Big Walk from House House Becomes the Best Game of 2026, According to Metacritic

The world's biggest studios spend hundreds of millions of dollars on games based on well-known franchises and new IPs, yet all too often these projects end up as financial flops that fail to live up to expectations. Surprisingly, small indie titles keep emerging as the year's most acclaimed releases, and Big Walk, the new game from House House, the studio behind Untitled Goose Game, is the latest proof of that.

Big Walk is a co-op adventure game built around exploring locations with friends and solving puzzles together, with no timers or time limits. It was released on August 4 for PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2; the game has been described as a relaxing experience with a calm atmosphere, and it's already become the highest-rated game of the year on Metacritic, with a score of 94, a "Must-Play" badge, and glowing reviews from gaming press. It's also the third game this year, after Forza Horizon 6 and Mina the Hollower, to earn Metacritic's Must-Play distinction, as you can check out the current top 12 highest-rated games below:

Big Walk's launch on Steam has been solid, as well. As revealed via SteamDB, nearly 90% of reviews are positive, and peak concurrent players hit 46,000. Given that House House is a four-person independent studio, and amid an ongoing industry crisis where major companies keep cutting staff despite multi-million-dollar budgets, Big Walk is a clear reminder that a bigger budget doesn't necessarily mean a better game.

Big Walk, the latest title from House House, is now available on PC, Mac, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2.