Cairn: Mathair's Curse

Cairn: Mathair's Curse is a single-player, story-driven JRPG about a boy, his mother and loss, set in a world steeped in Celtic mythology and inspired by life in the Scottish Highlands in the early 2000s. Across 14 chapters and around 30 hours, you explore hand-crafted locations, fight enemies and follow the personal stories of four main party members as they connect to the larger narrative.

The world and its stories

Explore environments ranging from quaint seaside villages to ancient underground caverns and secret high-tech lairs. Lore-rich NPCs and side quests add to the worldbuilding, while puzzles and exploration open new areas and reveal secrets and hidden presents. The enemies include wild roaming haggis, bewildered stop signs and a group of cultists.

Turn-based combat

Combat uses a strategic, classic turn-based system. You use items and party members’ skills, account for enemy weaknesses and strengths, and upgrade weapons and equipment. Items and other upgrades can also be bought throughout the world, and each party member has a unique class.

Scottish-inspired soundtrack

The soundtrack draws on traditional Scottish music and classic SNES-era JRPGs, with more than 100 tracks. It includes bagpipe-rock battle themes, melodic motifs for each main character and sweeping pieces that underscore the story’s emotional moments.