Wednesday was originally going to be news day, but over the years I’ve kind of transformed it into my day to comment on anything I find exciting (for better or worse) going on in gaming right now. So no, today’s “news” isn’t exactly breaking (six days too late for that), but I still want to highlight it beacuse House House’s new game, Big Walk is here and it’s absolutely fantastic!
If you’re unfamiliar with House House, it’s the studio behind indie darling of 2019, Untitled Goose Game. Its silly concept and even sillier gameplay quickly made it into an internet sensation, but its developer opted not to take the easy route and just ride the wave of popularity. Instead, they went back to work figuring out an entirely new project to work on and didn’t announce anything until late 2023, when they gave us all our first glimpse of Big Walk.
And now, nearly three years later, Big Walk is out, and it’s available both for purchase on PC, PS5 and Switch 2, and for free via PS Plus! Also, in what should not come as any sort of shock, the game is great! It’s very different from Untitled Goose Game since it’s all about multiplayer and communication rather than just running around being a silly goose, but that same trademark charm and simple fun is still there.
You might be tempted to look at Big Walk and think of it as merely the latest “friend slop” game to come out this year. I think that would be a mistake. For one, Big Walk can actually be completed. There is an end for you and your friends to reach. For another, where most “friend slop” games rely entirely on the fun coming from reactions evoked from you and your friends, Big Walk offers consistent, communication-based puzzles to keep things interesting.
Yes, a lot of the fun still comes from joking around with your friends, but there’d still be something compelling here even if you were to play it solo (and the puzzle design allowed for it). I’ve logged about three hours with my online buddies and so far each challenge we’ve encountered has been something genuinely interesting. You’re not just reacting to stuff. You’re actually on an adventure, talking with each other and discovering things together all the while.
Playing this has been something of a nostalgic experience for me too. I couldn’t put my finger on it at first, but now I realize that it reminds me of going out and doing new things with my friends. You’re all heading into an unknown of sorts, but you’re all there together and figuring it out as you go along, laughing with each other all the while. I live far away from most of my oldest friends now, so being able to do this together has been truly excellent so far.
So yes, I heartily recommend Big Walk! Try it out for yourself if you can and get your friends to come in with you! You won’t regret it!
What’s the last game you enjoyed together with some of your best friends? What kind of game was it?
Image from the Steam page