2025 was a year full of surprising successes, as indie games dominated the scene, led by Expedition 33 along with others like REPO, Silksong, and others, making it a special year, and it looks like 2026 will continue this trend with the first notable indie success of the year.
The Game Bakers studio recently released Cairn, which received an 87 rating from critics, becoming the first big surprise indie game of 2026. It is a climbing simulation game, focusing on reaching the peaks through highly realistic gameplay mechanics.
Cairn has managed to achieve a rating of 87 on OpenCritic, with critics praising its realistic gameplay and stunning visuals, making it one of the highest-rated games of 2026 so far.
The game puts you in the role of Ava, a mountaineer embarking on a journey to ascend Mount Kami, a peak that has never been reached before. During the journey, you learn about history, meet different characters, and discover more about the world around you.
Cairn features a unique art style and beautiful graphics that give the experience an attractive visual feel, although there are some criticisms that point to a feeling of repetition as the game progresses.
