A new game on Steam called Cave Expedition turns Cairn‘s gameplay premise on its head, offering a spelunking simulation instead of rock climbing. What makes Cave Expedition something Steam users might want to keep an eye on is its emphasis on realism, creating an experience that mirrors real-life caving as closely as possible.
Cairn was seen by many as a breath of fresh air in the survival-climber subgenre. It took the simple idea of a “mountain-climbing game” and turned it into a Zen practice enjoyed by thousands of people. For those unfamiliar, Cairn is all about ascending an incredibly high summit while trying to keep the protagonist alive. Now, Cave Expedition appears to be taking the exact opposite direction from Cairn while keeping the gameplay on the same path.
Unlike Cairn, Cave Expedition Is All About Descending
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Image via Moonmilk Games -
Image via Moonmilk Games -
Image via Moonmilk Games
- Developer: Moonmilk Games
- Release Date: To Be Announced
- Multiplayer: 1–4 players (online co-op)
As a realistic spelunking simulation, Cave Expedition puts players in the shoes of cavers. It features realistic pieces of equipment used by actual cavers, such as drill hammers, headlamps, static ropes, carabiners, hand ascenders, and rope brakes. Unlike games like Cairn, which emphasize reaching the top of the map, Cave Expedition encourages players to explore the deepest parts of caves and their sumps.
Cave Expedition Gameplay Features
- The primary goal is to reach the deepest parts of caves
- Descending deeper requires better and more complicated pieces of equipment
- Players will need to plan their journey and prepare for possible environmental hazards in advance
- There are many different tools to use, all of which are inspired by real-life caving equipment
- Players will need to traverse different biomes, like flooded parts and claustrophobic tiny passages
Realism plays a significant role in Cave Expedition because the game is being developed by a team of actual professional cavers. Moonmilk Games describes itself as “a team of real-life cavers dedicated to bringing a faithful representation of caves into gaming.” Just like in real life, players will need to pick the right pieces of equipment, choose the safest path, and descend into each area patiently if they don’t want to die.
That said, based on the trailers revealed so far, Cave Expedition may not feature extensive survival mechanics as in-depth as those in Cairn. Players might still need to take care of basic needs like food, but it appears that things like cooking won’t be included. It is also unclear at the time of writing how the game’s progression will work and what the primary purpose of descending will be beyond mere exploration. For reference, ascending the mountain in Cairn was tied to a mysterious story, but it remains to be seen how Cave Expedition will approach this.
While it does not seem to be another friendslop Steam game, Cave Expedition appears to be a perfect pick for fans of games like PEAK, too. At launch, it will feature online co-op multiplayer, allowing four cavers to descend into the darkness together like an actual team of professionals. Developer Moonmilk Games hasn’t specified an exact release date for Cave Expedition yet. However, those wishing to keep up with the game’s development can join its official Discord server, where the devs post frequently.
- Released
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January 29, 2026
- Developer(s)
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The Game Bakers
- Publisher(s)
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The Game Bakers
- Number of Players
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Single-player
- Steam Deck Compatibility
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Verified