Games Like Cairn

Enjoy meditative vibes in Jusant, an action-puzzle climbing game. Scale an immeasurably tall tower and ascend to new heights alongside your watery companion. Master your climbing tools, find your way up through diverse biomes, and piece together the tower’s past.

Why similar: Parkour 19.6%, Sports 16.4%, Cinematic 16.1%, Physics 10.1%, Exploration 9.3%

Why You'll Like It: This game perfectly mirrors the meditative, vertical climbing journey and atmospheric storytelling found in Cairn.

Travel around The Great Gales to climb challenging peaks in this physics-based climbing adventure set in 1887. Meet like-minded mountaineers, unlock helpful climbing gear, and become a pioneer of mountaineering.

Why similar: Difficult 30.3%, Physics 16.2%, Parkour 13.4%, Exploration 9.7%, Atmospheric 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: It offers a similarly challenging, physics-based climbing experience that requires careful route planning and patience.

This is a difficult game about climbing.

Why similar: Difficult 48.2%, Physics 19.2%, Third Person 13.1%, Adventure 9.9%, Singleplayer 5.1%

Why You'll Like It: This title captures the raw, frustrating, and rewarding essence of precision-based climbing challenges.

The ultimate climbing and bouldering simulation game. Test your skills across more than 280 routes on real world crags from the Fontainebleau boulders to Hanshelleren Cave, including the legendary route Silence. Create your own routes and compete with friends for the best sends.

Why similar: Sports 19.7%, Parkour 17.3%, Difficult 14.8%, Cinematic 10.7%, Physics 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: Provides a grounded, simulation-heavy approach to climbing that appeals to those interested in the technical aspects of the sport.

Confront various terrains as a lonely mountaineer and endure the countless dangers of climbing! Many tough decisions await you in a risky environment. Make your way up and down the mountain, overcoming insurmountable heights!

Why similar: Survival 24.5%, Stylized 21.4%, Exploration 14%, Atmospheric 13.1%, Adventure 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: A roguelike survival game that focuses on the strategic management of resources while scaling treacherous, procedurally generated peaks.

Fling yourself into a mountain climbing adventure! Become the first to reach the top of the highest mountain in the world and meet eccentric characters along the way!

Why similar: Parkour 25.7%, Sports 20.5%, Physics 19.1%, Exploration 9.7%, Action-Adventure 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: Features physics-based climbing mechanics with a colorful, accessible aesthetic that emphasizes the joy of reaching the summit.

Climber: Sky is the Limit is a mountain walking simulator game where you become a winter climber. To succeed you need to plan the trip, prepare appropriate equipment, face extreme weather conditions and survive. Only the sky is the limit!

Why similar: Difficult 22.1%, Walking Simulator 22%, Sports 19.1%, Survival 14.2%, Exploration 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: Focuses on the survivalist elements of mountaineering, including inventory management and environmental hazards.

A game I made for a certain kind of person. To hurt them.

Why similar: Difficult 64.7%, Physics 19.2%, Singleplayer 4.5%, Indie 3.2%, Third Person 3%

Why You'll Like It: The definitive experience for players who enjoy the high-stakes, physics-driven frustration of difficult climbing games.

Praey for the Gods is a boss climbing open world adventure game where you play a lone hero sent to the edge of a dying frozen land to explore and solve the secrets of a never ending winter. Grapple, glide and grab hold of massive beasts as you fight to survive and return the world to proper order.

Why similar: Cinematic 16.6%, Survival 12.4%, Open World 12%, Action-Adventure 10.1%, Female Protagonist 10%

Why You'll Like It: Combines survival mechanics with epic, large-scale climbing sequences against massive creatures.

You are a nomadic slugcat, both predator and prey in a broken ecosystem. Grab your spear and brave the industrial wastes, hunting enough food to survive, but be wary— other, bigger creatures have the same plan... and slugcats look delicious.

Why similar: Difficult 30.1%, Survival 18.2%, Exploration 10.6%, Open World 10.3%, Atmospheric 10.2%

Why You'll Like It: Offers a brutal, atmospheric survival experience where navigating complex environments is essential to staying alive.

From legendary game creator Hideo Kojima comes a genre-defying experience, now expanded in this definitive DIRECTOR’S CUT. As Sam Bridges, your mission is to deliver hope to humanity by connecting the last survivors of a decimated America. Can you reunite the shattered world, one step at a time?

