Big Walk Offers a Co-op Experience Similar to Breath of the Wild

Untitled Goose Game set a high bar with its whimsical antics, perfectly capturing the essence of being a mischievous goose—waddling, honking, and causing chaos. In contrast, Big Walk, the latest title from the same developers, takes a surprising turn. Instead of embodying a goose wreaking havoc in a quaint village, Big Walk invites players into a cooperative multiplayer experience on a vast island, where teamwork is essential for solving puzzles. My wife and I have been diving into this adventure together, and although we haven’t completed it yet, we’ve already clocked over 13 hours exploring and tackling challenges. While Big Walk may seem smaller in scope, the thrill of unexpected discoveries gives it an epic feel reminiscent of classic Zelda adventures.

The title Big Walk hints at a focus on walking—and there’s certainly plenty of that—but the real heart of the game lies in communication. Aside from a few brief control prompts, the game offers little in the way of direction, leaving players to rely on proximity chat or a clever text system to navigate and solve puzzles. Puzzles are designed for two to four players, but up to 12 can join in the fun at once.

You control quirky, sentient spheres with limbs that defy classification, tasked with gathering curious red orbs we’ve dubbed “nubbins.” Staying connected is crucial as you traverse an island filled with dense bushes, rolling hills, and peculiar structures that can easily lead to confusion. As night falls, the darkness intensifies, compelling you to use lanterns and stick together. With no map or guiding arrows, it’s up to you and your friends to chart your course.

Big Walk is designed to keep players on their toes, with intriguing surprises often lurking just around the bend—be it a new landmark, a useful tool, or towering structures. Frequently, you’ll encounter vibrant buildings housing puzzles that require collaboration to solve, such as communicating from opposite sides of a wall to arrange tiles correctly. At times, the game even splits players up, cutting off proximity chat entirely.

Finding ways to communicate can be a challenge since your character can primarily point, jump, and hold items. This limitation makes moments of separation during puzzle-solving genuinely tense. I felt my heart race when I kicked a ticking kitchen timer up a hill, hoping I’d given my wife enough time to place it correctly. When deciphering codes to solve puzzles, the game often makes you wait agonizing seconds to see if you succeeded. A successful completion is met with a burst of confetti and a new nubbin.

However, the structure of Big Walk does have its drawbacks. Much of your time is spent hiking across the island, which can become monotonous. Since you need at least one other player to progress, coordinating with your group can be tricky. After a long day, my wife and I sometimes found ourselves reluctant to jump into the game, preferring not to wander aimlessly and tackle challenging puzzles. Our conversations often included yawns, a familiar scenario for any parents of toddlers.

Yet, these constraints also contribute to the game’s charm. While we promised ourselves to seek out just one puzzle for the evening, we often ended up unwinding and catching up on our day as we explored. Once we found a puzzle, we became deeply invested in solving it, and after completing one, we usually had the energy to tackle another. We even discovered ways to use our limited actions to share high-fives and hugs.

Many elements that made Goose Game enjoyable are present in Big Walk—there’s plenty of walking, chatting, and playful antics. However, while playing, I couldn’t help but think of a different title. The sense of discovery and joy in Big Walk mirrors what made The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild so memorable, whether it’s finding a quirky solution to a puzzle, stumbling upon a valuable item, or scaling a peak for a breathtaking view. Unlike Breath of the Wild, though, Big Walk allows me to share these moments of discovery with my closest companion.

Big Walk is set to launch on August 4th for Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, and Steam.