Release Date: January 29, 2026
A TPP action adventure game devoted to climbing, with additional survival and simulation elements. In Cairn we follow the story of the climber Aava hoping to reach the top of the Kami peak. We must plan our climb and use various climbing gadgets along the way.
Cairn is an action adventure game with survival and simulation elements, devoted to the topic of climbing. It was developed by The Game Bakers - an independent development team whose portfolio includes the warmly received and original projects Furi and Haven.
The main character of Cairn is Aava, a mountain climber who decides to climb a seemingly unconquerable Kami peak. On the way, our character has the opportunity to meet unexpected companions, as well as listen to people who support her from the base of the mountain. In addition to this, her colleague Marco also appears in the game.
In Cairn we watch the action from a third-person perspective (TPP). When climbing, we have complete freedom as to what path we choose. Standing in front of successive walls, we need to carefully examine them in order to plot our vertical path, taking into account not only the rock formations visible on the route, but also our own skills and equipment.
The game gives us full control over the characters' movements, allowing us to smoothly control their arms and legs. Thanks to this, we can always find the best, stable handles. Additionally, if we don't want to fall off the wall, we need to properly choose our posture, take care of balance, and also monitor the stamina indicator.
Aava and Marco are not forced to climb using only their limbs. Reaching the summit is somewhat facilitated by such equipment elements as hooks driven into the wall (it's worth remembering them, because when we lose our grip, one of them may turn out to be our last lifeline), as well as chalk or special tapes for wrapping fingers (making it easier to hold onto rocks). The game also includes survival elements - we can regenerate our weakened strength by camping. Our characters must eat and drink during the climbs, and they use medicine to treat various ailments.
Apart from the story mode, in which we play as Aava, Cairn gives us the Expedition mode, where we can also take control of Marco and conquer other peaks, having previously selected the climbing style (alpine, free solo) and the challenges we will try to undertake. We can then compare our achievements with the results of other players.
Platforms:
PC Windows
PlayStation 5
Developer: The Game Bakers
Publisher: The Game Bakers
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System Requirements for Cairn Video Game:
PC / Windows
Minimum System Requirements:
Intel Core i7-6700 3.4 GHz / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X 3.5 GHz, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 4 GB GeForce GTX 1050 Ti / 8 GB Radeon RX 570, 10 GB SSD, Windows 10 64-bit.
Recommended System Requirements:
Intel Core i7-10700 2.9 GHz / AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 3.6 GHz, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 6 GB Geforce RTX 2060 Super / 8 GB Radeon RX 5700, 10 GB SSD, Windows 10 64-bit.
Game Ratings for Cairn Video Game.
Shacknews: 9 / 10 by Sam Chandler
Cairn is a phenomenal climbing game. There were times where I wanted to throw in the towel because of some minor animation hiccup, but, like Aava, I couldn’t stop. There’s this intriguing parallel at play here, one that I found myself thinking about in those moments where I needed to rest my sweaty palms and Aava needed to recharge her stamina. Neither of us could stop. We had to see it through to the end, in whatever form that took. By the time the credits rolled, I knew that Cairn would stick with me for a long time. This is a game you absolutely have to experience.
So Many Games: 4 / 5 by Jacob Price
Kami, the mountain that Aava sets out to summit in Cairn, is a harsh, unrelenting cacophony of jagged edges, pushing the player back at every turn. But through the smallest movements, there is a building sense of triumph as you make the ascent to the peak, which The Game Bakers masterfully designed into the cliff surfaces and tense gameplay. The occasional slip, left without feedback, stings and can disjoint the game’s pacing, but ultimately in Cairn there is a new perspective on games that centre their design on difficulty and force you to reconcile how and why you’ll endure their friction.
The List: 4 / 5 by Murray Robertson
Featuring striking cell-shaded visuals, an atmospheric soundtrack enriched by birdsong, waterfalls, rain and wind, and a superbly implemented control system, Cairn is an ascent well worth making.
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![[0:45] - Free On The Trail DLC Announcement Trailer](https://cdn.gracza.pl/galeria/filmy/640x360/77641687.jpg)
