Big Walk defies easy categorization, blending elements of walking simulators, puzzle-adventures, and a concept best described as 'friendslop.' After spending over 20 hours in its Australian Outback-inspired world, it remains distinct from any other game. By intentionally simplifying the medium to its most fundamental parts, Big Walk empowers both novice and experienced players to construct their own experiences alongside friends, making for an unforgettable journey.
Played in first-person from the perspective of vaguely humanoid characters resembling multicolored snowmen, Big Walk accommodates groups of two to twelve players. The core gameplay involves trekking across a vast, open island, hunting down abstract objectives by collaboratively solving a variety of inventive puzzles. This seemingly simple premise reveals surprising depth as players explore its world. Before embarking, players gather in a starting area akin to a playground, filled with interactive objects, climbable surfaces, and opportunities to learn the game's intuitive mechanics. These include gestures, proximity chat, and understanding the world's unique physics, such as how falling from great heights doesn't inflict damage but may result in losing held items until the next in-game sunrise.
The initial four puzzles serve as a tutorial, guiding players through a more confined area of the island. Upon solving these and collecting their corresponding MacGuffins, players unlock access to the majority of the island, allowing groups to chart their own unique paths.
A Handcrafted World
Unlike procedurally generated environments, Big Walk's island is meticulously handcrafted, with every element feeling intentional. From mountain switchbacks offering hints of distant landmarks to unique radio stations playing distinct songs, the world encourages exploration and discovery. The game incorporates environmental clues to subtly guide players, and puzzles can adapt based on group size. While the host manages save data and allows players to join or leave sessions, distinct versions of the island exist for parties of two, three, or four-plus players, with puzzles subtly adjusted to maintain an appropriate challenge. Some challenges are easier with more minds, while others become delightfully chaotic, as seen with a basketball-like puzzle where numerous players can inadvertently disrupt each other's shots.
The game's visual language is clear from the outset, but its true depth emerges from player interaction. Players naturally develop their own language and non-verbal cues, a process that many games overlook. For example, the MacGuffins were dubbed 'eggy things' due to their shape, and the characters 'walklings.' Big Walk provides fundamental game elements like puzzles and rewards, trusting each group to interpret and build its own narrative. There are no quest markers, on-screen prompts, or resource management systems like health or stamina bars. Every element is diegetic, and discoveries are player-driven. The world presents a contrast between realistic landscapes and vibrantly colored, cartoonish structures, inviting players' curiosity to guide their adventure.
Some puzzles require close-knit cooperation, demanding precise timing or intricate manipulation of objects. Others necessitate splitting up across vast distances, making the subsequent act of reuniting a puzzle in itself. Certain puzzles deliberately impede communication, such as one requiring a player behind soundproof glass to convey information solely through non-verbal actions. While the game focuses on a core set of mechanics, each iteration introduces clever new complexities. One particularly challenging puzzle involved navigating an obstacle course while blinded, relying entirely on teammates' vocal guidance. This same puzzle later reappeared with new rules, demanding the blinded player carry specific items to designated areas, adding another layer of collaborative problem-solving.
The Joy of Discovery
Big Walk's magic lies in the ritual of genuine discovery, cooperative experimentation, and shared elation that accompanies each puzzle's completion. Even more rewarding are the in-between moments of casual conversation and shared exploration. These moments foster a sense of camaraderie, with players helping each other navigate, find lost companions, and celebrate breakthroughs.
The game's design masterfully encourages tight-knit cooperation. Big Walk has a defined end and is not intended for endless play, though it offers replayability with different groups. Players often discuss lingering puzzles or speculate about inaccessible areas, demonstrating the game's lasting impact. It provides a vast canvas for groups to create their own stories, transforming the island into a temporary home.
Major rewards, such as a functional in-game train or a map room, become available after completing sets of puzzles, enhancing exploration. Missable shortcuts further emphasize player agency. Helpful items like walkie-talkies and flashlights are found, but they often merely simplify existing puzzles rather than being essential, prompting players to decide whether to seek them out or tackle challenges without them. The limited inventory space, restricting items to hands, belt, or backpack, necessitates reliance on teammates for accessing stored gear, reinforcing the game's core tenet of interdependence. Originally conceived during the COVID-19 pandemic, Big Walk successfully fosters connection and meaningful interaction among players.
The game appeals universally by deconstructing video games into fundamental verbs: discover, experiment, and prevail. While the mysterious island setting and whimsical characters enhance the experience, it is the elegantly simple yet deeply engaging gameplay loop that makes Big Walk so beloved.
Though not overtly slapstick, Big Walk possesses a distinct comedic undertone, balanced by its emphasis on thoughtful communication and teamwork. The game encourages exploration and problem-solving through collaboration rather than purely chaotic sabotage. The underlying humor, befitting its Australian developers, complements the shared joys of overcoming obstacles together. Many moments require stopping and thinking, with talking playing an even more significant role than walking. The experience is deeply rewarding when played with loved ones. The game is also remarkably polished, with occasional humorous bugs, such as a character getting stuck in furniture, adding to the charm.
A notable aspect of Big Walk is the reliance on its built-in proximity chat. Using external voice chat services would bypass intentional friction designed into puzzles, such as areas where proximity chat is intentionally limited, effectively acting as a cheat code. This encourages players to organically engage with the game's features to preserve the intended experience, similar to how playing a horror game with the lights on diminishes its impact.
The final puzzles of Big Walk brilliantly encapsulate the entire journey, offering a mind-blowing culmination of learned mechanics and player collaboration. Even slight adjustments to core concepts in this final stretch deliver an immensely rewarding experience, challenging players to recall their entire adventure. This climactic sequence masterfully fuses exploration, experimentation, and emotional narrative beats, solidifying Big Walk as one of the best co-op games encountered in years. The game concludes with a surprisingly bittersweet moment that resonates deeply, regardless of who you play with. Big Walk transforms fundamental video game concepts into a uniquely rewarding, mysterious, and unforgettable cooperative experience. IMAGE2