Is Big Walk Good for Kids? Let me answer right away: it is! Parents’ Review & Age Guide
Walking in nature can be extremely relaxing. You listen to birds chirping and a little brook babbling, you chat with your friends about this and that, and your bank account doesn’t suffer. At least that’s what I hear people say. We jumped into Big Walk, a cooperative game in which you and your friends can experience that little stroll through nature while solving charming puzzles, all without mosquitoes. I hate mosquitoes. I am a big guy and really juicy, so I tend to be a beacon for them. What Is Big Walk? A Game From the Creators of Untitled Goose Game?
Big Walk is a game from the creators of the popular Untitled Goose Game, and it throws you straight into the action. At the start, you find yourselves in some training hall with instructions written on its walls on how to control your character, that is, which movements are possible. Without any introduction, explanation, plot, etc., the doors open, and lo and behold, there’s some nature. We notice some towers in the distance and, of course, hurry over to sync up or something, and there it is: the first puzzle.
A key is stuck harder than King Arthur’s sword, and to free it we deduce we need some pear-shaped objects, judging by the molds. These “pears” are scattered all over the map, and to collect them we will have to solve numerous puzzles.
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Gameplay: Co-op Socializing, Silly Jokes and Lots of Walking
A big part of this game’s focus is socializing, as much as solving puzzles. The name already gives it away a bit, but I can confirm there's a lot of walking, so you would end up talking to yourself if you played solo. While strolling to the agreed destination, you will have plenty of time for the occasional silly joke. As I hinted earlier, the game explains nothing, and it’s up to the players to figure out together what it’s all about, how to progress, and how to goof around as much as possible.
Honestly, I enjoyed my strolls with other players, not only because they are my friends, but you do get a sense of intimacy.
Visuals, Sound and Proximity Voice Chat
The visual style doesn’t aim for realism, but for a charming style of simple, colorful objects, goofy characters, and, in this case, dead nature, because unfortunately there are no animals. The background music is mostly unnoticeable, but try to have a listen. I’ve been listening to the soundtrack for some time using my XP-Panther-C headset, and I love it. I’m literally listening to it while writing this review right now.
The in-game audio of your companions is quite decent. My company was Hix, Mech, Mech’s Daughter, and Lady, and we communicated precisely through the game itself, as intended. Namely, you hear other players only as much as you are close to them, as in real life, which was a conscious decision by the development team because quite a few puzzles count on you separating over great distances or ending up in different rooms. No cheating!
Creative Communication Puzzles: The Best Part of Big Walk
The communication methods are truly varied and, honestly, my favorite part of the game. Besides the fact that it’s hilarious to hear someone’s exclamation get quieter and quieter as they fall from a height, the game demands that players transfer information in truly diverse ways. One puzzle asks players to arrange certain symbols on a wall in the correct order, but a character in a soundproofed room holds the information, so the others have to guess which symbol comes next in whatever way they can.
In another situation, you find yourselves in different rooms where you have to convey similar information to one another, except that, for example, one guy can talk over a loudspeaker in the room, and the other can only do so by pressing a button that switches on a light signal. They also have guidance lasers, flare guns, etc. The funniest puzzle required one player to wear an enormous giant head so that they couldn’t see anything. In contrast, the others guide them through challenges and obstacles similar to those on the Ninja Warrior show.
The next sentence may be a tad confusing: I would praise the variety of puzzles with similar variations, but not necessarily the overall variety of the puzzles as a whole. So, there are plenty of variations, but in a pretty similar mold: arrange the correct order of symbols but with a different obstacle to communication, memory puzzles, possibly some parkour… But there are no puzzles where you have to flee from something that can kill you, no animals that you would, say, have to guide somewhere, no mini cars that you have to steer, or anything like that. Maybe I’m nitpicking, but I think expanding the puzzle variety would help the game a lot.
Pears, Keys and Unlocking the Island
To recap, as you solve puzzles, those “pears” unlock, and they free the keys. After you get through the mini “game” of sharpening those keys, you can use them to unlock a new path or means of transport. One will lower a bridge, another will start a cable car, a third will start the locomotive of a train you can use to tour the entire island, etc.
