House House, the studio behind the breakout hit Untitled Goose Game, has returned with Big Walk, a multiplayer adventure that blends chaotic fun with surprisingly deep emotional resonance. While it shares the gleeful mischief and impeccable comedic timing of its predecessor, Big Walk carves out its own identity as a unique cooperative puzzle experience, designed for small groups but accommodating up to a dozen players. At its core, the game explores the joys and frustrations inherent in human communication, amplified by its clever implementation of proximity chat.
A World of Contrasts
The game's setting is a sprawling island wilderness, a vibrant landscape dotted with colorful, man-made objects and landmarks. This juxtaposition of untamed nature and deliberate artifice creates a compelling sense of liminality. Big Walk offers expansive areas for relaxed exploration and casual conversation, interspersed with more focused pockets where players must collaborate to overcome challenges. These collaborative puzzles often yield curved, red objects resembling calabashes, which serve as the primary form of progression. The game revels in opportunities for mischief; a perfectly round, smooth object that rolls at the slightest incline, for instance, is a constant source of potential chaos and amusement.
The world is largely player-ambivalent, avoiding direct hostility, though the dense foliage and Australian-inspired wilderness can evoke a sense of the unknown, particularly at night. Exploration can feel awkward at times, with players occasionally getting stuck, but the game rarely presents insurmountable obstacles. The sheer joy of hurtling downhill on your backside, legs flailing, remains undimmed even after numerous descents. As darkness falls rapidly, players are incentivized to carry light sources, such as rolling lamps or flare guns, which also serve as beacons for separated groups.
Navigating Separation and Reunion
Separation is a common occurrence in Big Walk, often engineered by the game's exterior puzzles that might require one player to launch a device while another retrieves it. This encourages players to maintain contact, whether through walkie-talkies or other improvised methods. Human curiosity and clumsiness are potent separators, leading to comical falls and frantic reunions. However, players are never truly lost. Options abound, from firing fireworks from high vantage points to leaving messages on whiteboards. The moments of being alone can also be leveraged for playful scares, with groups devising scenarios to spook unsuspecting members.
Interior areas present the sternest cooperative tests, often forcing players into separate rooms with incomplete information. Success hinges on clear communication, whether explaining what one player sees to another who cannot, or using gestures when proximity chat fails. These challenges underscore the value of different perspectives. Solutions can involve devising new communication methods on the fly or collectively planning actions before committing.
The Heart of the Experience
Big Walk's progression culminates in satisfying celebrations of successful puzzles, marked by sound effects and the unlocking of rewards. The game's soundtrack by Sam Gill and Luke Neher, complemented by Em Halberstadt's sound design, enhances the immersive experience. The developers, House House, subtly encourage players to disconnect from their phones and engage with the natural beauty of the world and, more importantly, with each other. The act of physically equipping gear onto each other's avatars and the ease with which players can hoist each other up adds a touching intimacy to the gameplay. These small interactions highlight the game's underlying theme of connection, especially poignant given its development context during the pandemic.
The game's ending offers a subtle yet ingenious twist on familiar design principles, focusing less on learned mechanics and more on the understanding developed between players. The shared euphoria and amazement experienced during these closing moments are palpable, highlighting the profound impact of collaborative struggle and shared accomplishment. Big Walk succeeds not just as a game, but as an experience that enriches the lives of those who play it, offering a deeply rewarding journey of connection and discovery.