The DLC will eventually add three new areas to climb, following a “legendary climber,” and water soloing. Now you can finally climb over water, and falling into it will no longer guarantee a sudden death. Players can also choose to play as Marco, Aava’s overzealous agent, and attempt to conquer Mt. Kami.

As always, more details are needed, so stay tuned in the meantime. Cairn is currently available for PS5 and PC, and has sold over 500,000 copies as of last month. You can read our review here – we gave it a nine out of ten, praising the climbing and survival mechanics alongside the presentation, though performance on PS5 could occasionally chug.

There’s no word yet on whether The Game Bakers is targeting other platforms, specifically Nintendo Switch 2 and Xbox Series X/S. However, given that its previous titles, Furi and Haven, supported multiple platforms, it’s not outside the realm of possibility.

It seems that a lot of people have taken a shine to Aava’s effort to go where nobody else has dared venture, and The Game Bakers has managed to respond to its success with a very welcome blend of humor and humility. For those unaware of Cairn, it’s a survival climbing game where players seek to reach the peak of the perilous Mount Kami. Every surface is climbable, though it may not always be practical, and Aava must manage her supplies along with battling hunger, thirst and the cold.

Out now on PS5 and PC, we certainly had a lot of good things to say about the gruelling, but ultimately rewarding experience it presents in our review. If the responses to the studio’s tweet are any indication, players share our sentiments about Aava’s climb and claim to fame.

It’s a sentiment that resonates all the more considering the situation that Aava, the protagonist, is in. She has no shortage of friends or people cheering her on; no lack of interests to keep her occupied. Yet, she climbs Mount Kami, which no human has ever conquered and lived to tell the tale. Why?

Probably because it’s there, and that only scratches the surface of why Cairn is so endearing.

A video game focused primarily on climbing isn’t necessarily a new concept. Jusant is perhaps one of the better examples, but there have also been efforts like Celeste, a 2D platformer where the journey is as much an emotional rollercoaster as the summit.

"Being able to take a birdseye view and examine each crevice, knowing immediately where problems would arise, getting the brilliant idea to rappel down a spot and move across and up before encountering a new problem – it’s a constant feedback loop that’s equal parts challenging and fulfilling."

Unlike those, however, Cairn is a more grounded climbing game. Each of Aava’s four limbs must be controlled one at a time while climbing and anchored onto a ledge, outcrop or crevice. There’s a fair degree of movement involved, which skirts a fine line between executing what should be impossible maneuvers in real life unless you’re a professional climber and outright ignoring how joints should work. Regardless, each move is a tense decision – move too fast, and you risk slipping on a rock face that’s smoother than most. Move too slow and Aava’s stamina will deplete. Or her limbs will become shaky, and she’ll fall.

And hoo boy, are the falls painful beyond just reducing your health. Rather than forcing a climb back up, you respawn back at that point, at least on Alpinist difficulty. But that’s if you survive the fall. Die – and that percentage chance only goes up the higher you climb – and it’s back to the last save point. All that progress that you made, wiped away because you thought it was laying down a piton and off belaying to regain all that stamina was feasible when it clearly wasn’t. It’s not nearly as soul-crushing as something like, say, Getting Over It, but losing half of an hour of progress that you won’t get back still hurts.

But here’s the thing: I like it. I enjoy the control that Cairn gives me, whether it’s automatically selecting the best limb to control next or letting me freely select because I think the left and right legs should clearly stay in a single spot. It’s so simple yet so intuitive that I’m surprised it hasn’t been done before.

I also like the abject freedom allowed in selecting a climbing route. Do I take what appears to be the smarter route, or try to climb up beneath the waterfall, knowing that water makes surfaces more slippery? What’s hiding in that alcove above? Do I follow the cables dangling overhead or the nice little trail that requires jumping a small chasm?

