Cairn Isn’t The Dark Souls Of Climbing (It’s The Death Stranding)

Quick Overview

The game Cairn successfully evolves the strand genre, popularized by Death Stranding, by shifting the focus from solitary, desperate journeys to an encouraging, step-by-step cooperative experience centered around deliberate friction and mutual support, as demonstrated by the main character Aava's focused climbing progression and interactions.

Key Points: Cairn is a strand game, similar to Death Stranding, but it focuses on cooperation and encouragement rather than solitary, desperate journeys. The core mechanic involves deliberate friction, requiring the player to consider where each footstep lands during climbing. The protagonist, Aava, climbs Mount Caim, utilizing tools and managing resources like food and rest. The game encourages mutual aid by allowing players to leave helpful signs, build roads, and offer encouragement, contrasting with the often lonely feel of other strand games. The game's design philosophy, according to the creative director, is to make players consider every step, teaching patience and perseverance. The game rewards players for helping others, such as by beating difficult bosses like Malenia in Elden Ring or by simply being considerate of others' progress.

Context: This video reviews the climbing game Cairn, positioning it within the 'strand genre'—a term popularized by Hideo Kojima's Death Stranding—where player interactions are asynchronous and focused on connection. Cairn features a protagonist named Aava attempting to climb the perilous Mount Caim, contrasting the game's mechanics and philosophy with the competitive or solitary nature of other games in the genre, such as Elden Ring or Journey.

Detailed Analysis

The video argues that Cairn successfully redefines the strand genre, which typically emphasizes solitary journeys and desperate cooperation, by focusing on deliberate friction and mutual encouragement. The game casts the player as Aava, a pro-climber ascending Mount Caim. Unlike games like Death Stranding or Journey, where the focus is often on loneliness or competition, Cairn fosters an environment of supportive connection. The core gameplay loop involves precise, limb-by-limb climbing where players must be deliberate about every foothold, which teaches patience and perseverance, much like the difficult combat in games like Dark Souls. The game mechanics include resource management (food, rest), dealing with harsh weather, and interacting with remnants of past climbers, including their equipment and cave paintings. Crucially, the strand elements reward being considerate; players can build structures, leave helpful signs, and offer encouragement, knowing that others have faced similar struggles. The reviewer found that Cairn successfully integrates this cooperative spirit, making the often grueling climb feel less isolating and more rewarding for both personal progress and aiding others.