- Last year was dominated by great indie titles, and 2026 has kicked off with a hit as well.
- Cairn, a mountain climbing simulator, is the first indie hit of the year with an 87 score.
- It is being praised for its beautiful visuals and very realistic climbing mechanics.
2025 was a year of surprise hits, where indie titles dominated. Led by Expedition 33 with other games like REPO, Silksong, and more, it was a great year. 2026 is set to continue the trend as we get our first proper indie hit of the year.
Studio The Game Bakers recently released Cairn, which has earned a critics’ score of 87, becoming the first surprise indie hit of 2026. It is a climbing simulator where you reach summits with very realistic feeling mechanics.
Why it matters: Indie games have been on a roll as they’re outshining big-budget games, especially in terms of creativity. The out-of-the-box approach is one of the primary reasons they are resonating with fans.
Cairn has received an 87 score on Opencritic, and it is being praised for its realistic gameplay and breathtaking visuals. This also makes it one of the highest-rated games of 2026, so far.
The game puts you in the shoes of Aava, a mountain climber, as she embarks on the journey to climb Mount Kami, a summit which previously wasn’t reached before. On the way, you learn history, meet people, and more.
One of the most striking things about the game is the visuals. Its art style is very unique, making the overall experience a lot more beautiful. However, there are some complaints that it does get a bit boring as you go.
Nonetheless, it’s remarkable how far indie titles have come. They won almost every award last year and are continuing to do well this year, too. This makes the future prospect of these titles a lot more interesting as well.
What are your thoughts on Cairn becoming a surprise hit for 2026? Let us know your opinions in the comments or join the discussion at the official Tech4Gamers Forum.
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News Reporter
Abdullah is an avid gamer who primarily plays single-player titles. If you can’t find him anywhere, he’ll probably be at his desk playing The Witcher 3 for the millionth time. When he isn’t playing games, he’s either reading or writing about them.
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