Being able to take a birdseye view and examine each crevice, knowing immediately where problems would arise, getting the brilliant idea to rappel down a spot and move across and up before encountering a new problem – it’s a constant feedback loop that’s equal parts challenging and fulfilling. And also marginally demoralizing when things go wrong, like twisting a piton rather than perfectly timing its placement, which means Climb Bot is bringing back scraps. Beyond the amount of control is the feeling, as you scrape across surfaces, paying close attention to Aava’s breathing to know when it’s time to restore some stamina.

"It’s equal parts zen-like and death-defying, but also like I’m solving one of several dozen pieces of a puzzle that is climbing Mount Kami. Best of all is the fact that there are several other ways to do it (and an even tougher difficulty)."

Of course, there’s plenty of romanticism to it all. Nights spent in the bivouac with nothing but the cold wind (and the ever-reliable Climb Bot, of course) and a hot meal. Waking up to the gorgeous sunrise, or just admiring the distance achieved thus far. Looking up to see an impromptu waterfall, perfect for refilling water. Small critters dashing away. Discovering a memorial to fallen climbers and paying respects. It’s meditative. Calming.

Except when it isn’t, because if Mount Kami wants anything, it’s to make sure you never make it and die trying. Harsh weather can creep up on you as easily as the nighttime, and while cranking up the brightness made it much easier to surmount walls in the early hours, rainfall creating slick surfaces is no joke. Not to mention the other survival elements, because on top of managing Aava’s hunger and thirst, you also need to deal with the cold.

Food helps, and cooking it more so, whether you’re combining flowers and water into…some concoction, or boiling noodles, especially since they confer buffs. But the kicker is that you shouldn’t cook too much at a time, because they all have time limits. Go all in on a single journey, unsure whether you’ll find more resources for future meals? Or play it safe, rationing some along the way, testing the different routes until you find the one that doesn’t hate you? There’s also space in your backpack to account for, though Climb Bot is also good at turning compost, like plastic wrapping and spoilage, into chalk for climbing. Similarly, those piton scraps can be used to make new pitons, assuming you have enough. Take time to check your fingers as well and tape them when necessary.

So as straightforward as the gameplay loop may seem, Cairn is anything but. Each wall doesn’t immediately give the impression that it could be your last, but when you’re in the zone, monitoring Aava’s condition, knowing the right times to take a break, and judging the correct places to climb until you finally succeed, it feels good. It’s equal parts zen-like and death-defying, but also like I’m solving one of several dozen pieces of a puzzle that is climbing Mount Kami. Best of all is the fact that there are several other ways to do it (and an even tougher difficulty).

"The incredible controls and responsiveness, the sheer freedom to choose my route, the survival elements, and just the sheer wonder of camping on the side of a mountain drew me in and never let go. Until the next drop, of course."

However, it’s somewhat of a shame that Cairn’s frame rate on PS5 isn’t exactly stable, especially given the superb art direction and music (sporadic as it may be). Often hovering around 30 frames per second, it can sometimes jump up to 60 when camping or during some cutscenes. There’s definitely some variance while actually climbing, which can feel distracting, even if there aren’t any massive frame drops. And while I joked about the impossible movements that Aava is capable of, some of the animations and limbs slightly clipping through surfaces took me out of the experience. Yes, it’s goofy and doesn’t really impact the gameplay, but still. There are also some points where Climb Bot takes its sweet time to return with my Pitons, which is more curious than anything.

If you enjoyed Jusant, then I would definitely recommend Cairn. It lacks the post-apocalyptic trappings, but there is a unique magic to it, even if the climbing is much less forgiving and encourages more experimentation. For everyone else, it’s a challenging experience – one that doesn’t celebrate knocking you down so much as offer plenty of ways for you to fall. Getting back up is easy – it’s the decision to continue climbing that could wear on some. And yet, the incredible controls and responsiveness, the sheer freedom to choose my route, the survival elements, and just the sheer wonder of camping on the side of a mountain drew me in and never let go. Until the next drop, of course.

This game was reviewed on PS5.

Retailing for $29.99, players can also avail of a Deluxe Edition for $36.99. It includes a travel guide crafted by artist Mathieu Bablet (Carbon and Silicon, Silent Jenny), and three of protagonist Aava’s keepsakes. Based on the trailer, Cairn promises a harrowing journey as players seek to scale Mount Kami, from which no one has ever returned.

