ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE
ACE COMBAT 8: WINGS OF THEVE
Game
Game2026
Cairn
Developer The Game Bakers
Cairn is a 2026 simulation adventure video game developed and published by The Game Bakers. Players control Aava, a professional mountaineer who seeks to summit the mysterious Mount Kami. While her journey is mostly solitary, she encounters other climbers and inhabitants on the mountain and uncovers remnants of past expeditions along with a long-lost civilization. As a simulation game, players manually control each… From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
605 reactions from 4 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon, Lemmy) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
91
LovedLoved
410 positive · 40 negative
95% range 88–93%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 410 | 40 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 54 | 3 | 73 |
| Mastodon * | 4 | 0 | 19 |
| Lemmy * | 1 | 0 | 1 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
10,705 of 11,364 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
92% recommend · 266 yes, 23 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 289 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (20,926 of 22,184 positive).
Players praise Cairn for its authentic and engaging climbing mechanics. [1][2][3] Many find the game's atmosphere, music, and visuals stunning. [4][5][6] Some reviewers criticize performance issues and janky climbing controls. [7][8]
Liked
Representative posts
- [7]
Not going to refund because I'm sure there is a good game here once I get back on my PC but the performance on steam deck is awful. i really wish steamdeck verified wasn't completely inaccurate so often. i'll change my reco when it is either fixed or I get a proper try on pc
- [1]
Every once in a while a game is released that instantly reminds me why I have always loved video games, and this is one of them. Genuinely beautiful game so far, that makes the slow act of climbing incredibly engaging
- [2]
Cairn is everything I'd hoped it to be, and more. Nearly every aspect of the game reinforces its portrayal of climbing as a feat that is extremely demanding, and perhaps reckless. Everything is meant to keep you on edge and make you calculate your moves — and in its best moments, you feel just as stressed as Aava would be. The tension is primarily kept up with two things. The first are the survival mechanics — you …
- [3]
As a climber of 10 years this is the closest thing youll ever get in a video game to a true climbing experience. No stamina bars, no indicators. just feeling and intution to keep u on the wall. Its a kinda short game if you just wanna "beat it", but alot of replayability if you wanna free solo, explore, and take new harder routes your next go. Its an experience that shouldnt be missed, espesially if your a climber.
- [4]
Ok let me start by saying this game is amazing! Got hooked up hard when the demo first came out, and I couldn't wait for the full release. Needless to say it didn't disappoint. Nevertheless, a great game such as this doesn't come without flaws in some areas. These need to be adressed before someone buys it, otherwise some may be a big dealer breaker to some. ✅ PROS • Unique visuals The art direction is bold and …
Summarised from 34 of the 418 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
92% of the 289 Steam reviewers we collected recommend Cairn. The complaint that keeps coming up: poor performance on Steam Deck. Deal-breaker or nitpick?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Cairn received "generally favorable" reviews, according to review aggregator website Metacritic. Fellow review aggregator OpenCritic assessed that the game received "mighty" approval, being recommended by 93% of critics. Will Borger from IGN wrote that summiting Kami was an "exhilarating" and "rewarding" experience, noting that players need to manage Aava's health and stamina, as well as her hunger and temperature, to succeed. Keza MacDonald from The Guardian wrote that Cairn is a "punishing, beautiful survival game that turns mountaineering into an intimate test of endurance, fixation and emotional resolve". She felt that climbing the mountain was a tense experience, and reaching a safe…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 605 · most liked firstCairn embargo is up and I am so pleased to say the game is a triumph. Gorgeous, nerve-wracking, and I don't think I've ever heard a vocal performance like the one given by the protagonist. Just a coiled spring of determination and anger. Remarkable.
positive · AI labelView post →Every once in a while a game is released that instantly reminds me why I have always loved video games, and this is one of them. Genuinely beautiful game so far, that makes the slow act of climbing incredibly engaging
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Today is my Birthday, the fact I have been waiting for this to release for a while and its today of all days is great! EDIT: Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes, hope you all have a great day/night playing on your favourite games.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →IF YOU LIKE CLIMBING, LOOK HERE! 🧗 Our friends over at The Game Bakers are finally releasing their amazing game, Cairn, today 🎉 To celebrate, we're doing a bundle with them on Steam called THE SUMMIT so you can get both PEAK and Cairn at a discount!🏔️ store.steampowered.com/bundle/66405...