Why similar: Walking Simulator 21.4%, Open World 16.8%, Cinematic 15.5%, Atmospheric 9.1%, Story Rich 9%

Why You'll Like It: Captures the feeling of a lonely, atmospheric journey across vast, unforgiving landscapes where traversal is the primary gameplay loop.

An android is led through a vast structure by a glitch in his visual system. Lorn's Lure is an atmospheric narrative first-person platformer with novel climb-anything mechanics and modernized retro 3D graphics.

Why similar: Parkour 32.3%, Difficult 23.9%, Action-Adventure 10%, Cinematic 8.3%, Exploration 8.1%

Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric climbing-focused platformer that emphasizes verticality and the isolation of a strange, alien environment.

Stranded at an abandoned Antarctic research base with no hope of rescue, you must battle a deadly blizzard in a desperate fight to find your way home.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 17.6%, Survival 16.5%, Exploration 10.5%, Open World 10%, Female Protagonist 9.9%

Why You'll Like It: Focuses on the intense survival and isolation of being stranded in a harsh, frozen environment where every movement counts.

Ride a massive open world across the Alps, where the powder is always fresh and the run never ends. Defy and master the mountain alone or with friends on skis, wingsuits, snowboards and paragliders. Record and share your best stunts.

Why similar: Sports 45.4%, Open World 22.9%, Exploration 7.3%, Atmospheric 7.2%, Simulation 5.6%

Why You'll Like It: Focuses on the thrill of mountain sports and the beauty of exploring vast, open alpine environments.

THE LONG DARK is a thoughtful, exploration-survival experience that challenges solo players to think for themselves as they explore an expansive frozen wilderness in the aftermath of a geomagnetic disaster. There are no zombies -- only you, the cold, and all the threats Mother Nature can muster.

Why similar: Survival 34.1%, Open World 19.3%, Exploration 11.5%, Atmospheric 9.1%, Walking Simulator 7.2%

Why You'll Like It: The gold standard for atmospheric survival in a frozen wilderness, emphasizing resource management and environmental navigation.

Hike, climb, and soar through the peaceful mountainside landscapes of Hawk Peak Provincial Park as you make your way to the summit.

Why similar: Exploration 27.9%, Open World 21.7%, Walking Simulator 15.6%, Adventure 12.5%, Indie 9.4%

Why You'll Like It: Provides a more relaxing take on mountain exploration and climbing, focusing on the freedom of movement and discovery.

Face the supernatural dangers of the Olympic Exclusion Zone with a car as your only lifeline in this driving survival adventure! Scavenge resources, load up your trusty station wagon, and drive like hell to make it through alive.

Why similar: Survival 34%, Exploration 19.1%, Atmospheric 14.6%, Story Rich 12.4%, Adventure 8.3%

Why You'll Like It: While centered on a vehicle, it shares the same core loop of survival, resource management, and atmospheric exploration in a hostile world.

Play as Nate, an unemployed failson with nothing going for him, until one day he discovers a power he never knew he had… putting one foot in front of the other.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 25.2%, Difficult 22.1%, Physics 13.4%, Exploration 11.9%, Third Person 11.2%

Why You'll Like It: A comedic but mechanically deep take on physics-based movement that turns every step into a deliberate, challenging action.

Guide a herd of mysterious creatures on a stirring and beautiful journey into the mountains… and beyond.

Why similar: Cinematic 17.7%, Stylized 15.5%, Exploration 10.9%, Female Protagonist 10.3%, Atmospheric 9.7%

Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric adventure that focuses on the emotional connection to the environment and the journey through it.

Climb a massive overgrown concrete tower while constantly at risk of falling and losing precious progress. BETON BRUTAL offers a fluid and responsive first person parkour experience through tranquil brutalist architecture.

Why similar: Parkour 47.7%, Difficult 17.3%, Atmospheric 12.7%, Exploration 12.2%, Physics 5.4%

Why You'll Like It: A precision-platformer that tests your ability to navigate complex, vertical environments with high stakes for failure.

Explore an emotional sci-fi game with a unique blend of survival, adventure, and base-building elements. Help Jan Dolski, the sole survivor of an ill-fated space expedition, create alternative versions of himself to escape a hostile planet and tackle personal turmoils with this unconventional crew.

Why similar: Survival 36.1%, Exploration 17.7%, Action-Adventure 14.3%, Third Person 11.9%, Story Rich 6.7%

Why You'll Like It: A survival-management game that explores the psychological toll of isolation and the necessity of making difficult sacrifices.

