Gaming Got Boring - Then I Played Cairn

Music from the Cairn OST:    • Cairn - Full Original Soundtrack   Cairn looks like a rock-climbing game—but it’s really a test of patience, fear, and perseverance. I hate rock climbing. It’s painful, terrifying, and makes me want to quit the second I look down. So a video game entirely about climbing a mountain shouldn’t have worked for me… and yet, Cairn completely pulled me in. In this video essay, I break down why Cairn is one of the most immersive and emotionally resonant games I’ve played—despite being built around frustration. From its unique climbing mechanics and survival systems to its quiet environmental storytelling, Cairn captures the mental headspace of real rock climbers in a way few games ever have. I explore how Cairn’s design mirrors real-world climbing psychology, including parallels to climbers like Alex Honnold, the pressure of risk vs reward, and why games like Cairn—and even the Souls series—aren’t about being good, but about coming back after failure. This isn’t a traditional review. It’s a personal reflection on why Cairn feels like the game many of us have been missing—one that makes progress feel earned, not given. I haven’t reached the summit yet… and that’s kind of the point. If you want to see me continue the climb and try to reach the summit live, subscribe to the channel. I’ll be streaming Cairn every Monday and Wednesday at 7 PM EST. Join the Bisness(only if you like pancakes):    / @thatguybis1997