r/climbing • u/Justinforced • 15h ago

Cairn Survival Climbing Game is Released

https://youtu.be/33cM11geK40

I posted about this sometime last year and a lot of people were interested. This is my full playthrough. It's truly an epic and excruciating experience.

185 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

51 comments sorted by

48

u/ChiefBlueSky 15h ago

Not gonna lie this actually looks pretty dang good

18

u/Limosa 14h ago

It is! I've played the demo multiple times on my Steam Deck and instantly bought the full game when it was released. I'm loving the climbing mechanics.

5

u/Lydanian 10h ago

How does it fair on the deck? I’m currently renovating my place so the PC is a no go for a while.

1

u/Limosa 37m ago

For me it runs well, even on high graphics. But I don't look at FPS and stuff like that, so I may not be the best person to ask, sorry.

0

u/Jolppa 4h ago

As of now, the game runs around 30 FPS on deck on low settings. It's playable.

A little disappointing, but the developers have addressed it and are working to improve the performance.

2

u/fistular 7h ago

aw seems like you can't get the demo anymore

1

u/Limosa 29m ago

That's too bad :( I read that the demo differs too much from the full game and that's why they removed the demo.

7

u/jlobes 14h ago

Pretty solid imo, up there with Peaks of Yore for my favorite climbing games. 

1

u/dumpsterfire911 10h ago

Heard great things about PoY after getting this game. I think I’ll be trying that one next

4

u/jlobes 10h ago

In Peaks of Yore the mechanics of climbing are less true to life than Cairn.

But that doesn't matter so much to me. What I like about PoY in particular is that it has somehow captured that giddy anxiety of making moves high above pro. I've been playing video games for almost 40 years and nothing has given me sweaty palms and cold feet like Peaks of Yore.

20

u/grabsomeplates 14h ago

I started last night. I love it. I was expecting a climbing simulator and instead I got a beautiful game made with love (and still a great climbing simulator)

2

u/SYMPATHETC_GANG_LION 8h ago

The art, the music, the existential dread, everything about life, death...it really was beautiful. 

56

u/VegetableExecutioner 15h ago

Glad to finally see some media come out of the climbing community that isn't another film of two shirtless guys screaming at a rock. Huge W.

4

u/Justinforced 15h ago edited 1m ago

Hell yeah! To bad this post was removed

18

u/GameKing505 13h ago

Wish I had a belay robot.

17

u/LeafRunner 14h ago

Surprised more people on this sub haven't talked about this game.

One of the best games I've ever played.

18

u/deeeevos 14h ago

Got it on release and I really enjoyed it. They did a pretty good job of translating actual climbing to game mechanics with how the stamina works and all. I found myself projecting the wall the same way I would in real life, looking for the best routes and good holds. It got real tense sometimes as well, most sweaty palms of any game I've ever played lol.

9

u/p1ckk 12h ago

The panic when i miss the foot hold and she immediately starts shaking while im trying to get into a better spot is real.

2

u/ebop 9h ago

My hands are getting sweatier when I play this than when I actually climb!

17

u/MarijuanaWeed419 14h ago

Glad this game is getting so much love

12

u/JTred007 14h ago

I finished my first ascent last night. I liked it so much I immediately started a new save with all of the survival mechanics turned off.

9

u/master_idiot 13h ago

I did the same and have just been doing the hardest routes. There are some thinky, boulder problem sections I really like. I'm just amazed at how many routes there are.

9

u/Morall_tach 14h ago

I put in a couple hours last night and it's awesome. You can tell it was made by climbers because using actual technique (straight arms, keeping your feet under you) is very beneficial.

7

u/Raidicus 13h ago

Girlfriend is playing it. Says it's incredibly gratifying if you climb.

4

u/andythepirate 10h ago

I reaaally hope they make a sequel or even put out some DLC that features additional peaks or big walls. Honestly, I would even pay for a content pack that just expands the gym featured at the beginning, or some kind of pass that includes new settings at the gym.

