Video Games Weekly — Climbing Games Spotlight
Summary of Jess Conditt’s Engadget column: a new weekly column (essays + roundup) that highlights the emotional power of climbing games — and why the falls are as meaningful as the summits.
Climbing games to watch
- Cairn — A survival-climbing simulator from The Game Bakers. Manage inventory, bandage wounds, forage and sleep under the stars. Release: Nov 5, 2025 (PS5, Steam). Store: https://store.steampowered.com/search/?term=Cairn
- Baby Steps — A humorous, mechanical climb about a man in a onesie learning to walk. Published by Devolver Digital. Release: Sept 23, 2025 (PC, PS5). Store: https://store.steampowered.com/search/?term=Baby+Steps
- PEAK — Co-op climbing with rotating maps and proximity voice chat; beloved by streamers. Available on Steam (approx $8). Store: https://store.steampowered.com/search/?term=PEAK
Other indie & AA highlights mentioned
Jess lists many upcoming indies and AA titles she’s excited for (Baby Steps, Cairn, Hades 2 in early access, Little Nightmares III, and many 2025–2026 releases).
News bites
- skate. — EA revived the Skate franchise; early access planned for Sept 16, 2025 across consoles and PC. More: https://www.ea.com/games/skate
- Silent Hill f — Previewed at Gamescom; set in 1960s Japan with a schoolgirl protagonist. Release: Sept 25, 2025 (PS5, PC, Xbox Series X/S). Search: https://store.steampowered.com/search/?term=Silent+Hill+f
- Overwatch 2 — Season 18 — Launched Aug 26, 2025; changes to hero progression, keyboard+mouse on console (matches with PC), new water-bending support hero Wuyang.
- Bungie leadership change — Pete Parsons left Bungie; Justin Truman named CEO.
Notes: This post summarizes public news; links point to store pages/searches or publisher pages for more info. No Engadget RSS links included.
Original article source: Engadget (summarized) — link intentionally omitted per instructions.