DREDGE is a single-player fishing adventure with a sinister undercurrent. Sell your catch, upgrade your boat, and dredge the depths for long-buried secrets. Explore a mysterious archipelago and discover why some things are best left forgotten.

Why similar: Exploration 23.7%, Open World 22.9%, Stylized 14.1%, Atmospheric 11.8%, Adventure 8.5%

Why You'll Like It: An atmospheric exploration game that uses its environment to build tension and a sense of isolation.

Experience the freedom of unbounded climbing as you take control of BUD, a procedurally animated robot on a quest to save his planet. Create your own path through an alien world as you control and ride a giant plant on a vertical journey to the stars.

Why similar: Parkour 25.9%, Open World 25.2%, Exploration 15.3%, Adventure 9.1%, Physics 7.2%

Why You'll Like It: Features unique, physics-based climbing mechanics that allow players to scale massive, procedurally growing structures.

In solo or with your friends, explore in total freedom massive-parkour-ready maps. Uncover hidden spots, time trials, trick challenges, and more! In multiplayer, dive into game modes like TAG, Capture The Flag, and Trick Battles!

Why similar: Parkour 29.4%, Sports 23.2%, Open World 10.6%, Exploration 9.3%, Third Person 9.2%

Why You'll Like It: Focuses on the flow and technical precision of urban traversal, mirroring the movement-heavy focus of climbing games.

Named Game of the Year 2019 by Giant Bomb, Polygon, Eurogamer, and The Guardian, Outer Wilds is a critically-acclaimed and award-winning open world mystery about a solar system trapped in an endless time loop.

Why similar: Exploration 27.2%, Open World 20.9%, Atmospheric 14.9%, Story Rich 13.8%, Adventure 9.3%

Why You'll Like It: While a space exploration game, it shares the sense of wonder, discovery, and environmental navigation central to Cairn.

Experience the wild as a badger sheltering your cubs from harm. On your journey, you will be stalked by birds of prey, encounter perils of the night, cross fierce rivers, escape forest fires and face the looming threat of starvation. Food is to be found, but is there enough for everyone?

Why similar: Survival 15%, Walking Simulator 14%, Open World 12.2%, Stylized 11.4%, Exploration 9.4%

Why You'll Like It: Focuses on the raw, emotional struggle for survival in a natural world, emphasizing the vulnerability of the protagonist.

PEAK is a co-op climbing game where the slightest mistake can spell your doom. Either solo or as a group of lost nature scouts, your only hope of rescue from a mysterious island is to scale the mountain at its center. Do you have what it takes to reach the PEAK?

Why similar: Physics 37.4%, Exploration 28.6%, Atmospheric 15.3%, Adventure 14.4%, Action 4.3%

Sifu is a realistic third-person brawler with tight Kung Fu combat mechanics and cinematic martial arts action embarking you on a path for revenge.

Why similar: Difficult 56.4%, Third Person 21.4%, Action 7.7%, Singleplayer 5%, Action-Adventure 5%

Why You'll Like It: While a combat game, it shares the 'difficult, precision-based' DNA that requires mastery of mechanics to overcome obstacles.

Firewatch is a single-player first-person mystery set in the Wyoming wilderness, where your only emotional lifeline is the person on the other end of a handheld radio.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 31.9%, Atmospheric 15.2%, Exploration 12.6%, Open World 12.5%, Story Rich 11.8%

Why You'll Like It: Captures the atmospheric, solitary exploration of a vast wilderness, focusing on the emotional weight of a personal journey.

Parkour through the ruins of a megastructure, climb massive bosses, and hunt down every construction equipment in this slice of life action-adventure with immaculate vibes.

Why similar: Parkour 28.9%, Stylized 13.2%, Female Protagonist 10.8%, Action-Adventure 10.3%, Third Person 10.2%

Explore the vast and beautiful world of Valley using the power of the L.E.A.F. suit: a fierce exoskeleton that grants exceptional speed and agility along with the phenomenal ability to manipulate the life and death of all living things.

Why similar: Parkour 30.2%, Open World 13.4%, Exploration 12.5%, Walking Simulator 11.7%, Adventure 8.6%

Why You'll Like It: Features a unique movement system that makes traversing large, vertical environments feel fluid and exhilarating.

Human Fall Flat is a hilarious, light-hearted platformer set in floating dreamscapes that can be played solo or with up to 8 players online. Free new levels keep its vibrant community rewarded.

