Eurogamer highlights a subtle shift in masocore design where brutal challenge is paired with compassionate systems. Playing Cairn’s unforgiving mountain makes failure frequent, but its tools and checkpoints make each retry feel fairer, and Baby Steps follows a similar philosophy of gentle progression.

  • Cairn frames its punishing climbs with tangible safety measures — like the pitons that can rescue you — and restart patterns that take the sting out of repeated falls.
  • Baby Steps, as the name suggests, leans into incremental learning: small advances and forgiving mechanics let players improve without the demoralising grind some masocore titles demand.
  • The article argues this isn’t dumbing down difficulty, but redesigning it: challenge remains meaningful, while systems prioritise player time, momentum and the chance to practise key skills.
  • Indie designers are increasingly balancing precision-based difficulty with accessibility options and generous checkpointing, creating games that reward persistence rather than punish it.

Source: Eurogamer

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