Hoxilp Cairn Review

-- Gameplay Cairn is a game about climbing a mountain, but don’t let that premise fool you. It is far more demanding than it initially appears. Climbing requires manually moving each limb one by one: left hand, right hand, left foot, right foot. Depending on the terrain, you may need to adjust the order of movement. Sometimes it’s better to move a hand before a foot, or vice versa. The key is that every movement matters. You cannot simply move upward without thinking. You must carefully examine where you can grip. If at least three limbs are not properly secured to solid holds, your character will begin to tire, potentially lose grip, and fall. To prevent devastating falls that cost all your health, you can use anchors. Throughout the climb, you have access to five anchors that can be placed at intervals. These serve as safety points. If you fall while attached to one, you may only take partial damage or sometimes none at all, depending on the swing. However, if too much rope is extended between you and the last anchor, the force of a long fall can break it, causing you to drop anyway. Because of this, placing anchors at smart intervals is crucial. Of course, you can choose not to use them at all if you want a true challenge. In addition to climbing mechanics, you must manage hunger, thirst, and temperature. If any of these reach zero, you begin taking damage to your main health bar. Hunger can be restored by consuming items such as soups, chocolate, and energy bars. Thirst is managed with water, tea, coffee and other drinks found along the way. Temperature becomes especially important in the later sections of the game, and it can be regulated with consumables or by resting. -- Camping and Resource Management Throughout the journey, you will encounter save points. After saving, you are given the option to set up your tent. Inside the tent, you can cook items like instant soup, tea, or coffee using resources collected along the climb. Cooked meals provide better bonuses, such as: improved grip, better temperature resistance, combined restoration of health, hunger and thirst You can also craft anchors with the help of your companion robot. Broken anchors collected during the climb can be repaired using fragments. The robot automatically retrieves used anchors once you reach safe walking areas. The robot also plays a narrative role, delivering messages during the adventure. Bandages are another important element. If they are worn out, your grip becomes weaker, increasing the risk of finger injuries. While you can check and manage them inside the tent, you can also do so outside of rest areas. Inventory management is equally important. You can reorganize your backpack, recycle trash from consumed items, and use waste materials to generate chalk bags through your robot. Chalk significantly improves grip in difficult sections and can make the difference between success and failure. Resting allows you to recover health and pass time. You can sleep between 11PM and 5AM. However, resting also increases hunger and thirst, so it must be used strategically. -- World and Atmosphere As you climb, you will encounter NPCs who share pieces of their stories and provide surprises along the way. The mountain is not a completely isolated experience. Artistically, I have mixed feelings. The style did not fully convince me, but it does not harm the experience either. It ultimately comes down to personal taste. The music is strong in sections where it is present and in quieter areas, the sound design stands out. Audio cues were often what helped me the most while climbing. Certain sounds indicated secure grips, which was extremely helpful when visual clarity was limited. -- Difficulty and Progression The mechanics are well developed and consistently build upon what you learn throughout the game. Nothing feels forgotten or abandoned midway. The story is engaging enough to keep you intrigued as you progress. The game includes multiple difficulty settings, allowing players to choose the level of challenge that suits them best. -- Length A clean run without major mistakes takes approximately 7 hours. This can vary significantly depending on how much you explore and how often you fall. -- Final Thoughts Cairn is a very strong game. It offers a meaningful challenge, solid mechanics, an engaging story and effective music and sound design. While it can be demanding, it also includes relaxing stretches that balance the tension. Overall, it delivers a memorable and rewarding climbing experience.