Why similar: Open World 29.2%, Physics 28.7%, Parkour 18.3%, Adventure 11.5%, Action 6%

Why You'll Like It: Uses physics-based controls to make simple climbing and movement tasks feel like a deliberate, often humorous challenge.

Run fast, soar through the air, and master your landings as you speed through procedural worlds to outrun the end of the universe, by yourself and with friends!

Why similar: Parkour 37.5%, Female Protagonist 13.4%, Open World 12.8%, Exploration 9.4%, Third Person 7.6%

An atmospheric management RPG about life on the open road. Pick up hitchhikers, work odd jobs, customize and repair your car, and map your route across the country. Use upgrades, skills and items to overcome challenges. And remember to take it easy. You’re young. You have time.

Why similar: Atmospheric 24.4%, Exploration 22.9%, Open World 19.8%, Adventure 12.4%, Indie 8.9%

Grapple, clamber and fall thousands of meters down into a dark and ancient place in this first-person horror climbing game. You are being hunted.

Why similar: Parkour 38.7%, Physics 14.8%, Atmospheric 14.3%, Exploration 10.9%, Simulation 7.2%

SNØ is a minimalistic freeriding game. Push your limits for the high score, or simply enjoy the unforgiving procedural wilderness.

Why similar: Difficult 18.2%, Parkour 17%, Sports 16.1%, Stylized 12.6%, Physics 9.7%

Experience the moving tale of a young woman and her lifelong bond with a magnificent wolf as they embark on a thrilling adventure through a rapidly dying world.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 24.3%, Atmospheric 23.6%, Adventure 18.8%, Female Protagonist 18.5%, Indie 8.8%

ABOVE is a challenging climbing game set in a mysterious world. Reach, jump and grab on to rocks and moving objects as you pave your way through the vertical terrain. Experience a mysterious and intriguing world with gameplay that will challenge both your skills and endurance.

Why similar: Cinematic 22%, Stylized 17.9%, Action-Adventure 13.5%, Third Person 13.4%, Exploration 12.8%

Easy Delivery Co. is a relaxing driving game with strange secrets. Chill out, make deliveries and get to know the mysterious residents of this scenic mountain town, all while earning well below minimum wage.

Why similar: Open World 26.7%, Exploration 18.3%, Physics 17.3%, Atmospheric 12.3%, Story Rich 10.8%

On their last night together, three friends embark on one final adventure. Play through a mixtape of memories, set to the soundtrack of a generation.

Why similar: Walking Simulator 51.6%, Female Protagonist 13.5%, Third Person 9.3%, Adventure 9.1%, Atmospheric 7.5%

Sam – with companions by his side – sets out on a new journey to save humanity from extinction. Join them as they traverse a world beset by otherworldly enemies, obstacles and a haunting question: should we have connected?

Why similar: Walking Simulator 22.1%, Open World 21.5%, Exploration 14.9%, Third Person 10.9%, Action-Adventure 10.3%

Cast n Chill is a relaxing fishing game where you explore serene lakes, rivers, and oceans. Catch rare fish, upgrade your gear and reel in legendary catches - all with your loyal companion by your side.

Why similar: Sports 44.8%, Atmospheric 29.2%, Simulation 16.1%, Indie 9.9%

Help Madeline survive her inner demons on her journey to the top of Celeste Mountain, in this super-tight platformer from the creators of TowerFall. Brave hundreds of hand-crafted challenges, uncover devious secrets, and piece together the mystery of the mountain.

Why similar: Difficult 49%, Female Protagonist 14.6%, Indie 8%, Story Rich 7.7%, Atmospheric 6.2%

Albatroz is a backpacking adventure RPG that will take you through majestic landscapes in search of your lost sibling. A tale about knowing when to let go and start over.

Why similar: Survival 20.6%, Walking Simulator 19%, Exploration 14.5%, Open World 12%, Female Protagonist 9.5%

Explore a dense, interconnected labyrinth, and unravel its many secrets. Collect items to manipulate your environment in surprising and meaningful ways. Encounter beautiful and unsettling creatures, as you attempt to survive what lurks in the dark. There is more than what you see.

Why similar: Exploration 42.5%, Atmospheric 24.5%, Adventure 12.7%, Indie 9.4%, Action 5.9%

Embark on an unique and unforgettable journey and guide Sable through her Gliding; a rite of passage that will take her across vast deserts and mesmerizing landscapes, capped by the remains of spaceships and ancient wonders.

