Big Walk, the 12-player cooperative multiplayer game from Untitled Goose Game developer House House, is being reframed by one critic as a clandestine training simulator for serial killers, rather than the "hangout game" or "antidote to friendslop" it might appear to be. This interpretation hinges on the game's intentional limitations on communication tools. Players must rely on distorted proximity chat, which fades with distance, or use in-game devices like walkie-talkies, flare guns, or even hastily scrawled whiteboards for long-distance signaling.
This design, coupled with naturalistic foliage and a dynamic day-night cycle, creates an environment where a player could theoretically become an "untraceable menace," lurking and ambushing unsuspecting colleagues. The author suggests that the game's unique character models, described as "playdough Big Bird" with "shining eyes," might even encourage players to "skulk harder" to remain hidden, perhaps by using the available paintbrush to alter their appearance in unsettling ways.
However, House House is reportedly preparing a patch to address issues with the game's proximity voice audio. Developers noted on Steam that "for some setups, players' voices are much quieter than intended even when very close by," and they are working to release a fix. This impending change is viewed with dismay by the critic, who believes it threatens to sabotage the emergent stealth and horror potential they envisioned.
The author expressed a desire for House House to lean into this stealth game aspect, suggesting it could facilitate "terror tactics" involving disembodied voices and suspenseful ambushes, drawing parallels to horror films. The concern is that normalizing voice communication at greater distances will diminish the game's capacity for subtle, fear-inducing interactions. While acknowledging this interpretation may be a "massive waste of their time" and run counter to the studio's reputation for "prankish amicability," the author hopes that modders might explore this darker potential if the developers do not.
Big Walk was released recently, offering a cooperative multiplayer experience focused on teamwork and communication within a "sleepy, post-apocalyptic Center Parcs resort" setting, where players engage with puzzles and environmental interactions.