But there's something about the way Cairn deploys its pauses, works them into its very soul, that's particularly tickling my brain. The Game Bakers calls Cairn a "realistic climbing simulation" and, to a degree, that's fair. Each new plateau presents a fresh rock face to parse, seeking out routes of varying difficulties, after which you can start your careful ascent, inching upward limb by limb. This way, climbing becomes a series of small, interesting choices, driven by observation, intuition, and - occassionally - blind hope. 1 of 7 AttributionAnd when it works, there's an enormously satisfying rhythm to it all, as you scurry spider-like across each rock face, slowly building momentum.