Cairn is a realistic survival-climber with breathtaking views

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In some instances, a well-executed minimalist idea can be sufficient for a game to thrive. Rather than devising adversaries or complex gaming regulations, the goal in Cairn is just to ascend a visually stunning yet perilous mountain named Kami. Despite no one having ever reached its peak before, Aava (pronounced Ah-vah) and her reliable Climbot are determined to give it a shot. I had the opportunity to experience 30 minutes of this upcoming survival-based climbing simulation by The Game Bakers, creators of Furi and Haven, at the Day of the Devs during GDC 2025. Thankfully, by moving cautiously and methodically, I managed to complete the demo without any harm.

Ain’t no mountain high enough

To begin with, the initial part of the demo presents Aava, an individual who prefers solitude and is meticulous, exercising in a rock-climbing facility equipped with eight towering walls. On the intermediate Alpinist level, devoid of assist mode, ascending a wall demands careful accuracy. With standard controls, the game decides which limb the player should control. As long as Aava correctly places her hands and feet – either on a secure edge or within a rock crevice – she can effortlessly scale a cliff face. However, if her arms and legs weaken and her breathing becomes rapid and shallow, there’s a risk she might lose her grip and fall to the ground below.

Fortunately, Aava has access to pitons that secure her progress during her climb. These will minimize the amount of ground she loses if she slips and allow her to take a break for recovery by belaying. If Aava manages to perfectly place these pitons through a timed mini-game, the Climbot can retrieve them once she reaches stable ground. The player also has the option to pull back the camera for a broader view and select the most effective path up the mountain. For those seeking a more challenging experience, they can opt for the Free Solo difficulty level, which disables pitons entirely.

Instead of disabling the HUD and relying on auto-controls to enhance immersion, I opted for precision by switching to manual control. Occasionally, a limb wouldn’t adhere to the wall as expected, and the only swift solution was to use manual control. Additionally, I activated the option to highlight Aava’s limbs, as her body often obstructed my view of her hands and legs during certain instances.

A matter of survival

In the demonstration, while Aava didn’t have to deal extensively with it due to its brevity, she must attend to her fundamental requirements such as health, hunger, hydration, and body temperature. Her backpack is equipped with water bottles, snacks, pills, and cooking rations like ramen that can be prepared at save points in tents. Change found in the gym can be used to purchase additional items from vending machines, while Aava can forage for wild herbs, raspberries, and find streams to replenish resources. Managing temperature was not an issue during the demo, but given that the summit of Kami is snow-covered, it will likely be a concern in the full game.

On Aava’s climb up the mountain, she might run into other travelers and engage in conversations via the Climbot’s radio. Whether these individuals will help or hinder her is uncertain, but there might come a time when she needs to weigh the option of sharing some of her supplies or choosing to proceed independently.

Cairn is set to release in 2025 for PC (Steam) and PS5. A demo of the game is available on Steam.

This sneak peek is derived from the demonstration presented by the publisher at the San Francisco Edition of Day of the Devs during the Game Developers Conference in 2025.

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2025-03-22 20:27