Cairn

Platforms

• PC

  Jan 29, 2026

  ---

  8.7

  playscore

  8.7

  14 Critics

  9.4

  22.4K Players
• PlayStation 5

  Jan 29, 2026

  ---

  NA

  playscore

  8.6

  17 Critics

  NA

  0 Players
• Nintendo Switch 2

  Dec 31, 2027

27 critic reviews · 0 community reviews across all platforms

Critic Reviews

• 

  GameCritics

  10

  This is a transcript excerpt covering the score awarded to Cairn on the So Videogames Podcast, Episode 473. For further coverage and a second take on the game, please see Ryan Nalley's official GameCritics review.

  Reviewed on PS5

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• 

  Gaming Trend

  9.0

  Summit special

  Reviewed on PC, PS5

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• 

  Impulse Gamer

  8.0

  Cairn stands out as a gripping grounded climbing experience. It is demanding without feeling unfair striking without softening its edges and honest in its portrayal of a woman trying to outrun the life she left behind.

  Reviewed on PC

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• 

  Gaming Bolt

  9.0

  AMAZING Very few games have mechanics that sing in such unison like Cairn, much less with such a unique voice. Whether you're a fan of the genre, an adventure junkie or seeking a challenge, make the climb.

  Reviewed on PS5

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• 

  TheGamer

  9.0

  Generate a summary of this story Sign in now Hellraiser: Revival Aniimo Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave Events Release Dates Close Cairn Review - She'll Be Falling Down The Mountain When She Comes By Jade King Published Jan 30, 2026, 5:18 AM EST Jade King is Lead Features Editor at The Gamer and…

  Reviewed on PC

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• 

  GameSpot

  9.0

  Cairn's perilous climb makes for a gorgeous and grueling drama.

  Reviewed on PC

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• 

  IGN

  9.0

  Cairn would mean nothing without the journey, and like both the mountain you are challenging and the climb itself, it is an incredible one.

  Reviewed on PC, PS5

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  Push Square

  7.0

  Cairn is a great climbing simulator, one that presents you with an entire mountain and complete freedom to traverse it as you please. Some light survival mechanics apply just enough pressure to push you forward, and the purposely slow pace encourages careful climbing and proper planning. Aava's expedition is simultaneously meditative and fraught with danger, with death just one slip away at all times. While we have some small reservations about the story, and the frame rate struggles to measure up to Mount Kami, those looking for a challenging, satisfying journey will find Cairn a unique adventure to conquer.

  Reviewed on PS5

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• 

  Game Informer

  9.3

  Even with some minor missteps, Cairn is a stunning and surprising masterpiece. I’ve rarely encountered a game with such a slow overall pace that nonetheless kept me on the edge of my seat. Gameplay is buoyed by a subtle, emotionally powerful musical score and a uniquely textured art style that enhances both the game’s beauty and one’s ability to read its many pockmarked walls. When all its merits were added together, I was constantly drawn back to the climb to see the next vista. Cairn is challenging as a game and as a story; because, and not despite its many differences from other games you’ll play this year, it deserves your time and attention.

  Reviewed on PS5
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  Games Radar+

  7.0

  Cairn is a zen, meditative survival game defined by the intentionality of its movement and the way you interact with its world - when its protagonist can be prevailed upon to act like the elite athlete she's supposed to be. When it works, it's excellent, but its core system is often too clumsy to bring to bear with the precision required to ape top-level climbing.

  Reviewed on PC, PS5

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