Cairn is described as a «realistic simulator» that allows for intuitive scaling. The title stars Aava, a professional mountaineer who is determined to reach the top of Mount Jami, a summit that has never been conquered before. Throughout this journey, the climber will meet companions and discover the stories of those who were left behind. A cairn or cairn in English is a pile of stones that serve to indicate the way on a route or trail. They also mark peaks and may be a burial mound. Mountaineers often add a stone to the mound to maintain it and leave a trace of their passage.
The climbing experience that Cairn offers is simple to learn but complex to master. The game allows you to control each hand and foot independently, but to achieve this you only have to use the left joystick and a button to hold onto the wall. «90% of the commands you use are just moving the left stick and pressing a button,» explains Emeric Thoa, creative director at The Game Bakers. In Cairn the challenge is not in controlling the limbs, but in placing them strategically and keeping the character balanced. The simulation calculates body mechanics as well as effort, so the Aava will get tired.
Cairn's interface does not offer any type of information, so players will have to observe the character, listen to their breathing to deduce the level of fatigue and feel the mountain through the feedback offered by the controller. With practice and time players will learn which moves are too risky, impossible or safe. If successful after a jump, Aava will reach the next ledge or summit, and if she fails, she will fall. In Cairn there is no route or branching created by the designers. Climbing is completely free and one of the bases of the game is the freedom to choose the path to the top.
The climbing simulation that Cairn offers is the bulk of the experience, but The Game Bakers' game also includes a survival component. In the mountains you have to overcome hunger, cold, thirst and pain. Furthermore, in her attempt to reach the top Aava will meet companions and will learn why they were left behind. It is a way that the title offers to discover the history of the mountain and that of those who have decided to reach its summit.