PEAK: An Elevating Experience

Players scale challenging biomes in PEAK, a climbing-focused game by Aggro Crab Games and Landfall Games. “Finally, we are done climbing,” said John Cummins (10). Photo credit: John Cummins

PEAK, developed by Aggro Crab Games and Landfall Games, is a game centered on climbing. The objective is simple: climb, fall, try again. Yet, as players quickly discover, it is far more complex than it appears.

The game presents players with trials and challenges along the way. This review covers the lobby, biomes, characters, and the overall experience.

The Lobby

Before beginning the climb, players start in the lobby, designed as an airport filled with various decorations. Some elements serve as informal tutorials. For example, a rock wall teaches basic climbing mechanics, while a rope demonstrates that using one conserves stamina. Other features include a giant chessboard, a basketball hoop for practicing throws, a moving walkway typical of airports, and the terminal where players select difficulty levels.

Difficulty ranges from the easiest mode, “Tenderfoot,” to the hardest, “Ascent 7,” with each numbered Ascent progressively more challenging. Once selected, the game loads and players prepare to start their climb.

The Tropics

The first biome, the Tropics, functions as the real tutorial. Hazards include sea urchins (spiky, poisonous spheres) and jellyfish (slippery, poisonous, near-floor obstacles). The geometry is relatively simple, with climbs designed to be achievable, though a few push the player’s skill. Players also traverse bridges and palm trees to reach higher points.

At the top of each level is a campfire with a briefcase and a marshmallow on a stick. Statues provide rewards if all teammates survive, offering rare items with special properties, such as anti-gravity ropes or Pandora’s Lunchbox—a food item with potentially negative side effects. If teammates are not alive, the statue simply revives them. This biome is an easy introduction to the game’s challenges. Rating: 8/10.

The Roots

The Roots biome introduces a noticeable increase in difficulty. Players encounter hazards including large spiders, rhino beetles capable of knocking them off, airborne spores that drain health, and spore zombies. The geometry becomes more complex, featuring tall trees, vines, and uneven terrain. Non-sentient hazards include bombshrooms and poisonous mushrooms. This biome provides a satisfying escalation from the Tropics. Rating: 7/10.

The Mesa

The Mesa biome emphasizes environmental challenges. Players must move cautiously during the day due to a heat debuff that can be fatal, necessitating shade and strategic movement. Dust devils, tumbleweeds, cacti, and cartoonish dynamite increase the difficulty. While the terrain is similar to the Roots, caverns add a new layer of complexity. Rating: 9/10.

The Caldera

In the Caldera, players navigate a lava-covered environment, jumping between rock islands and climbing chains. Rising lava adds urgency, and the biome prepares players for the final climb. Rating: 8/10.

The Kiln

The final climb, the Kiln, occurs inside a volcano with rising lava. The terrain is steep, treacherous, and unforgiving. Despite frequent setbacks, persistence is rewarded with the view from the peak. After 2–3 hours of gameplay, reaching the summit offers a sense of accomplishment. Players light a flare, a helicopter arrives, and the credits roll. Rating: 10/10.

Conclusion

Overall, PEAK delivers a challenging and rewarding experience. The game encourages resilience, problem-solving, and mental focus as players repeatedly climb, fall, and try again. The combination of intricate geometry, environmental hazards, and cooperative mechanics makes PEAK a truly elevating experience—both mentally and physically. Final rating: 8.4/10.