Sunset Summit

I know I just started playing this, but I’ve already bought two copies of it within 10 minutes of playing. You already know this is a perfect game for anyone who likes PEAK or any of those other climbing games. Runs well on Steam Deck as well. Controls have zero issues, if something changes I’ll update this review.

Better than peak. It will make you break your keyboard and die of old age

Sunset Summit turns mountain climbing into a cooperative physics adventure where reaching the peak is only part of the entertainment. Designed for solo play or groups of up to eight players, it combines challenging traversal, strange equipment, forgiving recovery systems, and social interaction into an experience that feels more interested in memorable expeditions than pure technical climbing. Developed by Joe Fender and Andrew Fender and published by Future Friends Games, it has a playful identity built around teamwork, experimentation, and the inevitable chaos that occurs when several players attempt difficult maneuvers together. The adventure is spread across four floating islands containing 16 handcrafted climbing routes. Each expedition offers its own path toward a summit, giving the game a more deliberate structure than an endless or procedurally generated climbing environment. Routes are substantial enough to feel like proper journeys, with individual climbs potentially taking around an hour. Taken together, the available mountains provide a healthy amount of content, especially for groups interested in replaying stages, improving their performance, or tackling increased difficulty settings. Climbing axes form the foundation of movement, but the equipment available to players expands traversal far beyond simply grabbing surfaces and pulling upward. Ropes are especially valuable when cooperating because they allow teammates to support one another through troublesome sections. Item delivery drones provide another useful multiplayer option, while less conventional tools such as pogo sticks, umbrellas, and booster pills introduce deliberate unpredictability. These gadgets make experimentation an important part of progression. A carefully planned climb can suddenly become a desperate recovery attempt, while an apparently ridiculous strategy may unexpectedly carry someone past a difficult obstacle. The physics system is central to both the challenge and comedy. Movement demands enough control to make successful climbs satisfying, but it also leaves room for accidents and improvised solutions. A mistimed jump or awkward swing can send a climber tumbling away from the intended path. Fortunately, failure is handled generously. Checkpoints allow players to respawn quickly after falling instead of forcing them to repeat enormous portions of a route. This keeps the challenge intact without turning every mistake into a major loss of progress. Multiplayer is where the concept becomes particularly entertaining. Supporting as many as eight participants means an expedition can range from coordinated teamwork to spectacular disorder. Players can rescue companions, share useful items, attempt risky shortcuts, or simply watch a teammate's questionable plan end in disaster. Proximity voice chat makes communication dependent on how close characters are to one another, while walkie-talkies help separated players maintain contact. These features are more than simple communication options because they reinforce the feeling of participating in an actual group expedition. There is still room for players who prefer climbing alone. Offline solo play is supported, allowing the routes and traversal mechanics to be experienced without assembling a group. The experience will naturally feel different because much of the spontaneous humor comes from interacting with other climbers. Solo play places greater emphasis on mastering movement and overcoming obstacles, whereas multiplayer adds rescue attempts, communication problems, and unpredictable human behavior to every route. The presentation complements the relaxed and humorous approach. Floating islands give the environments a fantastical quality rather than pursuing strict mountaineering realism. An in-game camera also allows players to capture photographs during their travels, which fits nicely with the expedition theme. Reaching an impressive viewpoint or gathering everyone for a summit photograph gives successful climbs an additional sense of occasion. The developers also describe the game's routes, characters, assets, and music as handcrafted without generative AI. The main drawback is that enjoyment will depend heavily on a player's tolerance for physics-based movement. People who expect extremely precise platforming may occasionally find unpredictable falls irritating. The relatively substantial length of individual routes can also make the game less suitable for someone seeking very short sessions. While checkpoints reduce frustration considerably, repeated failures on difficult sections can still test patience. Solo players should additionally recognize that they will experience only part of what makes the overall design appealing, since cooperation is such an important source of personality. Steam Deck compatibility is currently best regarded as unverified unless Valve provides an official compatibility classification for the game. Its controller-oriented climbing mechanics appear conceptually well suited to handheld play, but an unverified status means players should not automatically assume that interface readability, performance, controls, and every multiplayer feature will operate perfectly on Steam Deck without adjustment. Overall, Sunset Summit presents a promising combination of cooperative climbing, physics comedy, handcrafted challenges, and forgiving progression. Its 16 routes provide meaningful destinations, while unconventional tools and multiplayer interactions give those routes opportunities to produce different stories each time they are attempted. The checkpoint system is particularly valuable because it allows failure to remain amusing rather than excessively punishing. Players who enjoy cooperative games where teamwork and chaos are equally important should find plenty to appreciate, especially with a regular group of friends willing to struggle toward the summit together. Rating: 7/10