And you can tell it’s an island by using the map, which is one of the items you can pick up along the way. I would mention that the player’s screen is empty, except for a large “crosshair/cursor” in the middle for some reason, which means you have to use your brain for orientation. There is no mini-map in a corner of the screen to orient yourself, and even the physical map (a piece of paper) you can pick up doesn’t show a “you are here” point. The most useful thing was unlocking the room with a huge model of the entire island, showing the locations of all collected and uncollected pears, so keep an eye on that.
No Health Bar, No Inventory: Simple, Friendly Mechanics
Health isn’t displayed because there is no fall damage, except that you are dazed for a while, with a charming boink sound, and the things you were carrying drop out of your hands. A classic inventory doesn’t exist; you can carry only one item at a time, until you figure out which objects hide a little bag you can put on a friend’s back. Some custom looks for your ant-like little people can only be done in a certain place where you literally paint each other.
You can also play with more than 4 friends, if you have that many, but be careful that some of them don’t escape. At the start of a given playthrough, the host of the saved progress can declare the number of players, and the game adapts well to that number. The puzzles aren't equally difficult with 2, 3, or 4 players, but if you start a session with two players while waiting for a third, some puzzles will be impossible to solve. That ranges from a simple problem of a pear placed too high for you to reach, to the previously described examples where everyone has to be in a separate room and share certain information with the others.
The Nature, the Night and Technical Performance
I would praise the nature itself and wouldn’t at the same time, because, as I’ve already mentioned twice, it’s pretty dead. There are no animals, and the brooks and rivers aren’t exactly lively either, but on the other hand, there are no mosquitoes. I hate them. On the other hand, climbing mountains is as strenuous as it should be: you stumble on every rock and ask yourself, “God, why?” The dusk is epic, and the dark… Ah, the dark.
If you haven’t brought some ball that serves as a lamp at night, you can’t see anything, so you can easily find yourself forced to wait for morning if you are in the middle of solving some puzzle. At least mosquitoes don’t buzz around; I’m not a fan. Only your friends' little eyes can be seen in the dark, which is charming. On the technical side, the relatively modest presentation comes with modest requirements, and none of us experienced crashes or unpleasant performance glitches.
In Conclusion: Is Big Walk Worth Playing With Friends?
So, this is a game that you have to experience with friends. The game focuses heavily on socializing and goofing around along the way, and that can be a long way if you have no plan or navigate space poorly. The game lets the crew figure out what it can do and how to achieve its goals, and you shouldn’t need more than 13–14 hours.
It lets you loose so much that it is simply very important to gather a good crew, because the game doesn’t offer much excitement, so the goofing around and possibly the enjoyment of the walk will depend a great deal on your cohesion. The puzzles mostly focus on overcoming communication barriers, since you are meant to use the game’s chat, with a few physical challenges that add nice variety but still leave you wanting more. All in all, it’s a good enough way to take a break from standard shooters with friends, or to introduce a newcomer to our favorite hobby.
Gemini AI Summary
Big Walk is a cooperative puzzle adventure from the creators of Untitled Goose Game, built around a relaxed walk across a colorful, animal-free island. Players solve communication-based puzzles, such as guiding a blindfolded teammate or relaying symbols between soundproofed rooms, to collect “pears” that unlock keys, bridges, cable cars, and trains. There’s no HUD, no health bar, and no combat, and proximity voice chat keeps the focus on teamwork and laughs. The reviewer praises the creative communication puzzles and charming visuals, but notes repetitive puzzle types, a lifeless world, and a heavy dependence on a good group. Expect roughly 13–14 hours of play, and make sure you have at least three players, since some puzzles can’t be solved with fewer.
Rating
7.2 / 10. It’s a charming, genuinely funny co-op experience built on inventive communication puzzles. Still, repetitive puzzle types, a lifeless world, and a pace that depends heavily on your group keep it from going higher.
Recommended Age
Ages 8+ (best from around 10), with parental supervision of voice chat. No violence, no death, and no scares. Falling stuns you with a comic “boink,” and the tone is goofy and cooperative. Younger kids may struggle with the patience, the lack of map markers and HUD, and the teamwork needed to solve puzzles. Since it’s built around proximity voice chat, parents of younger players should make sure they play with friends or family they know.