The Next BIG Thing on Steam - User reviews, Price & Information
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The Next Big Thing is a great adventure game in high definition, loaded with laughs, tributes, mysteries and wacky puzzles!
The Next BIG Thing is a adventure, point & click and puzzle game
developed by Pendulo Studios
and published by Focus Entertainment.
Released on April 21st 2011 is available on Windows and MacOS
in 4 languages: English, French, German and Russian.
It has received 680 reviews of which 572 were positive and 108 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.9 out of 10. 😊
The game is currently priced at 4.99€ on Steam, but you can find it for less on Eneba.
The Steam community has classified The Next BIG Thing into these genres:
Media & Screenshots
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System requirements
These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.
Windows
- OS *: Microsoft Windows XP SP2, Vista SP1 or 7
- Processor: Intel/AMD 2.0GHZ equivalent, or higher
- Memory: 1GB (XP)/2GB (Vista/7)
- Hard Disk Space: 8GB
- Video Card: : 256 MB 100% DirectX 9 compatible, ATI Radeon X800/Intel GMA 3000/Nvidia GeForce 6800 or Higher*
- DirectX®: 9.0
- Sound: DirectX 9 compatible
- Additional: INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED FOR GAME ACTIVATION. *SIS AND VIA/S3G Graphics Controllers Not Supported
MacOS
- OS: MAC OS X 10.6.6 or higher
- Processor: Intel/AMD, 2 GHz or better
- Memory: 1GB
- Hard Disk Space: 8GB
- Video Card: : 256 MB ATI Radeon X800/Intel GMA 3000/NVIDIA GeForce 6800 or higher
- Additional: INTERNET CONNECTION REQUIRED FOR GAME ACTIVATION.
User reviews & Ratings
Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.
The Next BIG Thing, developed by Pendulo Studios and published by Focus Entertainment, is a stylish, eccentric point-and-click adventure that revels in its own playful absurdity. It presents an alternate version of Hollywood where monsters aren’t just fictional creations — they are actors, celebrities, and industry fixtures. This offbeat premise immediately sets the tone for a game that blends humor, noir-tinged glamour, and animated whimsy into something distinct. Pendulo Studios, known for its expressive art direction and character-centric storytelling, leans confidently into that identity here. The result is a vibrant, cartoonish world overflowing with personality, brought to life through exaggerated animation, lively character performances, and visual flair that makes every scene feel like a panel from a graphic novel. The story follows two leads: Liz Allaire, a brilliant but unpredictable reporter with a flair for drama, and Dan Murray, a jaded sports columnist reluctantly reassigned to entertainment coverage. Their mismatched personalities fuel much of the game’s comedic rhythm. What begins as coverage of a monster-movie event quickly spirals into an investigation involving odd disappearances, studio corruption, and a peculiar conspiracy that could derail careers and destabilize the balance between humans and monsters. The dynamic between Liz and Dan serves as the emotional and comedic core of the narrative. Their banter, misunderstandings, and reluctant teamwork give the story momentum, and the supporting cast — an assortment of eccentric monsters, neurotic film executives, and self-absorbed celebrities — enrich the world with constant humor and charm. Pendulo’s signature art style shines throughout. The game employs bold colors, expressive character designs, and cinematic framing to build a universe that feels both whimsical and meticulously crafted. Environments burst with visual details, from neon-lit studios to Gothic sets and monster hideouts. The animation, too, is impressively fluid for the genre, giving the game a sense of energy that many traditional point-and-click adventures lack. This commitment to style is accompanied by strong voice acting and a jaunty soundtrack, creating a cohesive tonal package that supports the game’s comedic and slightly satirical vibe. Mechanically, The Next BIG Thing stays true to classic adventure-game structure. Players explore hand-crafted areas, interact with characters, collect items, and solve puzzles that range from straightforward to delightfully bizarre. The game offers multiple difficulty settings, introducing hint systems for newcomers while leaving veterans free to tackle puzzles without assistance. While the familiar structure will be comfortable for fans of the genre, the puzzles’ logic is often tied tightly to the game’s absurd sense of humor. This can lead to inventive, amusing solutions, but also to the occasional moment