Big Walk Review: Cooperative Discovery Overcomes Tedium

House House made a name for itself with the wonderfully mischievous Untitled Goose Game, but its next title, Big Walk, takes a radically different approach. Instead of wreaking havoc as a feathered fiend, players explore a vast, uncharted island as sentient spheres with stubby limbs, working together to solve puzzles and uncover secrets.

The core loop in Big Walk is deceptively simple: walk, talk, and solve. There's no hand-holding—no quest markers, no map, and no explicit instructions beyond basic controls. Instead, communication is the key to progression. Players rely on proximity chat or a clever text system to coordinate, share findings, and figure out puzzles that can involve tile ordering, timing challenges, or even separation, forcing creative use of the limited moveset—point, jump, and carry.

This emphasis on communication creates genuine tension and joy. When separated from your partner, a simple task like kicking a ticking timer up a hill becomes a nail-biting exercise in trust. The payoff is a burst of confetti and a new 'nubbin' to collect, fueling further exploration.

The sense of discovery is a major strength. The island is dotted with peculiar structures, hidden tools, and towering landmarks that invite curiosity. The reviewer notes that it evokes the same wonder as The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but with a social twist: sharing those moments with a friend makes them even more special.

However, Big Walk is not without its frustrations. The island is large, and travel can be tedious. More importantly, the game requires at least one other person, making it inaccessible to solo players. Coordinating play sessions can be a challenge, and the slow pace might not suit every mood.

Despite these pitfalls, the reviewer found the experience remarkable, particularly as a bonding activity. The constraints encourage conversation and collaboration, turning gameplay into a shared adventure that goes beyond the screen. As the reviewer notes, it's a game about talking as much as walking.

Big Walk launches on August 4th for Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, and PC via Steam.