It was 2019's Untitled Goose Game that put Australian studio House House on the map, but aside from a regular cadence of updates and ports for that game, their output since then has largely dwindled. Now we know why: House House's next project, Big Walk, has been officially revealed, and it looks unique enough to justify every second of that extended development time.
It's hard to know what genre to slot Big Walk into. It focuses on you and your friends taking a titular Big Walk through a picturesque open-world sandbox, with fine-tuned systems like the best proximity chat I've ever seen encouraging you to stick together and take in the sights as a team. The map is dotted with challenges that rely on teamwork, although their rewards — beyond a good time with people you care about — are still unclear. It looks to be a "hanging out with your pals" simulator above all else, which should be excellent for long-distance friendships or anyone without a sprawling forest within Big Walking distance.
Although if you crave the chaos of being a horrible goose, there are allowances for that too. Just try not to mess with your friends too much, lest your next Big Walk be off a small pier.
