Big Walk is a social hiking simulator with puzzle gates: you walk, you look at views, you miscommunicate about which switch someone saw, and you celebrate when the gate opens. Proximity voice and text chat are central mechanics, not optional role-play. If that sentence sounds fun, Big Walk probably is.
What Big Walk does well
- Co-op identity feels intentional. Many “co-op” titles bolt multiplayer onto solo design. Big Walk reads like the designers started from “what if twelve friends got lost politely?” Sessions scale from intimate duos to chaotic dozen-player lobbies without forcing DPS roles.
- Communication as gameplay. Voice falloff, walkie-talkies and megaphones create stories Discord would flatten. The best moments are emergent: someone yells the wrong direction, everyone laughs, the group retries calmly.
- Crossplay that matters. Steam (PC and Mac), PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 share lobbies at launch. For mixed-hardware friend groups, that alone justifies attention.
- Price versus scope. At roughly $19.99, Big Walk sits in the “one good co-op night out” band rather than the live-service bracket.
- Puzzle variety without combat grind. Challenges emphasize observation, synchronization and relaying information — you are not leveling weapons to gate content.
Background and critical reception
Big Walk comes from House House, the Melbourne studio behind Untitled Goose Game, published by Panic Inc. The pedigree shows: the same deadpan charm and systems-forward design that made a goose a household name are aimed here at co-op communication. At launch, the PC version carried a Metacritic score of 94, with reviewers praising the crossplay setup and the rare courage to make voice chat the gameplay itself.
Where Big Walk may disappoint
- No Xbox at launch. Microsoft-console households must wait.
- Online-only structure. Groups seeking deep offline solo narratives will find little to latch onto.
- Host save dependency. Only the host keeps world progression. Fantastic for weekly clubs with a dedicated organizer; frustrating for rotating hosts or guests who expect individual campaign copies.
- Proximity chat friction. Players who refuse in-game comms and insist on always-on Discord may accidentally undermine puzzle design.
Who should buy Big Walk
| Situation | Verdict |
|---|---|
| Co-op fans on supported platforms | Recommended |
| Mixed Steam + PS5 + Switch 2 friend groups | Highly recommended |
| Solo offline players or Xbox households at launch | Wait |
| Groups with a dedicated weekly host | Highly recommended |
Platform notes (spoiler-free)
- Steam (PC/Mac): standard pricing, no platform subscription needed beyond the game itself.
- PS5: PS Plus Essential required for online play; included day-one for some regional catalog subscribers.
- Switch 2: Nintendo Switch Online required where applicable.
Verdict in one line: if you have a group and a dependable host, Big Walk is one of the most charming co-op releases of the year — just know the save lives with the host.