Getting a group going
Accessibility options
One of these can only be switched on as a session starts, and cannot be added afterwards, so it is worth reading this before your first evening rather than during it.
Decide this first
Challenge skipping is set by the host, when the session starts
It lets the group skip any challenge that needs the ability to hear or read, speak or type, react quickly, or use fine motor skills. The host enables it from the accessibility menu at session start, so a group that has not discussed it beforehand can find itself without the option for that whole session. Big Walk (House House) (primary source, opens in a new tab)
Everything the developers list
In the FAQ's own order. Big Walk (House House) (primary source, opens in a new tab)
Skip any challenge
The host turns this on from the accessibility menu when starting a session. It covers challenges that need the ability to hear or read, speak or type, react quickly, or use fine motor skills.
Rebind all controls
Every control, on mouse and keyboard or on a controller.
Multiple crosshair styles
Choose from several crosshair appearances.
Hold or toggle
Some controls can be switched between holding and toggling.
Adjustable field of view
Settings › Graphics. A wider view can reduce claustrophobia and motion sickness.
Motion reduction overlays
Several overlays to choose between, intended to reduce motion discomfort.
Items that highlight interactive objects
The FAQ notes some in-game items improve accessibility, giving highlighting of interactive items as its example.
Carrying other players
Characters can pick each other up and carry one another when needed.
The FAQ closes this list by inviting requests: "Want an accessibility feature beyond those described above? Please let us know!"
Playing without speech or hearing
This matters more here than in most games, because talking is the mechanic rather than a convenience. The good news is that the game is fully completable in text: the developers say the in-game text chat “has the same features (and intentional limitations) as the in-game voice chat” and that “you can play the whole game that way without missing out.” Big Walk (House House) (primary source, opens in a new tab)
The part that is easy to miss
Text chat is not an unrestricted channel. It is deliberately given the same limits as voice. The FAQ's own example is that “your text chat won't be readable when you are far away, or on opposite sides of soundproof glass.” It also works with in-game items like walkie-talkies. So text replaces voice; it does not exempt you from the game's distance and obstruction rules. Big Walk (House House) (primary source, opens in a new tab)
Practically, that means a player using text needs the same positioning discipline as everyone else: stay in range, use the walkie-talkies, do not wander off mid-puzzle and expect to be readable.
There is also a social risk rather than a technical one. If part of the group drifts onto an outside voice call, a player using text is cut out of everything, which is one more reason the developers ask everyone to stay on in-game communication. Big Walk (House House) (primary source, opens in a new tab)
Playing with limited mobility
All controls can be rebound, and some can be switched between holding and toggling. Challenges that require quick reactions or fine motor skills are covered by challenge skipping, which is again a host setting chosen at session start. Big Walk (House House) (primary source, opens in a new tab)
Characters can also pick up and carry each other, which the developers list among the accessibility features rather than as a novelty. A player who finds a particular piece of traversal difficult can be carried through it. Big Walk (House House) (primary source, opens in a new tab)
Motion sickness
Big Walk is first-person and involves a lot of walking, so this is a real consideration. Two settings address it directly: field of view, in Settings › Graphics, where the developers note a higher number shows more of the world and “may make you feel less claustrophobic, and less motion sick”; and a choice of motion reduction overlays. Big Walk (House House) (primary source, opens in a new tab)
What we do not know
The developers' FAQ is the only detailed accessibility documentation we have found, and it does not cover colour blindness options, subtitle sizing, or screen reader support in menus. We are not going to assume those are absent, only that they are undocumented.
The FAQ ends its accessibility list by asking to hear about gaps: “Want an accessibility feature beyond those described above? Please let us know!” The address is help@bigwalk.game. Big Walk (House House) (primary source, opens in a new tab)
Common questions
What accessibility options does Big Walk have?
The developers list: skip any challenge, rebind all controls, multiple crosshair styles, hold-or-toggle for some controls, adjustable field of view, several motion reduction overlays, in-game items that highlight interactive objects, and characters being able to pick up and carry each other.
Can you skip challenges in Big Walk?
Yes. The host turns it on from the accessibility menu when starting a session. It covers challenges that require the ability to hear or read, speak or type, react quickly, or use fine motor skills. Because it is set at session start, agree on it before you begin.
Can you play Big Walk if you are deaf or hard of hearing?
Yes. The whole game can be played in text chat. Be aware that text chat is deliberately given the same limitations as voice, so it will not reach a teammate who is far away or behind soundproof glass. It substitutes for voice rather than bypassing the game's distance rules. Challenges that specifically require hearing can be skipped if the host enabled challenge skipping.
Does Big Walk have motion sickness options?
Yes. You can adjust the field of view in Settings › Graphics, which the developers suggest can make the world feel less claustrophobic and less motion sickening, and there are several motion reduction overlays to choose between.