Big Walk vs Split Fiction

Both force you to talk to a partner, but one rewards patience with puzzles while the other throws a new mechanic every ten minutes.

Updated 8d ago

Big Walk cover
Big Walk 8.9/10 Strong

The co-op puzzle-walk from the Untitled Goose Game devs earns its praise — the walkie-talkie coordination is the standout mechanic.

Split Fiction cover
Split Fiction 9.1/10 Mighty

A fresh mechanic every ten minutes and a sci-fi/fantasy split worth two playthroughs — the best co-op game Hazelight has made, but there's no solo mode at all.

By the numbers

Prices checked Sep 20; they move faster than we refresh, so confirm on the store page.

Recent-review figures are Steam's own last-30-days window, read Sep 20.

Measure Big Walk Split Fiction
Value Big Walk wins on value
Price now $19.99 Steam $32.49 −35% · EA Store
All-time low $14.99 $32.49
Cost / hour $2.37/hr $32.49 · 14 h main story
Off its low +33% low was Aug 2026 At its low low was Jun 2026
Main story 14 h
Health Too close to call
Steam reviews 96% 38k reviews 97% 127k reviews
Recent reviews 98% 13k votes · vs 96% lifetime 95% 743 votes · vs 97% lifetime
Peak players 46,224 Aug 2026 12,918 Aug 2026 · ↓ 25% MoM
Launch peak 5% of Mar 2025 launch peak · as of Aug 2026
All-time peak 258,641 Mar 2025
Support
Last patch 4 weeks ago 18 months ago
Patch cadence 4 in last 90 days 0 in last 90 days
Steam Deck Platinum Platinum

Shared scale — same months across the bottom, same player-count axis up the side, so the two lines are directly comparable. A shorter line means a younger game.

Big Walk
Only one month of data so far — the line fills in over time.
Aug 2026
Split Fiction
Mar 2025 – Aug 2026

What players say

Patterns from long-haul reviewers, taken from each game's verdict. Not live sentiment — each side is dated below.

Big Walk

Love

Puzzle-solving with friends via walkie-talkies is the recurring highlight, with each session feeling like a unique shared story.

Struggle with

The final two endgame puzzles frustrate some, and the quiet in-game chat pushes many to rely on third-party walkie-talkie apps.

from our August 2026 verdict

Split Fiction

Love

The constant mechanic rotation is the hook — every chapter drops a fresh twist, and long-time players say the sci-fi/fantasy blend keeps both playthroughs lively.

Struggle with

A few puzzles miss and require trial-and-error, but the occasional stumble is easy to forgive next to the near-constant inventiveness.

from our August 2026 verdict

Key differences

Game structure
Big Walk's co-op is built around relaxed exploration and walkie-talkie coordination, not constant action.
Split Fiction's 14-hour campaign swaps mechanics every ten minutes, jumping between sci-fi and fantasy worlds.
Main story commitment
Big Walk's 95% positive Steam reviews suggest a focused co-op puzzle experience without a fixed hour count.
Split Fiction's 14-hour main story at over $2 an hour asks for a bigger time and money commitment.
Solo play
Big Walk still expects a regular co-op buddy and vocal problem-solving, so solo players are out.
Split Fiction has no single-player mode at all, locking every second behind a required partner.

Which one is for you?

Pick Big Walk if

  • You have a regular co-op buddy who loves quiet, vocal puzzle-solving.
  • You prefer relaxed exploration with light puzzles and no combat.
  • You're patient with low-volume in-game chat and want a cheaper entry.

Pick Split Fiction if

  • You finished It Takes Two and want Hazelight's best co-op game yet.
  • You want a 14-hour couch co-op campaign that works for mixed-skill pairs.
  • You don't mind spending over $2 an hour for constant mechanic swaps.

Bottom line

Pick Split Fiction if you want a polished 14-hour mechanic-swapping campaign with a partner; choose Big Walk if you prefer relaxed puzzle walks and your co-op buddy is patient with quiet voice chat.

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