neutral · AI labelView post →seen a surprising number of articles/videos approaching Cairn as a "relaxing climbing game" and I cannot for the life of me figure out where that idea came from. Was it advertised as that somewhere??
neutral · AI labelView post →One of the best experiences in the decade for me personally. Now, I'm a big fan of mountain climbing culture, so the atmosphere and effect here really appeals to me. Definitely not needed, but I would also suggest giving Free Solo a watch before playing. Further emphasizes the dangers and mindset of Aava as you climb the mountain. This will most likely be my personal GOTY (early claim, but I've enjoyed it that much).
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Jusant, step aside. The boss has entered. Summing up the current: 2+ hours played so far +2 hours in the demo, which hooked me immediately and made me throw it straight into the wishlist. A year of waiting for the release, with delays along the way. A French team that sweated over this project for 3 to 5 years, depending on diff sources. And what can I say. So far it looks like Game of the Year material. Maybe not a straight-up “Game of the Year” title, unless Gabe suddenly takes mercy and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Just all around great work for Cairn's tech and art team (and the Tech Art Director) - especially considering a wild set of gameplay-imposed constraints. www.artstation.com/artwork/AZzrJm
neutral · AI labelView post →Cairn is everything I'd hoped it to be, and more. Nearly every aspect of the game reinforces its portrayal of climbing as a feat that is extremely demanding, and perhaps reckless. Everything is meant to keep you on edge and make you calculate your moves — and in its best moments, you feel just as stressed as Aava would be. The tension is primarily kept up with two things. The first are the survival mechanics — you are on multiple timers (mostly Hunger and Thirst) simultaneously, all of the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Not going to refund because I'm sure there is a good game here once I get back on my PC but the performance on steam deck is awful. i really wish steamdeck verified wasn't completely inaccurate so often. i'll change my reco when it is either fixed or I get a proper try on pc
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →great, now my latest autistic obsession is mountain climbing.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →We added fishing to our climbing game Cairn! Not only are the lakes beautiful, they’re perfect for catching nutrient rich fish. There might be other hidden places to grab some too… Stock up so you have the energy to reach the peak!
neutral · AI labelView post →We got Jusant, we got PEAK, and now we have Cairn. Really enjoyed my time with this one. The climbing felt intuitive and visceral, and quite difficult too. I also appreciated how the survival mechanics (while not being too cumbersome) somewhat forces you off the beaten path to scavenge for supplies, as there is a lot to discover along the slopes and ridges of Kami. Speaking of, the exploration was really well done. I never lost that sense of wonder throughout my whole climb, what with various…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of those games you think about a lot after you beat it. The gameplay loop wasn't easy to figure out at first (I'm not a climber), but with some options tweaked (namely, the option to show you if you got a good grip) it becomes much more manageable and enjoyable, On paper, I should have hated it. My passion was always more about the depth of the sea rather than the hights of a mountain or skies, but something about Cairn just puts you into the proper mood. The game gives you just the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I played the demo so much and was waiting for that game, it is great. One could say that.... it is peak gameplay here.....
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Cairn caught me by surprise. In the beginning I didn't even like it. From the outside it looked pretentious to me. Like it claims to give you beautiful sights while climbing a mountain, but in reality you'd watch 98% of times the backpack of someone stretching their arms and legs. This was at least the impression I got when I watched a demo playthrough video. But there was this itch. A thought that there must be something else. Something that keeps the positivity about this game rising. The…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Our new title, Indie Game Works, explores 50 visionary independent titles including Cairn, Tunic, GRIS, Valheim, DREDGE, 1000xRESIST, Genesis Noir, Abzû and A Short Hike, among many others, bringing together in-game imagery, development artwork, and early sketch material.