Lasting about 15 hours, its realistic gameplay is the biggest appeal. You can climb anywhere, but you must adjust your position and find the right places to grab on to. Between climbing sessions, Aava can forage for resources like food, pitons, and whatnot, and must also deal with harsh weather. And if you complete the story, there’s Expedition Mode for testing your skills and measuring up to other players.

Going live on October 13th, it adds Ghosts representing other players. They won’t directly impede your gameplay, but observing them may reveal different routes or funny moments. It also adds a nice community aspect to the experience, though you can turn it competitive and attempt to beat the most skilled climbers.

With over 500,000 downloads as of June, it’s a good reason to revisit the demo, but stay tuned for other changes in this update. The full game is coming to PC and PS5, and alongside the standard climbing experience, it includes Free Solo mode. No ropes or pitons – just you and the climb. Dying means starting over, and the amount of resources in your backpack is less, making for the ultimate challenge.

Set in the Tenzen mountain ridge, Cairn focuses on Aava, who wants to surmount Mount Kami. It’s easier said than done, given that almost no one has returned from the journey, but you have complete freedom in your approach. Every surface is climbable, though some routes will be more challenging than others.

Gathering materials to cook meals and resting at night are also essential, even if there’s limited space in the backpack for your resources. You could gain some extra ground by forgoing sleep, but there’s also harsh weather like rain, which can make for slippery surfaces and make the task much more difficult.

Stay tuned for more details and gameplay on Cairn in the coming months.

Cairn is about Aava, a climber who ventures to climb Mount Kami. No one has ever achieved this feat (and lived to tell the tale), but it’s a personal journey as much as anything else. The animated aesthetic belies the realistic climbing mechanics, where players must find holds and carefully adjust their body to climb.

Pretty much every surface is climbable, though more efficient routes lay waiting to be discovered. Aava can also collect resources like pitons, medicine and ingredients while setting up camp and making meals. Scaling Mount Kami is challenging enough but you’ll also have to contend with dynamic weather like rain.

Cairn currently has a free demo on PC so check it out to get a handle on its mechanics. Stay tuned for gameplay and details, and check out the overview trailer.

While the story has yet to be fully detailed, players are on a quest to climb to the peak of Mt. Kami, which no one has ever done. You can climb every rock while choosing the most efficient route and managing your breathing and posture. Pitons can serve as checkpoints if you fall.

Adding to the realism is resource gathering, including water collection from streams and heating it with plants for a meal. On top of a day/night cycle, there’s also rain to worry about, though a barometer will alert you if the weather is turning bad.

Cairn doesn’t have a release date yet, but a free demo is available for PC via Steam (and recently updated with new features). It’s also coming to consoles.

The objective is to reach the summit of Mount Kami, which is easier said than done. The controls are relatively simple, and players can climb from any spot on the mountain, but be careful – if you haven’t found the right hold or balanced yourself correctly, it can be a long way down. Or at least back to the last piton.

There’s also Expedition Mode, with two playable characters, more unique climbing styles and several mountains to tackle. You can then compare your performance (including areas where you may have struggled) with other players.

Cairn is coming to PC and consoles, with a demo of the “first leg of Aava’s journey” in Tenzen National Park available to play at Gamescom. It will also be released on Steam “soon.”

Like DON’T NOD’s Jusant, players will scale extensive structures, surmounting rock faces bit by bit. Placing notches and slowly making progress is the name of the game, with one mistake potentially setting back progress. It aims to be an intense experience with seemingly slower progress. Even as large mountains loom in the distance, it all begins with the first few climbs.

Cairn lacks a release date or platforms, and The Game Bakers didn’t reveal when we could expect more details. Nevertheless, given its commitment to making new experiences, it should be interesting to see how it pans out (especially with its narrative, given the studio’s pedigree with Haven and Furi). Stay tuned for updates in the coming months.