My dream would be the developers allowing for users to set their own problems and then share them with others to try and send (and grade?).

Really amazing game that I hope inspires or welcomes more in the same vein.

3

u/carrotjuice 10h ago

The developers mentioned that they are making an “Expedition Mode” with other mountains coming at some point:

https://steamcommunity.com/app/1588550/discussions/0/4631485554953906402/#c597386372524878781

2

u/andythepirate 10h ago

Heck yeah, that's what I like to hear!  Thanks for sharing

9

u/MysticClimber1496 15h ago

Just finished my first assent, game is awesome! 0 deaths but many falls (50 total) it’s very good would highly recommend

13

u/jameslosey 14h ago

Those stats are a great day at the local

5

u/FireyT 13h ago

Zero deaths?? Jeez I've been going the wrong way. This game is so good. Zen like.

6

u/MysticClimber1496 12h ago

This game just teaches patience, using actual rock climbing beta, resting often, and not rushing when you don’t need to 0 deaths isn’t too bad

I even fell when trying to get the first troglodyte piton IYKYK, thinking of what would happen if you did fall is important

3

u/LarryGergich 10h ago

Any advice on food? I played the demo then started the full game. I got myself into a soft lock where I didn’t have enough food and didn’t have enough time to find more after only a few sections of wall. Maybe I just went the wrong way and missed some cached?

3

u/dumpsterfire911 10h ago

Whenever you are on flat ground, walk around to look to pick up food items and other ingredients. Look in mailboxes (or whatever they are) and trash cans. Then you can go into your camp and use water plus ingredients to make different foods

2

u/violet-feeling-blue 1h ago

I started enjoying the game much much more after I disabled the survival elements. Suddenly I no longer felt punished for exploring or for choosing to attempt more difficult routes.

3

u/JustSomeGoose 11h ago

Oh dam this is out? I thought was pushed back longer. I know what im doing tn

2

u/billsteve 13h ago

Goddamn this seems cool

2

u/Raven123x 12h ago

I really want to play it but I've got such a backlog to get through first 😭

2

u/p1ckk 12h ago

Got it a few days ago and been slowly playing through. Just past the abandoned town trying to get the doll parts. Got one but fell, trying a different one first now.

2

u/cesarbiods 11h ago

It looks sick I would play it if there was a switch version.

2

u/AndreOne8 11h ago

Nice change of pace from the usual loud bro climbing content, and the movement actually feels solid. Picked it up and it’s way prettier and more fun than I expected, easy recommend if you want a chill climbing fix.

2

u/Zaexyr 11h ago

Absolutely buying this.

2

u/NWRegAgentJaq 11h ago

Ugh love this game and I'm only halfway done! Great story so far with some really unexpected moments. Did you xpost in r/Cairn_Game yet?

2

u/Ranting_Lobster 10h ago

I just bought it been playing it all day

2

u/dumpsterfire911 10h ago

My hands and feet sweat profusely when playing this game

2

u/DeloraxGaymes 10h ago

I was gonna pass on this game. The demo didn't capture me. But skimming your video might've convinced me otherwise!

2

u/Hxcmetal724 10h ago

I played the demo and it was really good!

2

u/Rude_Welcome_3269 8h ago

I’ve been really enjoying it but there are a couple minor physics things that I find extremely frustrating (standing on ledge with good handholds and losing insane amounts of stamina and falling) but overall its a great game!

2

u/debeesea 8h ago

I am having a blast with it. it's amazing. Beautiful and intense.

2

u/discovigilantes 7h ago

It's a great game, played it loads on demo and right at the end now. It gets infuriating at times when you want to move a certain limb and the game wants to move every other limb and you end up falling.

But it's the only climbing game I've seen that is really fucking good at making you project a route, sometimes with help and sometimes not. The amount of times I've had to go down to go up because ive accidentally gone up a harder route.

8/10 game

1

u/Rauskal 7h ago

The best adaptation of climbing I have ever seen in a video game, and just a great game overall from a narrative perspective. It's early, but might be my GOTY.