neutral · AI labelView post →As a climber of 10 years this is the closest thing youll ever get in a video game to a true climbing experience. No stamina bars, no indicators. just feeling and intution to keep u on the wall. Its a kinda short game if you just wanna "beat it", but alot of replayability if you wanna free solo, explore, and take new harder routes your next go. Its an experience that shouldnt be missed, espesially if your a climber.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Ok let me start by saying this game is amazing! Got hooked up hard when the demo first came out, and I couldn't wait for the full release. Needless to say it didn't disappoint. Nevertheless, a great game such as this doesn't come without flaws in some areas. These need to be adressed before someone buys it, otherwise some may be a big dealer breaker to some. ✅ PROS • Unique visuals The art direction is bold and distinct. It doesn’t try to look realistic in a generic way. It creates its own…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really having fun with Cairn, it's such a fun game, and i am in love with the photo mode teehee
positive · AI labelView post →Guys, Cairn is so great. I love this game. I'm trying to beat the free solo mode by doing a little bit everyday, but I keep dying at The Peril. Will update if I ever manage to climb this mountain.
positive · AI labelView post →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. 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…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A phenomenal start to 2026 and one of those games that reminds me why I love playing video games. Cairn's concept is fresh and original, and the climbing feels exceptionally great once it clicks. The game is challenging in a good way and sometimes even frustrating, but that only makes reaching the several checkpoints more rewarding. Climbing Mount Kami feels incredibly satisfying. I took my time on the way up without searching every corner for collectibles. Instead, I let the atmosphere and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →"Cairn is a stunning and surprising masterpiece" - Game Informer Thank you all for joining us on Mt. Kami <3
neutral · AI labelView post →What are you most excited for? Climbing anywhere? The challenge? Adventure? The sweeping story? The beauty of the Mountain? Whatever you’re waiting for, our climbing game Cairn is here, TOMORROW!
neutral · AI labelView post →Been waiting for 2 years for this game to release. It's like nothing I played before. Absolute masterpiece when it comes to gameplay. Would call it vertical Death Stranding with a QWOP flavor. One has to learn how to climb properly, what techniques to use in certain situations and how to manage your resources to not starve, dehydrate or freeze to death. Scratched the itch for great climbing games. The only thing that bothered me was that sometimes Aava didn't want to climb a ledge despite…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Cairn is one of the most remarkable games of the past 10 years, let alone 2026. It was a delight to chat with The Game Bakers about their sublime climbing game, and how, in an increasingly crowded market, they stick by a simple philosophy: "We make games like we cook" remapradio.com/articles/cai/
positive · AI labelView post →I expected so much from the game. the gameplay felt good at first but became an absolute ♥♥♥♥ show after the 2nd half of the story, It made no sense whatsoever. Aana can break her torso and legs to find impossible grips but is absolutely incapable of reaching the easiest resting positions. the story is mediocre at best, you're basically a 40year old toddler that refuses to evolve and only find refuge by breaking stuff and yelling when facing the slightest inconvenience.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I am ultimately going to reccomend cairn, because it is very good, but I am doing so somewhat begrudgingly. As exceptional as the core gameplay of mountaineering and the survival elements are fantastic. The games graphical style is amazing, the music is compelling, and the space it provides to just, ruminate, as you climb, are all great. However, I am going to mention a few caveats to keep in mind before you purchase it. These first few will be spoiler free, and then there will be some…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I’m only two hours in, and that’s more than enough to say this is a great game. I’ll never stop saying that indie games are what keep gaming alive, they consistently deliver incredible experiences. This game is a perfect mix of fun gameplay, beautiful visuals, and a really gorgeous soundtrack. I’m already sold, impressed, and honestly kind of stunned. Beautiful game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A MOUNTAIN THAT REMEMBERS Cairn is not interested in making you comfortable. A lot of survival games soften the edges. You build a base, craft tools, farm, fish, and settle in. Survival starts to feel like a lifestyle choice. Cairn strips all of that away; It's just you, a mountain that has killed over a hundred climbers, and the quiet understanding that every choice you make has weight. You climb as Aava, attempting the unconquered Mount Kami. She is sponsored, watched, marketed, and she…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →In a world with AI, large corporations shoveling slop games just to make a buck, this game really spoke to me. As a climber myself, I understand the frustration of falling 30 feet on lead and having to start the ascent again. This being the first game review ive wrote in probably 15 years of being on this platform, I found the story to be interpretive and extremely meaningful. I found myself connecting with the story and relating to it more than any game that directly tells you how thir main…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Cairn is a staggeringly beautiful game that is more than willing to interrogate what drives a person to want to break and redefine the bounds of reality. www.gamerguides.com/cairn/review...
