We’re one month into 2026, and the best rated sport of the yr to date can also be a PS5 console unique that launched final week.
2026 is ready to launch the likes of Fable, Marvel’s Wolverine, and naturally, GTA VI.
And whereas these video games might all trigger a serious stir once they launch later this yr, the highest-rated sport of the yr is already proving itself to be fairly in style.
Cairn Is One Of The Greatest Video games Of 2026 So Far
Cairn, developed by The Sport Bakers, is presently the highest-rated sport of the yr to date, tied with The Legend of Heroes: Trails past the Horizon at 84 on Metacritic.
Properly, technically Cult of the Lamb: Woolhaven is increased at 86, however that’s a DLC so we’re not counting it. But it surely’s nonetheless a category replace.
In case you don’t know what Cairn is, it’s a mountaineering sport the place you play as Aava, an expert mountaineer who aspires to be the primary particular person to achieve the summit of Mount Kami.
The Sport Bakers
The sport has a practical physics system the place you management every of Aava’s particular person limbs as she scales the mountain, having to account for stability, weight distribution, and different variables which can permit her to proceed climbing.
Along with that, you’ve got a survival system the place you have to maintain Aava fed and heat, and there are additionally quite a few quests and hidden discoveries so that you can make.
Having performed and reviewed Cairn myself, I’d really name it among the finest video video games I’ve ever performed, and wrote that “the sport’s reactive climbing mechanics, the tough-but-fair issue, and its whole presentation is just beautiful.”
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On Metacritic, Cairn has a rating of 84 for the PC model, and 82 for the PS5 model, with many critics praising the climbing, artwork model, and story. I’d say it’s properly price your time, particularly for the worth of $29.99.
The sport has a playtime of round 15-20 hours for the primary playthrough, however I loved it sufficient that I instantly went in for a second run.
The Sport Bakers can even be including free content material to the sport sooner or later, together with a free climb mode for gamers to climb with out repeating the story.
It’s a disgrace the sport isn’t accessible on Xbox or Change 2, however right here’s hoping The Sport Bakers decides to prioritise these variations now that the sport is out on PC and PS5.
