Insurmountable

As somebody who is probably overdue for a midlife crisis, I've often thought about what I would do when that time comes. I would be open to buying an expensive sports car if I had the money, traveling the world when we get out of this pandemic and maybe even going skydiving or bungie jumping, but there is one midlife cliche I won't be doing -- mountain climbing. And if I was on the fence before, playing through the new game Insurmountable has more than convinced me that I want to have nothing to do with an activity where you go to something called the "Death Zone." If I'm going to risk my life and safety ascending a mountain during a blizzard, then it's going to be while I'm warm, eating delicious food and in the comfort of my own home. Now that is a practical midlife crisis.

A scientist, journalist and thrill-seeking adventurer decide to climb a mountain. That sounds like the start of a joke, but it's actually the setup for Insurmountable, a game where we take one of those brave people up a procedurally-generated mountain in hopes of making a name for themselves in the history books. And let me tell you, that feat is no joke, because our climbers only have one life to live and ascending these three mountains will take strength, strategy and a whole lot of luck.

Although it's mostly about surviving treacherous conditions, Insurmountable plays a lot like a strategy game. Instead of putting us in direct control of the climber, it's our job to choose where we want them to go on the mountain. In that sense, it's similar to a board game, with every part of the map being displayed like a grid. We'll see how much energy it takes and what kind of terrain we'll be walking or climbing on, all of which will go into your decision making as you slowly work your way up the steep cliffs. You'll have to weigh the risk of taking a more dangerous shortcut against how much energy and oxygen you'll spend by going the long way. And don't forget about finding places to sleep, because you definitely don't want to get stuck in one of those nighttime blizzards. These are the kinds of decisions you'll need to make just to get to the top of the mountain.

While it might make sense to climb as fast as possible, there are a lot of reasons to explore the massive maps. You'll find that there are a lot of spaces with icons over them, which will trigger some sort of story beat. For example, we'll find treasure icons that will give us a chance to add food, gear and even an extra tent to the inventory. Another icon will have you interacting with strangers and animals, which can go in all kinds of different directions. You'll sometimes find caves that not only make for a great resting point, but also have secret paths and hidden items. You won't be able to hit all of these icons, but there's a lot of value in exploring the environment and not just taking the most direct path.

Of course, the story beats aren't limited to the spaces with icons. As the climbing becomes more dangerous, you'll run into random scenarios that will put our adventurers in a lot of bad situations. It's common to twist your ankle on loose rocks or hurt your shoulder after a bad fall, events that will limit your mobility and make getting to the top that much more dangerous. And you'll find that some of these setbacks don't just go away after you climb the first mountain, because they will stick with the characters as they attempt the next two peaks. My poor climber was battered and bruised by the time she made it to the top of the final mountain, to the point where I seriously wondered if we were even going to make it at all. No matter which character you select, they are going to need a lot of rest and medical attention by the time they get done with these three climbs.

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The choices you make in this game can be the difference between life and death. What at first looks like a simple game where you point and click your way to victory quickly becomes a harrowing balancing act where you need to stay healthy and use your rations sparingly. And all that is before you get to the "Death Zone," the most dangerous part of the mountain where you barely have enough oxygen to breathe. You definitely don't want to run out of oxygen at the top of the mountain, because you still need to come back down in order to complete your mission and see another day. Getting to the highest peak is pointless if you die on the way down. And that's going to be your fate if you don't plan well, especially as you get into the more challenging mountains and difficulties. For a game that is relatively slow-paced, Insurmountable can be incredibly intense. There were times when scaling the third and final mountain that I had to remind myself to keep breathing. I mean it when I say that this game can be harrowing.

The fact that this game can be so tense and draining is a testament to its simple approach and effective (yet minimal) storytelling. You're never really keeping an eye on too many gauges and the gameplay is not very complicated, so it all comes down to the subtle complexity of the strategy and planning. Those early mistakes will haunt you later on, more than even the ghostly figures the characters start to see when their sanity begins to slip. You're there every step of the way, which makes even the most inevitable deaths feel emotionally devastating.

One of the things I love about Insurmountable is that it doesn't take very long to complete a session. The three mountains increase in size and complexity, but they only take between sixty and ninety minutes to complete. The climbs are designed to be doable in a single sitting and the quick pacing will keep the momentum going right through to the final descent. And even though the story is sparse, there are enough events happening in each session to make them feel unique and satisfying. Those moments when you barely complete a climb come with a wave of relief, only to be quickly followed by the feeling of dread when you remember that you are in bad shape going to the next mountain.

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For as unique as the sessions tend to be, there's no denying that you'll run into a lot of repeating events. For example, I'm pretty sure I twisted my ankle on loose rocks in every single climb. You'll also run into a lot of the same types of people and scenarios. There are times when this is good, since you can predict how an event will play out. However, it does make the levels feel a bit samey over time. That isn't helped by the fact that the various mountains all look the same. Sure, you'll run into different storms and terrain, but it would have been nice to see more variety in the graphics and colors. I wish we were going to different mountains around the world, giving us slightly different environments and tiles. The few complaints I have about Insurmountable mostly revolve around the game's repetition, which only becomes more apparent with each playthrough.

The visuals are good, but they are almost secondary what is happening. When I remember my tense climbs where I barely made it back alive, I'm not going to be picturing a tiny character slowly walking from one space to another, but rather an epic man vs. nature struggle that is almost cinematic. That's the impression the game leaves in my brain, even if the graphics are nowhere near that detailed. Too bad the music and sound effects are the weak link in the presentation, because they could have added a lot more to the immersion. But when a game is this intense and engrossing, you'll barely notice simplistic graphics and sparse sound effects. I don't need a sweeping soundtrack to know how to feel in a game like Insurmountable, because my constant fear of making the wrong choice and dying is enough to keep me thoroughly invested in this incredible game.

By mixing strategy and survival elements, Insurmountable has found a unique way to put you in the head of a mountain climber. Every move and decision matters here, creating one of the year's most tense and nerve-racking experiences. Don't let the simple point and click gameplay fool you, because this is a harrowing journey that will test your ability to not only plan, but also think on your feet. And while it can be a little repetitive and the sound design is barely there, the procedurally-generated mountains are massive and surviving the climb is always satisfying. I would never climb a mountain in real life, but I can see myself coming back to Insurmountable time and time again. Just don't forget to keep breathing.