neutral · AI labelView post →If I could leave a mixed review, I would. The idea behind this game is great, and I really love the visual design. However, since it's a game centered around climbing, I think the developers should have spent more time cooking the climbing mechanics. I enjoy challenging games, don't get me wrong, but only when the challenge is intentional, not when you're constantly losing progress because of a janky system. The number of times my character was standing on perfectly flat ground, started…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Worked again with Benjamin C. on this launch trailer and it's one of my favorite. It rightfully gives the vibe that Cairn is more than a climbing game, it's an adventure game. youtu.be/6Ejphz8fY0A
neutral · AI labelView post →Alpinist difficulty, casual playthrough ~14 hours No spoilers in this review! [url=https://store.steampowered.com/curator/45534557/]@MatureContent Indie game of the year. This isn’t just a fantastic climbing game, it is also an emotional story that transforms this game into so much more than just reaching the summit. This game blew me away. I was beginning to think that indie games couldn’t really surprise me anymore, with most of them now just being build on similar formulars or just…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The automatic limb selection is so poorly designed that 50% of the time it will just select the worst body part it can to kill me. Why would it prioritize my most secure foot instead of my hand thats not even holding onto anything Edit: I made this review at 1 hour into the game. 7 hours in and it made me rage quit. Sometimes limbs will randomly decide to randomly hold while they're still being moved into place. I have died 4 times, 3 of those were due to the "automatic limb selection". Body…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Cairn is the Climb K2 simulator game we have all wanted forever
positive · AI labelView post →I know I'm pretty late to the party on finishing it, but Cairn by @thegamebakers.com is going to be in serious consideration for my Game of the Year. Absolutely superb story which could not be told in a non interactive medium with the same impact.
positive · AI labelView post →'Cairn' Reviews: IGN 9/10 PC Gamer 91 Gamespot 9/10 GamesRadar+ 3.5/5 Push Square 7/10 GameBlast 8/10 Console Creatures 9/10 GamerSocialClub 10/10 GameInformer 9.25/10 NoisyPixel 9/10 OC 87: opencritic.com/game/19998/c... MC PS5 83: www.metacritic.com/game/cairn/
neutral · AI labelView post →Beatrice Tatcher, exiled miner turned adventurer. My partners Cairn character in our family game.
neutral · AI labelView post →One of the greatest game experiences I've ever had, Cairn will be talked about with the same lofty regard as the Outer Wilds is, cannot recommend enough.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Thank you everyone for your kind feedback on Cairn! We’ve poured our hearts and souls into this game and we can’t wait to keep making it better with your help!
neutral · AI labelView post →The most stunning representation of climbing I've ever experienced in a game. A beautiful, meditative, and sometimes frustrating adventure, and something I feel like I've been waiting my whole life to play. I adore this game. [url=https://www.savingcontent.com/2026/01/29/cairn-review/] Full thoughts here
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I didn’t finish this one. I liked it when I started, but at some point I got stuck, and the game felt too unfriendly for me to keep going, so I decided not to finish it. Still leaving a positive review, because it’s clear the devs are passionate about what they made. Also, I’m a big fan of Furi, so I really hope the studio keeps making cool games.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Cairn 2e The Cairn box arrived just in time, as Im running a bit of a surprise game this weekend. So today I thought Id read through the box and share some impressions and pictures(pdf screenshots for quality purposes).
