There’s something about spending time with friends that makes the time particularly precious. A moment shared is worth so much more, whatever it may be. This is the foundational principle of Big Walk, and because of it, the game is something truly special.
Big Walk is an open-world puzzle game where players work together with up to 11 of their friends to toil their way through a picturesque island filled with communication-based brain teasers. As players solve more puzzles, more sections of the island become accessible, and more methods of transportation open up, creating a solid sense of progression within the fairly large world. Outside of puzzling, the game features a wide range of exploration as players quite literally go on a “big walk” across the island, finding not only marked locations for “mindbogglers’’ but also scenic spots to relax and chat with the friends who make the journey so meaningful.
Big Walk’s primary mode of gameplay is solving the different puzzles scattered around the island. The game wants players engaged with others on the server in order to create a dynamic and overtly social experience, so all of the puzzles are about interacting with each other. It’s all about talking and its many permutations. For example, some encounters prevent players from talking, requiring them to use gestures or other tricks to communicate. Other times, one person will be able to see a clue and the other won’t, requiring them both to work together to contextualize what the hint is and how to use it. These puzzles stand out because they present unique scenarios for communication. The ways in which the game asks you to cooperate with others is refreshing and a genuine joy, creating those moments of clarity that make every good puzzle game just click.
When you’re not working together to conquer the various challenges around the island, you’ll be exploring it. While the art style of the characters and the puzzle areas themselves seem simplistic, they contrast with their detailed environment. The world feels very natural — aside from the tall, vibrant structures that dot the land — making the journey feel like an engaging hike through a wonderful wilderness instead of just a long stretch of space between actual activities. These times spent between places, the actual “big walk,” are what makes the gameplay experience truly stand out. The puzzles condition players to engage with those around them, and traveling allows everyone to simply enjoy each other’s company. Even if your main goal is to solve puzzles, you still have to get to them, so the game really encourages engagement with other people.
That is what makes Big Walk worth your time. Are the puzzles fun? Yes, extremely. If you’re a fan of other cooperative puzzle games like the We Were Here series, you’ll be sure to really enjoy what’s to offer in Big Walk. What makes the game stand out among the crowd, though, is the journey and the people you take it with. It’s one of the few games that forces you to stop, take things in and live in the moment. In a multiplayer game, where everyone is focused on different things and trying to make each other laugh, the fact that these moments are so readily available and promoted is really refreshing. Big Walk is not just a puzzle game that’s good for a few laughs; it’s an opportunity. An environment that has been carefully curated to produce human connection and moments of wonder shared with those close to you, where you’ll never forget the importance of companionship, alongside all the silly stuff you expect from a game like this. If you’re human, you definitely need to take a Big Walk.
Senior Arts Editor Hudsen Mazurek can be reached at hudsen@umich.edu.