Why similar: Open World 19.1%, Stylized 18.7%, Exploration 14.9%, Female Protagonist 13.9%, Atmospheric 12.8%

Ollie, kickflip, and grind your way through the ash and smoke of the Underworld as you take on a seemingly impossible quest. Skate fast to destroy demons and save other tortured souls on your journey from fragile beginner to a hardened skater.

Why similar: Sports 38.9%, Stylized 16.5%, Atmospheric 11.4%, Adventure 10%, Indie 8.7%

Explore a drowned Earth, restore lost systems, and raise the last human seeds in this first-person survival-crafting adventure. Build, scavenge, defend, and launch humanity back to the stars.

Why similar: Survival 24.7%, Open World 20.4%, Physics 16.5%, Exploration 14.2%, Atmospheric 12.2%

From Jeppe Carlsen, the lead gameplay designer of LIMBO and INSIDE — COCOON takes you on an adventure across worlds within worlds. Master world-leaping mechanics and solve intricate puzzles to unravel a cosmic mystery.

Why similar: Stylized 28.8%, Exploration 23.2%, Adventure 18.2%, Atmospheric 16.4%, Indie 8.5%

Follow R.E.A.C.H., an AI trapped in a human body, on a cinematic adventure through an alternate 1980s America. Explore an atmospheric cyberpunk world full of high-stakes action wrapped in a unique 2.5D pixel art style.

Why similar: Cinematic 37.2%, Action-Adventure 17.8%, Atmospheric 15.6%, Story Rich 11.7%, Adventure 7.4%

Explore the corners of a surrealistic post-human world to give life on Earth a second chance in this touching story about sacrifice and hope.

Why similar: Exploration 26.3%, Adventure 23.7%, Third Person 18.5%, Atmospheric 15.1%, Female Protagonist 11.9%

Surf across magnificent waves of sand and glistening waters on an epic quest to restore a lost ocean. From the visionary artist behind ABZÛ, The Pathless, and Journey, Sword of the Sea is an atmospheric surfing adventure with fast movement inspired by classic skateboarding and snowboarding games.

Why similar: Stylized 19.8%, Cinematic 16.4%, Exploration 15.4%, Atmospheric 12.8%, Action-Adventure 9.8%

If war is the closest we get to hell on earth, it's because Earth harbours the worst of demons: humankind. In an isolated country ravaged by infighting, discover the secrets of your past and deal with the repercussions of a mysterious calamity.

Why similar: Third Person 17%, Exploration 14.8%, Atmospheric 13.9%, Open World 12.7%, Action-Adventure 11.6%

Esoteric Ebb is a single-player CRPG inspired by the freedom of tabletop adventures. Unravel a political conspiracy with your goblin sidekick. Roll dice in tense encounters. Become a cleric of legends or completely ruin the campaign.

Why similar: Story Rich 29.5%, Exploration 25.5%, Atmospheric 22.6%, Adventure 13.2%, Singleplayer 9.2%

In this award-winning puzzle adventure game, play as the Traveler on a quest to reunite the Peoples of the Tower. Observe, listen, and decipher ancient languages in a fascinating universe inspired by the Myth of Babel.

Why similar: Stylized 22.5%, Adventure 17.2%, Atmospheric 14.8%, Exploration 11.2%, Indie 10.4%

A punishing VR climbing game. Climb a surreal mountain with nothing but a hammer.

Why similar: Difficult 46%, Physics 24.4%, Action-Adventure 7.4%, Indie 6.9%, Adventure 6.4%

After a difficult awakening, you stumble upon the Grip, a mysterious artifact and grappling hook. Climb up the Mountain to bring back the Grip to the top and unravel the mystery surrounding the Grip. Bon voyage!

Why similar: Parkour 27.6%, Exploration 13%, Action-Adventure 12.6%, Stylized 12.4%, Walking Simulator 12.3%

Challenge perception, redefine reality, and reshape the world around you with an instant camera. Viewfinder is a new single player game offering gamers hours of interesting and fun experiences while uncovering the mysteries left behind.

Why similar: Physics 20.1%, Stylized 15.9%, Exploration 15.3%, Action-Adventure 15.1%, Atmospheric 13.3%

Adventure Climb VR is a room-scale climbing experience suitable for anyone of any age - particularly great for newcomers to VR. Achieve triumph through a combination of physically demanding climbing techniques and puzzle challenges that are designed by actual rock climbers.

Why similar: Sports 28.4%, Parkour 22.6%, Action-Adventure 12%, Exploration 11.1%, Atmospheric 7.9%