neutral · AI labelView post →I came for the climbing and the beautiful mountain views. What I've got additionally was an emotional and philosophical journey about life & death, love & hate, struggle & overcoming and existence itself - told in a captivating story which left me stunned at the end. To me the gameplay felt unique, challenging and entertaining. The looks and graphical style are just beautiful. I can only highly recommend playing Cairn.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A few distracting animation glitches aside, so far really enjoying the game. Well I say enjoying, I just starved to death hanging from a piton while tripping balls having licked a random toad I found in a cave.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Game Bakers have truely unique merch for 'Cairn'. You can get your climbing route including how long you needed and how often you died on a personal tee. merch.thegamebakers.com/products/you...
neutral · AI labelView post →Cairn is really good and unexpectedly calming — you don’t have to rush, you’re meant to be slow and precise. you have to control all your hands and legs yourself — the game won’t do it for you. sometimes you need to relax, drink water, or eat. it feels so real! the views are stunning, I can’t stop taking screenshots every time :) the music doesn’t play all the time — it appears only when you reach a new height I was worried about performance on the Steam Deck, but it runs perfectly!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I got my box set of my favorite fantasy game: Cairn! It was the first English project where I was a stretch goal to help localize it into Spanish. ☺️ #osr #ttrpg
neutral · AI labelView post →Just wow. I went into CAIRN thinking it was JUST going to be a challenging climbing game. And in many ways, it is. You manage resources, make tough decisions, push forward when you’re frustrated.. and you're always left feeling a little uneasy about whether you made the right food/resource choices. But somewhere along the way, it stopped feeling like a game to me and started feeling like something else entirely. I found Aava, the main character pretty irritating and hard to like. But as I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →These spreads from the Cairn 2e Player's Guide + @amandalee.bsky.social's amazing are made my head explode. Game over, folks.
neutral · AI labelView post →Cairn is a great game. I love to climb the mountain. Thank you for your attention to this matter!
positive · AI labelView post →Ultimately I'm still enjoying it, but whatever you do DO NOT TRUST THE GAME TO SELECT THE NEXT LIMB TO MOVE FOR YOU! "We auto-select the limb based on your body position for the smoothest gameplay," roughly translated means, "we'll often select the only hold that's keeping Aava on the wall as the next one to move and, as soon as you let go, she'll start shaking and fall off!" It's particularly annoying because the game doesn't seem to understand the difference in value between placing a palm…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As a fan of NSR and open licensed TTRPGs myself, I love Yochai’s work. Truly sad what happened today. You should give Cairn a look, truly a special game. Then buy a print copy.
positive · AI labelView post →Mind blowing piece of art What an absolute marvel and masterpiece this game is. Once again indie triumphs over AAA slop which is creatively bankrupt. Cairn may seem like only a mountain climbing game but it's so much more. It's a struggle, an experience, overcoming, learning from your mistakes and learning to not give up. With an emotional well written story on top. Not much to say about the story without spoiling but it's a real emotional ride through discovering yourself, thinking of the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →DO NOT BUY THIS GAME IF YOU PLAN ON PLAYING IT ON STEAM DECK!!! The performance issues are horrible on the deck. Micro stuttering, various visual glitches, input lag, and sound issues. This game should be labeled as unsupported until the devs optimize the game more for deck. Also the UI is a mess and I cannot tell if Vsync is on or off in the menus because the symbol makes 0 sense. Edit: still doesn’t work getting a refund I’ll come back when it’s fixed up :)
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Cairn is even more than I expected it to be and promises more than just a climbing game. The storyline isn’t the most engaging, but it’s not bad to the point that I wasn’t interested. That being said, I played 13 hours in just a few days, and it’s left me wanting to play even more. It’s not often a game can grab my attention like that. At its base, it’s a climbing game, and it does that very well. Not every path is difficult, but some paths are extremely unforgiving, to the point where I gave…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've been talking about play style preferences lately, but there's another aspect of table culture that I think is a key determining factor on whether a gaming table stays together. Whether you're playing Cairn, Mothership, or Vampire. widdershinswanderings.bearblog.dev/ttrpg-table-...
neutral · AI labelView post →
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