Polygon and Eurogamer both called Big Walk one of the multiplayer games of the year, and House House (the Untitled Goose Game and Push Me Pull You studio) landed a co-op adventure about walking, talking, miming, and figuring things out with two to twelve friends. It’s the “ultimate test of friendship” the reviews promised, warm rather than punishing, and the online scene has been thriving since launch.
If Big Walk isn’t the pick for you, or you finished the base campaign and want more of the cozy-exploration energy, here are 7 Big Walk alternatives on desktop that scratch the same friendly-adventure itch on PC.
Quick comparison
| Game | Best for | Multiplayer | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Short Hike | Solo cozy exploration | Solo | Windows, Mac, Linux |
| Sky: Children of the Light | Free-to-play multiplayer | Up to 8 friends | Windows |
| Journey | Two-player emotional co-op | 2-player anonymous | Windows |
| ABZÛ | Solo underwater exploration | Solo | Windows, Mac, Linux |
| Firewatch | Two-way radio narrative | Solo (audio partner) | Windows, Mac, Linux |
| Alba: A Wildlife Adventure | Wildlife exploration | Solo | Windows, Mac |
| Untitled Goose Game | House House party co-op | 2-player local co-op | Windows, Mac, Linux |
Why players look past Big Walk
A handful of consistent reasons show up in reviews and community threads:
- Requires friends online. Twelve-player servers are the peak experience; two-player is functional but different. Solo doesn’t work at all.
- Communication complexity. Miming and singing are the point, but they require voice chat to actually land. Text-only players get less.
- Short main campaign. Ten to fifteen hours to first credits; you can extend with community levels but the base run isn’t infinite.
- Motion sickness for some. First-person camera plus varied traversal has bothered a subset of players.
- No offline mode. Servers are the platform; going offline shuts the experience down.
If any of that pushes you elsewhere, one of the picks below covers a similar warmth.
The 7 Big Walk alternatives
1. A Short Hike, best solo cozy exploration
A Short Hike is the cozy exploration classic. Play a bird named Claire climbing a small national park island to reach cell reception at the summit. Two-hour main-story loop, plenty of hidden collectibles and NPC interactions to extend it, and a soundtrack that’s become a genre reference.
Where it falls short: Solo only. No co-op. Short main run.
Pricing: Buy-to-play at budget pricing. Frequently discounted heavily on Steam Sales.
Download: Steam · Itch.io · Epic Games Store
Bottom line: The best solo pick if you loved Big Walk’s atmosphere but don’t have twelve friends online.
2. Sky: Children of the Light, best free multiplayer
Sky: Children of the Light from thatgamecompany (the Journey studio) is a free-to-play social exploration game that landed on PC after years as a mobile-first hit. Meet strangers, hold hands to lift each other, share candles for cosmetics, and glide through Realms together. Cross-platform play with mobile and console friends.
Where it falls short: Monetization is candle-currency based; cosmetics have a real cost. Server queues can spike during seasonal events.
Pricing: Free-to-play. Optional cosmetic and Adventure Pass purchases.
Download: Steam
Bottom line: For Big Walk fans who want a friend-making experience with strangers, not just a friend group.
3. Journey, best emotional co-op
Journey from thatgamecompany paved the way for this whole genre. The two-player anonymous co-op (no voice chat, no text chat, just proximity music notes and gentle nudges) is one of the most-quoted emotional experiences in gaming. Two hours to run once, worth every minute.
Where it falls short: No voice or text chat; some players find the anonymity too limiting. Short.
Pricing: Buy-to-play at budget pricing.
Download: Steam · Epic Games Store
Bottom line: For Big Walk fans who want the emotional register turned even higher.
4. ABZÛ, best underwater exploration
ABZÛ from Giant Squid is the underwater cousin to Journey. No dialogue, no combat, just diving through vast ecosystems of fish and coral. Around three hours to run through, with meditative pacing that pairs beautifully with headphones.
Where it falls short: Solo only. Very short main run. Some players find the pacing too slow.
Pricing: Buy-to-play at low pricing, often discounted on sale.
Download: Steam · Epic Games Store
Bottom line: For solo players who wanted Big Walk’s exploration in the ocean instead of on land.
5. Firewatch, best narrative walking pick
Firewatch from Campo Santo is a first-person narrative game about a Wyoming fire lookout tower and his radio-only supervisor. Walk trails, spot smoke, take radio calls, and unpack the mystery. Solo play with an audio partner (Delilah) covers the “friend on comms” energy for players who can’t get their friend group online.
Where it falls short: Solo only. Short (around four to six hours). Some players find the ending divisive.
Pricing: Buy-to-play. Regularly discounted.
Download: Steam · GOG · Epic Games Store
Bottom line: For Big Walk fans who want a narrative-first, atmosphere-heavy solo pick.
6. Alba: A Wildlife Adventure, best gentle exploration
Alba: A Wildlife Adventure from ustwo games is the gentlest game on this list: photograph birds, fix fences, help neighbours, save a wildlife reserve. Kid-friendly, no failure states, and short enough to complete over a weekend.
Where it falls short: Solo only. No stakes at all; some players want a hint of jeopardy. Short.
Pricing: Buy-to-play at budget pricing.
Download: Steam · Epic Games Store
Bottom line: For Big Walk’s calmest afternoons, extended.
7. Untitled Goose Game, best House House pick
Untitled Goose Game is the House House title that made everyone fall in love with the studio. Solo or two-player local co-op puts you in charge of a horrible goose menacing a quiet English village. Puzzles are gentle, the music is now iconic, and the two-player mode adds a second goose for maximum chaos.
Where it falls short: Not online multiplayer. Two-player local only, requires two controllers. Short (around four hours).
Pricing: Buy-to-play. Regularly discounted.
Download: Steam · Epic Games Store
Bottom line: If Big Walk sold you on House House, this is their earlier co-op.
How to choose
- Pick A Short Hike if you’re playing solo and want the cozy hit.
- Pick Sky: Children of the Light if you want free multiplayer with strangers.
- Pick Journey if you want the emotional two-player anonymous run.
- Pick ABZÛ if you want underwater atmosphere.
- Pick Firewatch if you want a narrative solo pick with an audio partner.
- Pick Alba if you want the softest possible pick for younger players or a wind-down evening.
- Pick Untitled Goose Game if you want the earlier House House title with a friend on the couch.
- Stay on Big Walk if your twelve-friend Discord group is having a great time.
FAQ
Which Big Walk alternative works best for playing with kids? Alba: A Wildlife Adventure and A Short Hike are both age-friendly, non-violent, and short enough for a family evening. Untitled Goose Game with two controllers works well for two-player co-op with a child.
Is there a free Big Walk alternative? Sky: Children of the Light is the free-to-play pick and offers ongoing seasonal content and social multiplayer. Cosmetics cost real money, but core play does not.
Which Big Walk alternative has the best story? Firewatch is the strongest narrative pick, followed by Journey for its emotional arc. Big Walk itself is more about the shared experience than a written story.
Do any of these Big Walk alternatives run on the Steam Deck? A Short Hike, Journey, ABZÛ, Firewatch, Alba, and Untitled Goose Game all have official Steam Deck verified or playable status. Sky: Children of the Light runs but the anti-cheat and account requirements need setup.
Are any of these Big Walk alternatives co-op? Sky: Children of the Light supports up to eight friends online. Journey is anonymous two-player. Untitled Goose Game supports two-player local co-op only. The others are single-player.
Is Big Walk still worth buying on PC? Yes if you have friends to play with. The design’s strongest state is a group session on voice chat; solo won’t unlock it.
