life/health bar, players must also keep an eye on hydration, hunger and temperature of our determined mountaineer. We’ll look at that aspect of maintenance in a bit, but in terms of climbing it’s a crucial part.
When climbing, players will see Aava shake if she’s in an awkward position. A quick tap of triangle (on PlayStation) will shake some sensation into her limbs, regaining a little stamina. But this is finite, more a brief respite than rest point.
What we can do is set belay points on the way, allowing Aava to literally hang out for longer and take stock of where we’re going. Early on, one will only need a couple on short excursions, as is to be expected. But as the mountain gets steeper, so will the climbs. Soon belay points will become crucial lifelines between a problem scaled or death.
On some difficulties (and certain assists), there is a Prince of Persia-style rewind if Aava does fall. I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve relied on it a few times, but then I’m just trying to see this through. I’m sure someone will do it on the Free Solo difficulty and no piton points down the line.
Mountain High, Beauty Deep
I just want to take some time on this ascent (as we ironically read down-page) to admire the world of Cairn. I’ve touched upon the graphics, but to sound like some sort of art muso, it feels deeper than its presentation.
As we progress up Kami, through the efforts of Aava, it feels like we’re opening up a lost legacy. But unlike Nathan Drake or Lara Croft and their grand, sweeping escapades, we’re seeing it on a more local level. Nooks and caves bearing marks and drawings, a sense of what once was before us.
Finding troglodytes and art works, maps to little treasures and oddities. Even the modern influence is there, too. Notes from previous climbers on odd cambers, derelict climbots with messages left unsent add a poignancy to the experience.
Which I feel is what adds to the charm experience of Cairn, it makes it more immersive than just “go and summit this mountain”.
Feed The Fire, Fuel The Climb
As previously mentioned, Cairn is more than just point-to-point climbing. It’s not only Aava’s mind that we delve into, but also the toll and toil that climbing takes out on her. As anyone who has climbed before will tell you, it is a strenuous activity. It’s lifting one’s own body weight up great heights, for starters.
When Aava camps, usually by a save point, the player has the opportunity to take stock and refuel. A simple stove allows players to make concoctions and foodstuffs, from simple meals to invigorating brews that offer warmth boosts.
Any wild plants or fish caught can be combined with water or juices to make exciting/strange meals that again stat boosts. Experimentation is the name of the game, pairing unusual items to see what suits best. These can be eaten on the spot, or stored in Aava’s bag for that mid-climb munch.
On the outside, Aava’s digital digits need looking after too. As well as being a great aide for grip, taping one’s fingers is essential for longevity and protection from cuts/awkward holds. If this doesn’t appeal, it can all be turned off in the menu for straightforward climbing. But if this does, then it’s a neat little routine to look after our protagonist.
Rough Edges
Before I go into the issues I had with Cairn, I would like to preface that we did receive the review code almost two weeks prior to release. I also haven’t had any patches, which are normally closer to release/on release, which will hopefully negate these issues.
So, back near the start I made a reference to QWOP, the old internet game that had players try and run with keys. The end result was a hilariously disjointed struggle, one that followed Bennett Foddy to Baby Steps. Now, those games are “gimmick games”, as Toby puts them.
Whereas Cairn is, or at least I take it to be, a serious affair. So, when Aava can twist her right leg up past her left shoulder, knee and toes pointing down, it looks a little odd. As does watching an arm unrealistically phase itself through her torso in an angle to put pro Twister players to shame.
As I say, this will hopefully either be rectified, or I’ve missed the point completely. If it is meant to be a little goofy, then… more fool me.
The Loner’s Dilemma
In terms of gameplay, I don’t have too many complaints. Again, could be pre-release talking, but the game’s minimalism can sometimes be at a disservice. For example, I’d like to know how far I’m up Kami I am, but I can’t see any indication. Again, maybe that’s the point, “journey not the destination” and all that.
The only inherent issue with that is that it’s often too easy to get lost. Yes, it sounds daft, but sometimes you might find a cave, repel a short distance down… and that’s it. Suddenly, you’ve wasted fifteen minutes. Made the mistake of recalling your climbot and disengaging the rope? Have fun backtracking.
I’m not suggesting a complete rewind mechanic would be essential, that would cheapen the experience. The nature of the game is to explore, after all. It’d just be nice to have a little nudge if we’re going too far off the beaten track sometimes.
My only other grumble, and this is personal one, is that Aava comes across as fundamentally awkward and unlikeable. As inferred from the ignoring of climbot messages, as well as shutting down any other climbers and their ambitions. Maybe toward the end, we get a whole intrspection, but I don’t know, I haven’t got there yet. I don’t know how far in I am, to be honest.
Get A Grip
Yet despite Aava’s abrasiveness, Cairn gets a glowing recommendation from me. I’m not very big into my survival games, as such, but this isn’t that deep. The climbing aspect, the core gameplay, has the same effect the SnowRunner/Roadcraft games do to me.
The contemplative moments, when it all flows naturally, juxtaposed with the stressful moments. The problems easily climbed, immediately followed by a three piton, constant stopping and finger-tape burning climb next.
The Game Bakers have a good eye for art, with Cairn now successfully rubbing shoulders with its stablemates. The joy in climbing outweighs the rough moments, that which will hopefully iron out over time.
Will I ever submit Kami? I don’t know, but I’m going to damn well die trying… and then rewind a bit and climb a different angle.
Cairn is available from 29th January on PlayStation 5 (review platform) and PC via Steam.
Developer: The Game Bakers
Publisher: The Game Bakers