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I manage to reach halfway up the corner of the church before I get stuck. I can see where I need to go, but there are no firm handholds within reach. No, I'm not playing Assassin's Creed, though I half-wish I was. The church wall I'm clinging to like a fat spider overlooks Newhaven Harbour at the north end of Edinburgh. The old Gothic building houses the Alien Rock indoor climbing centre, its interior walls and vaulted ceilings covered in white plaster and fluorescent plastic climbing holds.I thought I would be terrified if this happened. I'm not afraid of heights, but I can't handle unstable footing. Instead I'm just tired and frustrated. It started well enough - I climbed two starter routes without much trouble - but this is my third attempt on this route. My fiancée ascended it earlier with no problems, and a ten-year-old girl has just scurried up the wall beside me like a squirrel.
This somewhat rash transition from sedentary games journalist to human wallpaper is the final part of an investigation into the portrayal of climbing in games. I decided to try it for myself because of something said to me by Dana Harrington, an experienced climber and creator of the climbing game Solo Joe.
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