Softening the Grind: Cairn and Baby Steps Redefine Masocore
TL;DR Summary
Two indie titles, Cairn and Baby Steps, reframe masocore by swapping reflex-heavy trials for patient, tactile traversal and handcrafted level design. Their slower, more deliberate progression strips away arbitrary gates, delivering hard-won emotional payoff and inviting a broader audience to experience the genre’s rewards without brutal punishment.
- Difficulty done differently: Cairn and Baby Steps deliver kinder, more generous masocore Eurogamer
- Cairn is a climbing journey about perseverance and obsession theverge.com
- Cairn review – obsession, suffering and awe in a climbing game that hits exhausting new heights The Guardian
- The Thrill of Climbing From the Comfort of Your Couch The New York Times
- The climbing simulator Cairn has been purchased 300,000 times WN Hub
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