Hello, that is Emeric Thoa, artistic director at The Sport Bakers, and I’m joined by Artwork Director and Author Mathieu Bablet. At present, we’d prefer to let you know a bit about the story of Cairn and its most important character, Aava.
To this point, we’ve been highlighting the ultra-realistic climbing simulation in Cairn — a fully new climbing system that’s straightforward to choose up however creates stunning stress whenever you enterprise onto the partitions of Kami, the mountain nobody has ever reached the summit of.
However Cairn is extra than simply a climbing sport. As you climb Kami, you’ll additionally should survive in the mountain — discovering meals, water, and locations to relaxation. It’s additionally a human journey: the story of a decided alpinist, and maybe greater than that — a reflection on mountaineering itself, on what drives individuals to push themselves past their limits to climb mountains.
Cairn tells the story of Aava, an skilled mountaineer decided to do the inconceivable: attain the summit of Kami, alone.
Emeric: How would you describe Aava — her character, her motivations?
Mathieu: Aava is a climber with a thoughts of metal, cast by means of years of climbing which have demanded a lot from her as she stored breaking data. She’s demanding, perfectionist, and might’t stand failure. And when she conquers a troublesome route, when she pauses for a second on a ledge with a breathtaking view, she feels free. It’s for moments like these that she climbs — that’s her most important drive.
Emeric: What I really like about Aava is feeling her willpower — despite the fact that it typically makes her a bit powerful. Was it intentional to make her considerably solitary?
Mathieu: After watching a lot of documentaries about climbers and mountaineers, one clear sample emerged: this self-discipline, as liberating as it’s, comes with its share of sacrifices and trade-offs. It’s a must to harden your physique, harden your thoughts, and typically set your feelings apart. Such particular person feats usually go away marks on the individuals round these athletes.
Emeric: That stated, not all climbers are the similar. In Cairn, Aava crosses paths with a sure Marco — who’s he?
Mathieu: Marco can be a climber, youthful than Aava. In truth, he’s a bit like Aava earlier than she turned the achieved mountaineer she is in the sport. He’s carefree, somebody who climbs purely for the pleasure of it, not for the pleasure of reaching the high. By him, Aava rediscovers a bit of the easy pleasure of climbing.
Emeric: And there are different characters and encounters Aava can have alongside her ascent?
Mathieu: Cairn is a true journey sport, with an emotional and significant story. Regardless that it’s a solo ascent, Aava will meet individuals on the mountain and reveal extra of her private story. This occurs by means of exchanges with these she’s left behind — Naomi, who commonly checks in on her, and her agent Chris, who’s continuously chasing after her! But in addition by means of encounters with different climbers on the mountain — these alive like Marco, and those that by no means made it again down. After which there’s the troglodyte civilization, or what stays of it — unbelievable climbers and rock carvers who lived in seclusion excessive in the mountains. Cairn is the story of Aava and her ardour for the mountains, advised by means of these encounters and locations to find — exhibiting what drives people to transcend their limits to achieve new heights.
Emeric: We may have made Cairn simply a climbing simulation, however for the complete Sport Bakers group it was necessary to go additional — to inform a story that strikes us. Mathieu, for you, what’s the most necessary half of this story?
Mathieu: For me, Cairn is about Aava’s obsession — a type of relentless drive that retains her from fascinated about something however the ascent of Kami. That feeling of willpower is what I need gamers to expertise all through the sport, together with all the penalties that include such a quest for the absolute.
Emeric: That’s additionally what made me need to create a sport like Cairn. I used to be fascinated by that very tangible sense of willpower you discover in mountaineering tales (like in Taniguchi’s manga The Summit of the Gods). It made me surprise — what would I be prepared to present every little thing for? What’s my summit? And what’s yours?
Prepare for the climbing thrill when Cairn hits PS5 on January 29!