"A visceral survival-climber where every foothold is a fight for life."
Updates & Events
Cairn - 10% OFF on Steam
Cairn is currently featured on the Steam store!
About
Cairn is a tense survival-climbing adventure that tasks players with guiding Aava up the deadly Mount Kami. Blending deliberate limb-by-limb climbing simulation with harsh resource management, it delivers a realistic and unforgiving ascent where the mountain itself is the primary antagonist.
Story
Play as Aava, a climber leaving her life behind to conquer a peak that has claimed over 150 lives. As you ascend, you uncover the remnants of a lost high-altitude civilization and the tragic legacies of those who failed before you, exploring themes of obsession, sacrifice, and what we leave behind.
Gameplay
Master a unique limb-by-limb control system where you must manually select hand and footholds on fully explorable rock faces. Beyond movement, survival is key: manage stamina, hunger, thirst, and body temperature while navigating a gridless inventory system where every item's physical size matters.
Key Features
- 1Independent limb control system requiring strategic placement
- 2Dynamic piton system to create your own checkpoints
- 3Comprehensive survival mechanics including body temperature
- 4Gridless 'Tetris-style' backpack management
- 5Cooking system to buff grip strength and stats
- 6Explorable ancient ruins hidden in the cliffs
- 7Environmental storytelling through abandoned camps
- 8Realistic climbing techniques like chimneying and mantling
Highlights
Pros & Cons
Pros
- +Innovative, tactile control scheme
- +Deeply immersive survival atmosphere
- +Emotionally resonant narrative
- +High sense of accomplishment upon success
Cons
- -Unforgiving difficulty curve
- -Stressful resource management
- -Limb controls may feel awkward initially
Game Ratings
Tactile controls demand total focus
Clean style optimized for readability
Punishing survival and physics
Subtle, environmental narrative
Unique genre-blending mechanics
Who Will Enjoy This?
For those who love realistic physics and mechanics
Gamers who thrive on punishing difficulty
Players engaging with the solitary mood and lore
Similar To
Climbing Theme
Jusant
match
Traversal Gameplay
Death Stranding
match
Limb Control
QWOP / Getting Over It
match
💡 Did You Know?
Developers consulted real climbing professionals to ensure authentic techniques work in-game.
Mount Kami has a lore death toll of over 150 climbers before Aava's attempt.
The inventory is physics-based; items must physically fit inside your backpack mesh.
Project funded by French National Cinema Center, treating the game as a piece of art.
Features a 'Troglodyte' civilization history hidden in the rock walls.
Latest Updates & Events
Cairn - 10% OFF on Steam
Cairn is currently featured on the Steam store!
“A brutal, beautiful climb worth every step.”— Critical Reception
“Breaks players down and rebuilds them.”— Game Reviews
Game Ratings
Tactile controls demand total focus
Clean style optimized for readability
Punishing survival and physics
Subtle, environmental narrative
Unique genre-blending mechanics
Who Will Enjoy This?
For those who love realistic physics and mechanics
Gamers who thrive on punishing difficulty
Players engaging with the solitary mood and lore
Similar To
💡 Did You Know?
Developers consulted real climbing professionals to ensure authentic techniques work in-game.
Mount Kami has a lore death toll of over 150 climbers before Aava's attempt.
The inventory is physics-based; items must physically fit inside your backpack mesh.
Project funded by French National Cinema Center, treating the game as a piece of art.
Features a 'Troglodyte' civilization history hidden in the rock walls.
Latest Updates & Events
Cairn - 10% OFF on Steam
Cairn is currently featured on the Steam store!
The Ascent
Game Details
- Developer
- The Game Bakers
- Publisher
- The Game Bakers
- Platforms
- PC
- Genres
- Simulation, Adventure +1
- Atmosphere
- intense