Big Walk has been out for four days and it's already the highest-rated co-op game of 2026. IGN dropped their review today with a 9/10 Editor's Choice, and Metacritic currently has it at 92 on PC across 18 critic reviews. That puts it ahead of every major multiplayer release this year — including Forza Horizon 6 and Resident Evil Requiem.
I've spent 15+ hours trekking across Big Walk's island with groups of 2 to 8 players, and I can tell you: the scores are not a fluke. But they're also not the whole story.
The Score Breakdown
Here's where every major platform stands as of August 8:
| Platform | Metacritic | Critic Reviews | Highest Score | Lowest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PC | 92 | 18 | 100 (Eurogamer, Insider Gaming, TheGamer, PCGamesN, more) | 70 (Gameliner) |
| PS5 | 88 | 6 | — | — |
| Nintendo Switch 2 | 75 | 5 | — | — |
The gap between PC (92) and Switch 2 (75) is the single most important thing nobody is talking about. I tested the Switch 2 version briefly, and the draw distance cuts, texture pop-in, and framerate dips are noticeable enough that I'd actively steer friends toward PC or PS5 if they have the option. The game's sprawling vistas and real-time proximity voice processing seem to push the hardware harder than you'd expect from a game that isn't graphically demanding in the traditional sense.
What Critics Universally Love
IGN's review nails the core appeal: Big Walk's genius is making communication itself the puzzle. Reviewer Nicole Carpenter describes "developing the language to both name things in its world and build a process to figure out its most complex puzzles" — and that's exactly what happened in my group. Within an hour, we had our own vocabulary. "Big Pointy Rock." "The Kong." "Don't kick it off the cliff AGAIN."
Eurogamer gave it a perfect 100, calling it "a funny, exciting, and deeply rewarding multiplayer adventure that combines knockabout fun with some surprisingly big ideas." Metro's review went even further, declaring it "the opposite of friendslop" — pushing back against the internet's dismissive label for budget co-op games that are only fun because you're with friends.
They're all right about the same thing: Big Walk doesn't use co-op as a feature. Co-op is the game. Remove the players and there's nothing left — no AI companions, no solo mode, no tutorial bots. That sounds like a weakness until you play it and realize the entire design philosophy depends on it.
What I Learned the Hard Way
I went in expecting a chill walking simulator. What I got was the most intense communication exam of my gaming life. My first session was a disaster: two friends and I spent 40 minutes trying to solve a soundproof-glass puzzle where one person sees symbols and has to describe them to someone who can't hear a word. "It's the squiggly one" doesn't work when there are four squiggly ones. We failed. We tried again. We developed a naming system. And when we finally cracked it, the feeling was better than any boss kill I've had this year.
The biggest surprise? The night cycle. I thought it would be annoying. Instead, losing our flashlight off a cliff at midnight and stumbling through pitch darkness while shouting into a walkie-talkie became the moment I keep telling people about. It's the kind of emergent chaos no scripted game can replicate.
What Critics Don't Love
Not everything lands. Game8's review flagged two issues I experienced firsthand: proximity chat default volume is too low, and performance on mid-range hardware can struggle. I compared in-game voice against Discord to rule out a setup issue — it's genuinely just quiet, and the settings menu offers almost no room to compensate.
The save system is the other frequent complaint. Progress is tied to the host, meaning your friends can't continue without you. Eurogamer's reviewer noted the same frustration I felt: "I felt bad when someone wanted to play, but I couldn't." If your group has inconsistent schedules, this will hurt.
And then there's the character designs. Metro called them "extremely ugly" and honestly? I agree. You play as a stack of colored balls with googly eyes and stick arms. It's charming in motion but genuinely off-putting in screenshots, and I suspect it's cost the game some players who judged it by its cover.
My Verdict: Worth It, With Caveats
If you have 2-3 friends with microphones who will actually commit to using in-game proximity chat instead of Discord — buy it immediately. At $20 (or free if you have PS Plus), it's the easiest recommendation I've made all year. It's the kind of game that creates stories you'll reference months later.
If your group relies on Discord voice, plays on Switch 2 as a primary platform, or expects traditional game structure with quest markers and progression bars — skip it. You'll bounce off within an hour and wonder what the critics saw.
The 75 on Switch 2 isn't a death sentence, but it's a real warning. This game was designed around atmospheric immersion, voice clarity, and draw distance — all areas where the Switch 2 version compromises. If you're choosing a platform, pick PC or PS5. The crossplay means your friends can join from whatever they own, but the host should ideally be on the stronger hardware.
One last thing: the Metacritic score has been slowly settling from its initial 93-94 down to 92 as more reviews come in. I wouldn't be surprised to see it land at 91 or even 90 once all 30+ outlets publish. That's still Universal Acclaim. But if you're tracking "highest-rated game of 2026," Big Walk may not hold that crown by year-end. What it will hold, I suspect, is a permanent spot in "games that did something genuinely new" — and that's worth more than any aggregate score.
Based on 15+ hours of gameplay across PC and PS5, plus review aggregates from Metacritic, IGN, Eurogamer, and Metro. Last updated August 8, 2026. For gameplay tips, check our Big Walk Beginner's Guide.
