CAIRN

It's true that I have a special relationship with games that have to do with simulation, especially when they deal with my favorite topics. However, it is a given that in such titles, things end up becoming excessively tedious. Either because of difficulty, or because of repetitive processes, which do not always offer the necessary dopamine. And with so many walking simulators that have been released in recent years, it was surprising that we did not see a good title related to mountaineering.

While Cairn may not be a true mountaineering simulator—since it focuses specifically on climbing—it still captures many of the shared elements between the two. And between us, climbing tends to be a bit more thrilling, especially when you’re attempting to conquer the world’s highest peak, Kami in this case, where so many others have failed.

In Cairn we control Aava, a highly experienced professional mountaineer specializing in climbing, in her attempt to become the first person to set foot on the summit of Mount Kami. And because climbing without a partner is usually not possible, we have Climbot with us on this journey. A small robot that, among other functions, serves as our partner in rope-based companionship

To reach the top, we control Aava’s each leg and arm separately, looking for the right spot to grab onto each time. So don't expect the ease of Assassin's Creed. Here things are completely realistic and in combination with the prevailing weather conditions, the degree of difficulty varies. Add to the equation the optional survival options, where we have to take care of the protagonist's food and drink, and we have a title of complete hardship, er, I wanted to say, realistic depiction of a real mountain expedition. However, all of the above is done from easy to non-existent, depending on difficulty level chosen from the main menu. Thus, someone who chooses to simply take their walk in the mountain park will not have to worry about the need for cooking/crafting. Not to mention they are bound to find that Aava’s limbs turn into suction cups on the rocks. But, so as not to scare the rest of us, it should be noted that the learning curve is fully proportional to our progress, which is also tied to the path to the top becoming steeper by the meter.

Although the game is generally characterized as solitary, on the way to the top we will meet other climbers. However, the main way we get to know the game world is through information that we find scattered around while exploring the mountain, or through messages that come to the Climbot. This idea, combined with the gameplay, is certain to bring Death Stranding to the minds of many. Of course, here, in addition to the fact that we have no action at all, we do not have any type of choice, apart from perhaps choosing whether to eventually explore every possible point on the map. Of course, as little as this may seem at first, it ends up being so profound, since as is known, contact with nature can lead to intense inner searches, something that I will leave here for you to discover for yourself, once you enter the world of Cairn.

When it comes to mountains and especially their wild appearance, it is a given that the landscapes will be nothing less than… breathtaking. That is, they will take your breath away. Okay, due to the general style of the title, it is not that one expects to see shocking photorealistic scenes while gazing at the horizon, nor sunsets like Read Dead Redemption, since it follows an approach reminiscent of classic graphic novels. And although I was afraid that this direction would deduct points from the final visual result, I can say that I was more than pleased. One cannot but give laurels to the small team of Game Bakers, where, led by an artist in the field, named Mathieu Bablet, they gave life to a fully recognizable and distinctive style.

So there may not be the familiar photorealism, but there is a world with character that literally sucks you in. Do you wish to see the world you leave behind from the highest peak of Kami? You will feel like kings of the world, as you are on its crown. Do you wish to turn the camera to see the steep precipices that you will have to climb? You will feel your acrophobia turn red and your fingers sweat. Just as it would happen during a real climb.

And if at times our pulse races and a second separates us from falling into the void, there is also the other side. A state of absolute relaxation. I don't believe that it's only the love I have for this sport and the mountains that is responsible. Even on the highest difficulty, the crossings we make in all these passages, the search for recesses in the rocks, the fantastic sound effects combined with the music and the feeling of absolute loneliness that "breaks through" the screen, Cairn offers a relaxation that I haven't encountered in many games. You close the game and you feel full and rested in a strange way that cannot be described. It doesn't make you impatient to run it again in order to see the next part of the story, but it works more like daily meditation and a break in a hectic day. So we could say that its purpose is the journey and not Ithaca. Something that you will see how, ultimately, is also related to our heroine.

I won't go into too much detail on this part and will leave you to experience it for yourself, if you choose to take the time to do so. I would just like to point out that although Cairn has many elements of what we jokingly call a walking simulator, it leaves a different feeling at the end of the day than the majority of this category. It doesn't promise action and classic fun, but a window into a digital countryside. However, this is the definition of a love/hate title since it completely depends on what each person is looking for at each given time, so someone may well cancel all of the above before even completing the tutorial

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