Big Walk Walkthrough: Full Main Path & Puzzle Guide

A Big Walk walkthrough guides you through the game's main path, which is made up of several larger areas filled with cooperative puzzles. Solving these puzzles rewards you with items that you place to free keys, and those keys unlock new parts of the island. Progress is not linear in the traditional sense — it comes from freeing keys in each area, which then opens the path to the next.

How the Main Path Works

Big Walk's main path is comprised of a number of larger areas, each filled with various puzzles for you and your friends to solve. When you first start the game, you begin in a starting area where you learn the controls and how to interact with the world. Once you leave this area, you are free to explore, solve puzzles, and progress at your own pace.

Soon after leaving the starting area, you will discover a terminal with buttons and a key. Freeing keys like this is the core progression mechanic — it helps you advance both in the immediate area and in future areas to come. Each key is trapped in a mechanism that requires you to solve surrounding puzzles to release it.

The pages below cover the major key puzzles on the main path. If you are stuck on a particular area, jump to the relevant section for step-by-step guidance.

The First Key

The first key walkthrough covers the opening area of Big Walk, where you learn the basic puzzle loop that repeats throughout the game. To progress past the red stairs in the starting area, you need a key that fits into an indent at the top of the stairs. This key is nearby but trapped in a mechanism.

To open the mechanism, you must find four shaped objects that match the indents underneath the covers. There are four puzzles in this area, each rewarding one shape. Bring all four shapes to the key mechanism and place them in their sockets to release the key, then take it to the red stairs to open the path forward.

This first key teaches you the pattern that the rest of the game follows: explore the area, find the puzzles, solve them for shapes or items, bring those items to the key mechanism, and free the key to unlock the next area.

How to Get a Map

One of the most important early unlocks in Big Walk is the map, which helps you navigate the island and coordinate with friends. The map is not available from the start — you need to progress through the game first to find it.

The map room is unlocked as part of the main path progression. After you deal with the first key and the red stairs, continued exploration and key unlocks will eventually lead you to the map room. Once unlocked, the map makes it much easier to plan routes, locate collectibles, and avoid getting turned around in unfamiliar terrain.

Before you have the map, navigation relies on landmarks, communication with friends, and tools like the X-spotter device. This early navigation challenge is intentional — it encourages you to pay attention to your surroundings and coordinate with your group.

The Train Puzzle

The train puzzle is one of the major puzzle sequences on the main path. This puzzle involves figuring out how to start the train, which requires solving a series of connected steps in the surrounding area.

The exact steps to start the train involve interacting with mechanisms and items in the area, though the full solution details are covered in the dedicated train puzzle guide. Like other key puzzles in Big Walk, the train puzzle is designed for cooperative play — some steps may be easier or require coordination between multiple players.

The train puzzle rewards progression in the same way as other area puzzles: solving it contributes to freeing a key or unlocking a new system that opens the next part of the island. If you are stuck, try exploring the surrounding area for interactable items you may have missed.

Key Puzzle Pattern Across the Island

Every major area in Big Walk follows a similar puzzle pattern. You arrive in a new area, discover a key trapped in a mechanism, and then must solve the surrounding puzzles to collect the shapes or items needed to free that key. Once the key is free, you place it in the appropriate slot to unlock the next area or system.

Some puzzles stay the same regardless of your session size, while others scale based on the number of players in your lobby. A puzzle that requires 3 players in a 3-Player session may only need 2 in a 2-Player session, or 4 in a 4+ Player session. This means the walkthrough experience can differ slightly depending on your group size.

If you get stuck on any puzzle, try the X-spotter device to reveal hidden interactable items, use signal flares to regroup separated players, or build a tower of people to get a better vantage point. Most puzzles have visual cues in the environment that hint at the solution.

Progression Order

While Big Walk encourages exploration rather than strict linear progression, the main path does follow a general order. You start in the opening area, progress past the red stairs with the first key, unlock the map room, and then continue through the island's larger areas — each with its own key puzzles.

Some unlocks are technically missable if you do not complete them during the right window, so it is worth exploring each area thoroughly before moving on. If you realize you missed something, you can usually return to earlier areas to complete unfinished puzzles.

The train puzzle and other mid-game key puzzles come after the map unlock. The exact order of the late-game areas and their key puzzles may vary depending on your exploration route — the game gives you freedom to tackle some areas in different sequences.

Tips for Following This Walkthrough

This walkthrough covers the main path puzzles, but Big Walk is designed for cooperative exploration. Read the Beginner's Tips and Tricks page first if you are new to the game, as it covers essential mechanics like item holding, the day-night cycle, and the X-spotter device.

When following the walkthrough steps, remember that puzzle solutions may vary slightly based on your session size. If a step mentions a specific number of players or objects, check whether your session size changes the requirement. Always communicate with your friends about what you see and what you are doing — most puzzles are much easier when everyone understands the goal.

If you cannot find a required item or shape, use the X-spotter device to reveal interactable objects in the area. If your group gets separated, use signal flares to bring everyone back together before attempting a complex puzzle sequence.