Cairn

Man que onda con los jueguitos de escalar montañas que terminan siendo las experiencias mas fuertes y emocionales del gaming? Bueno, eso, bello en todo sentido, muy intuitiva la mecánica de escalar por cada brazo y pierna, aunque se vea complicada o rara es medio automático y con margen de error, se vuelve mas fácil si entendés que siempre podes llegar mas lejos de lo que parece y no das tanta bola a como se contorsionan cada parte. Toda la parte de supervivencia funciona muy bien, la organización y preparación para cada subida con todo el tema de agua, comida y salud lo hace interesante, y el manejo de la estamina te hace tener en cuenta otras cosas como la gravedad y los bordes todo el rato que lo hace mas atrapante. Por supuesto toda la historia y personajes que te encontrás es genial, bastante narrativo y con momentos bonitos y fuertes. Lo único medio medio es el sistema automático de elegir extremidades dependiendo de la posición, porque varias veces te hace ir y venir entre las dos mismas sin importar si otra esta mal posicionada, y capaz lo otro es que no es muy preciso cuando elegís agarrar la pared, como también automático donde pone la mano o el pie, a veces tenes que repetir la acción hasta que lo deje mejor. Solo eso, la verdad bello en todo lo que hace, juegazo poderoso con un soundtrack no muy amplio pero que es una delicia cada que aparece, en conjunto con todo es re impactante y memorable. Muy recomendado, vale completamente la pena.

[h1]大山只是沉默地矗立，而悬挂的尸体一具又一具，她也只是咬着牙前进，任由死亡向着她追赶。[/h1] 好游戏，确实是个不可多得的好游戏，沉浸感很强，美术也很舒服。 🌸前排提示：设置里安插有辅助模式开关，自行根据自身情况调整，算是官方挂吧👍🏻 [b]从山底的满地春色到山顶的皑皑白雪，从最开始的游刃有余到后面的精疲力尽，这是一段主角对自己和大山的朝圣之旅。 为了登顶，艾瓦可以说是抛下了一切，倒是想起来了有同样表现手法的毛姆写的《月亮与六便士》，当追求和伦理碰撞之时，故事之外的人开始了思考——这场攀登到底有什么意义？ 看到还未来得及命名的智攀宝都因为这场攀登几乎报废，艾瓦在山顶发出了怒吼，这是一场登顶的胜仗吗？还是一场牺牲的败仗？我们再也无从得知，只能看着主角融入雪色之中，完成了最后一次也是最简单的一次攀登。 其实艾瓦的性格并不讨喜，但我想这一刻，她的血肉在屏幕那头生长，最终蔓延到了我掌心。[/b]

