"Cairn" is a French-born game that turns rock climbing into a game. Aim to climb the great “Kami Mountain”! [gamescom]

At gamescom 2024, we spoke to Emeric Thoa, who leads the development team, while trying out a demo of Cairn, a real mountain climbing sim for PC from France's The Game Bakers.

The Game Bakers' next work, which gained attention in 2020 with the game "HAVEN," which depicts an escape between a man and a woman hand in hand, takes on the challenge of "Mt. Kami," which is reminiscent of the gigantic peaks of the Alps. It's a game to experience rock climbing (alpine climbing).

Players take on the role of the main character, Aava or Marco, and climb up the rock face by moving his left and right limbs in turn. Not only does it have a high level of simulation in which you put your hands and feet on the cracks and bulges of the rock and aim for the top little by little, but in order to surpass the sense of incredible scale of Kami Mountain, there is also a climbing route that allows you to create your own route to the top. You can also enjoy the strategy.

According to Mr. Soar, ``Cairn'' sublimates the fun of rock climbing, which many people are interested in but cannot easily try, into a game.
As for the game, it's easy to play thanks to the automation of the complicated parts, such as the spider-like robot that serves as your pal, collecting Zaire (rope) and transporting necessary supplies.

However, the route to the top of the mountain is not predetermined, and players can observe the rock surface and say things like, ``This route has a gentle slope and looks easy to climb,'' or ``I'm getting used to it, so it's a thrilling ride that will make my legs hang back.'' ``Let's challenge the path,'' or carving out a path of one's own will .

The action controls are well-balanced, and the player character will hold his ground even when you move your arms and legs. However, if you are not used to the game, your leg joints may bend in strange ways, or your body may become fatigued due to unreasonable positions.

If you struggle, your body may tremble and you may fall, but the haptic function of the controller conveys the fatigue of standing up to your hands, so the tension on the screen seemed to gradually wash over you. However, once you get used to the controls, you can move forward quickly, and by driving in a piton (a device that looks like a nail stuck in a rock) and hooking Zaire, you can insure your life.



It depends on how efficiently you can climb, but at least in the early game play, you'll find a space to rest every few minutes, where you can relieve the tension in your hands and fingers. Players can set up a camp to replenish food and drink, or take a break to recover from fatigue, and along the way, they can meet and interact with various NPCs.

As mentioned above, although the route to the summit is not set in advance, you will be able to check the routes you have taken and the routes you have failed, and after release, you will be able to compare with other climbers (players). Mr. Soa says. In fact, even after just 15 minutes of playing, I felt a great sense of accomplishment when I conquered a single route, and I thought it would be fun to climb while talking about it with my family and friends at home.



Mr. Soar said, ``After announcing the trailer at Gamescom's opening live, I was surprised by the number of wishlists from Japan,'' and it seems that interest among Japanese gamers is already skyrocketing. Although the details have not yet been decided, it is said that a release for consumer devices is also planned.

"Cairn" is scheduled to be released in 2025, and according to the Steam store page that has already been published, it will also be available in Japanese.

Cairn was introduced to us by creator Emeric Soar, one of the founding members of The Game Bakers. He is an expert on Japan and has traveled to Japan 12 times, so of course the name Mt. Kami is derived from Japanese

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