中评60/100，如果算上最终演出形成的峰终效应影响，勉强能70分左右。我应该是在几年前的某次游戏发布会上第一次看到CAIRN的宣传片，当时它给我的感觉是独特且深沉，与那些为了迎合快节奏市场而不断妥协的作品形成了鲜明对比。最近终于抽出空体验完这款号称“2026开年王炸”的作品后，我意识到它确实实现了当年宣传片里承诺的概念，但游戏不能只有概念。如果Steam有中评而不是简单的二元评价，我更愿意给CAIRN打中评而不是差评。 游戏结束后我的感受确实很复杂，它很独特，也确实在塑造“深沉”的方向上作了努力。但独特不等于优秀，“深沉”也要打上双引号。 作为一款主打攀岩玩法、强调风格化的独立游戏，CAIRN的开头很容易让人想到死亡搁浅，两者都选择了一条特立独行的道路，但稍微深究就会发现死亡搁浅有足够的投入让玩法以外的元素都能打磨到行业优秀乃至顶尖水准，并且其本身的玩法也在独特的基础上尽可能拓展了可玩性，最终成就了这个IP；而反观CAIRN，除了玩法以外的元素很难谈得上优秀。以独立游戏的标准来评判，画面效果相当有年代感，人物动作僵硬且穿模严重，地形bug屡见不鲜，资源规划像是在逗乐子。至于其攀岩玩法本身，我也没觉得特别有趣，尤其是在自动选择四肢系统不断出错时。要说这套玩法偏真实，游戏里人手一个能在90度岩壁上如履平地的攀岩机器人用以重复收集岩钉，而要说这套玩法注重游戏性，作为攀岩高手的主角连快走两步都需要消耗资源。游戏在“独特”这个卖点上的尝试有些顾此失彼，制作组似乎简单地认为标新立异=好，但这种思路导致其他方面的打磨非常粗糙，最终导致本该展现最大核心价值的独特玩法不仅没被托举，反而被各种因素拖累了。 至于“深沉”，这一点需要结合游戏剧情评价，所以以下内容可能涉及剧透。我觉得CAIRN之所以能收获不错的口碑，最重要的理由不在于其独特性，而在于它试图塑造的“深沉”气质，无论其塑造的好与坏，至少它尝试这样做了，而这在当下已经足够引人注目。我知道肯定有不少的玩家在游玩过程中被“因为山就在那里”、“不断超越自我的苦行者”、“人与自然的搏斗与和解”这些思绪包裹着，尤其再加上最后不错的演出效果，人总是容易被宏大而模糊的东西感动，特别是当这些东西恰好包装成“深刻”的模样，许多人可能在被游戏真正触动之前，就已经先把自己感动了，因此这样的“深沉”也就顺理成章地收获了无数好评。但在我个人的体验过程里，随着游戏时间增长，我越来越感觉到一种刻意的“故作深沉”，一种意境的强行拔高与基础体验的全面滑坡之间难以调和的矛盾。就以主角的人设来说，我无法理解主角严重情绪化的做派，也共情不了她自私狂躁的思维模式，我能明白制作组想塑造一个有缺陷的角色，但一个有缺陷的角色不等于一个令人不适的角色。在“深沉”这一点上，游戏试图通过痛苦和挫败来深化主题，但当这种痛苦更多来自粗糙的游戏质量和一言难尽的角色设计而非攀登本身的挑战时，所谓的“深沉”就变了味。 总的来说，CAIRN失败的地方在于创作意图的执行不到位：一个欠缺打磨的核心玩法，一个让玩家无法代入的主角，让所有塑造“深沉”气质的尝试都显得缺乏根基。它确实是2026年游戏市场上一个醒目的异类，一个值得被讨论、被分析的作品，但我不会选择推荐给所有人，因为它本可以更好。那些被它吸引的人，的确能在其中找到属于自己的感动；而那些没有感受到乐趣的玩家也不必觉得遗憾，毕竟山就在那里，但并不是每个人都必须攀登。

[i]I actually just wanted to write a review about the mechanics, atmosphere, and storyline, but I saw a lot of negative reviews where people only complain about the main character, so I want to address that first.[/i] ​Multiple reviewers are calling the game a "narcissist simulator", "ragebait" or "unlikeable" because of the protagonist Aava. You could literally type "Cairn Aava" into a browser and almost only find negative and even hateful search results about her. The conclusion I made after reading those reviews and online posts was: A person who speaks her mind without being overly kind is automatically a narcissist. —Am I getting that right? What Aava actually does is tell people to leave her alone and ignore the calls of her agent, who is making a commercialized media circus out of her climb. She doesn't behave like that out of an attempt to hurt others, she's simply stuck in her own head, emotionally unavailable, and not capable of more than a "hello" and "bye". There's no need to label a complex diagnosis to every behavior that deviates from the norm. Sometimes humans are just humans. It's ironic that despite the widespread call for less judgmental attitudes, a character immediately faces harsh judgment as soon as she isn't the typical lovey-dovey, sympathetic character next door. ​[spoiler]What's actually concerning character-wise is her girlfriend. What kind of partner calls you up shouting during the most deadly climb of your life and makes you feel guilty for living your dream and "leaving her alone"? In terms of timing, she knew exactly what she was getting into when they got together. Trying to change Aava later because she isn't happy with what she got isn't very girlfriend-ish.[/spoiler] Also, a lot of reviews start with 'As a real climber..' complaining about realism. It's okay, we heard you, but Cairn never claimed to be a technical climbing simulator. It’s a story-driven game that balances climbing mechanics so every gamer can get into it. It's not a 1:1 sports simulation. ​Distancing from that and moving back to the core gameplay: The [u]mechanics are really innovative and well-designed[/u], though as many have mentioned, the [u]auto-limb setting can be frustrating[/u]. After the first few grabs, I decided to manually select every limb all the way to the peak to make the gameplay feel more immersive. For a game advertising "physics-based movement", there's [u]still potential for a better auto limb movement implementation[/u]. ​The [u]graphics are beautifully unique[/u], and the [u]atmosphere shifts between calming and tense[/u], changing in milliseconds like the weather on Mount Kami. ​In the end, I was deeply surprised by how metaphorically and well-designed the climbing journey silently aligned with Aava's character development. Cairn isn't just a journey about climbing a mountain, it's about a woman trying to blend out life and avoiding her own feelings through a high-functioning survival mode. ​[b]Highly recommended to anyone who enjoys psychological storylines, choice-driven narratives, and has the patience to think about every next step before it might be your last one.[/b]

Stamina management with a view. This game is one of a kind, and it without a doubt deserves way more recognition than it has received. There are very few games like it that I know of, but none of them are as realistic or in-depth story-wise as this one. The art style of this game, in my opinion, is absolutely beautiful and unlike anything I've ever seen before. It's like a stylised, graphic cel-shaded look focusing on bold lines to create an easily readable environment. Due to the fact you spend most of your time climbing in this game (who would have guessed), you're mainly staring at a barren rock face, which could grow rather boring if there is no dialogue or story going on at the same time. Thankfully there is, and it's an absolute cinematic masterpiece. This game has so much depth and emotion in terms of its story; it genuinely had me fully invested in the protagonist's feelings and intentions, and towards the end of the story, I was almost in tears. Something that stands out is the fact that one of the two endings you can pick from is left up to the interpretation of the player in terms of what 'truly' happens. The cooking feature in this game is really satisfying, as there seems to be an infinite amount of combinations of ingredients when trying to make different recipes, and each one you make is unique and different from the one before because of the different effects it offers. Having to manage your backpack's space is another nice addition that adds a pinch of strategic thinking, as you have to decide what you want to take with you on your ascent up Mount Kami. This game has an abundance of replayability as there are so many possible routes you can take to reach the summit. Obviously, the main storyline is linear and stays the same, but the route you take up the mountain is completely in the hands of the player, figuratively and literally. Also, to obtain 100% completion expect a couple playthroughs and a few guides as there are some achievements which are mostly, or entirely, out of the way of the main objectives. Another thing this game does well is give you a realistic perspective on what climbers do in real life, making you realise that there are people out there crazy enough to do this out of their own free will and then try to convince you that they enjoy it after! This game is a work of art and will forever have a special place in my heart. Do not rule this game off as a 'generic rock climbing game'—there is so much more beneath the surface than it seems. [i]Buy it, climb it, brag it.[/i] 9/10

More than a climbing game.

Cairn completely pulled me in from the very first seconds and did not let go until the last feet of the climb. I loved the atmosphere, the scale and the views i discovered along my journey to the very top. Every part of the mountain felt carefully crafted, making the ascent both breathtaking and intimidating. What impressed me the most is how the game captures the feeling of climbing. Every move carries weight, every decision matters, and the tension can become so hard I caught myself feeling as if my own hands were trembling alongside the protagonist's. It was a beautiful, bright and emotional adventure. Despite some minor optimization issues on lower-end hardware, Cairn is absolutely worth giving it a try.

The main character is insufferable. the game itself is fun, great climbing mechanics, its not 100% realistic but what game really is. As a climber, it was fun to solve holds and routes, but holy crap i do not want to spend my free time listening to Aava be the worst person ever. They try to make her sound hardened and all that crap, but real alpinists (Alex Honnold, Tommy Caldwell) are not nearly as big of jerks (if at all, basing off of documentaries and youtube) as Aava, who is the biggest jerk i've ever played as. Completely insufferable, beautiful game, if there was a mod to smiply remove her from the game that would be awesome. Lost my review virginity for this.