where a puzzle crosses from quirky to unintuitive. Some interactions rely more on comedic reasoning than on traditional logic, making trial and error an occasional necessity. The writing maintains a consistent comedic tone, frequently leaning into satire and over-the-top delivery. At its best, it is witty and endearing, with clever riffs on Hollywood culture and monster-movie tropes. However, the story’s pacing can sometimes waver. A few transitions feel abrupt, and certain chapters are more engaging than others. Though the overarching mystery is entertaining, it doesn’t build toward an especially dramatic or emotional payoff; the game’s ambitions lie more in character-driven comedy than in constructing a tightly plotted thriller. These narrative fluctuations don’t undermine the overall enjoyment, but they can leave the experience feeling loosely structured at times. In terms of length and replayability, The Next BIG Thing offers a relatively short adventure, typically completed within several hours. As with most narrative-driven puzzle games, once the solutions and story are known, there is limited incentive for replay. The value lies in the first experience — the discovery of jokes, puzzles, and character moments — rather than in long-term progression or branching paths. Still, the compact length suits the game’s tone: it plays like a lively animated feature rather than an epic saga, offering a concentrated burst of humor and creativity. Ultimately, The Next BIG Thing stands out for its distinctive personality. It doesn’t try to reinvent the point-and-click genre or deliver deep, emotionally complex storytelling. Instead, it focuses on delivering charm, style, humor, and a sense of playful irreverence. For players who enjoy quirky worlds, expressive animation, and comedic adventures that don’t take themselves too seriously, it is an easy recommendation. Those seeking tightly structured logic puzzles or heavier narrative stakes may find it lighter than expected, but for anyone open to its flamboyant tone and joyful strangeness, The Next BIG Thing offers a delightfully spirited ride through a monster-filled Hollywood like no other. Rating: 8/10
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The Next Big Thing is a quirky point-and-click adventure from Pendulo Studios, the team behind the Runaway series. Often described as the spiritual successor to Hollywood Monsters, it revives the same playful spirit of parodying monster movies with a colorful art style and eccentric humor. On the surface, it has all the ingredients for a charming adventure: witty characters, polished visuals and a tongue-in-cheek story. But while it delivers laughs and style, it stumbles when it comes to puzzle design and overall depth. You play as Liz Allaire and Dan Murray, two journalists thrown into a bizarre plot involving movie monsters and industry intrigue. Their banter is the heart of the game: Liz is eccentric and unpredictable, while Dan is cynical and grumpy, and their dynamic carries much of the comedy. The dialogue is witty and often self-aware, poking fun at both the genre and the medium itself. For those who fondly remember Hollywood Monsters, this dynamic duo feels like a deliberate continuation of that tradition. Visually, the game is a treat. The cartoon-inspired art style is vibrant, detailed and expressive, giving the world a unique identity. The voice acting is lively and the soundtrack complements the humor without overpowering it. Presentation is definitely one of the game’s strongest points, and it feels polished throughout. Where The Next Big Thing falters is in its gameplay. The puzzles are often either too obvious or frustratingly illogical, relying on leaps of cartoon logic rather than clever design. This inconsistency can make progress feel uneven, alternating between breezy stretches and head-scratching moments that don’t feel rewarding. Adventure veterans may be disappointed by the lack of real challenge. Despite its flaws, The Next Big Thing succeeds as a lighthearted comedy adventure and a fitting follow-up to Hollywood Monsters. It may not push the genre forward, but its humor, art and characters make it a pleasant, if uneven, experience.
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It was a cute story. odd humour. some frustrating puzzles. cute ending
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It's a good game with a horrible, horrible game breaking rythm puzzle.
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Twenty Twelve One Four Ah, this game. I played it around 2012, I remember loving it, and now, a decade later, found that it is on Steam - and just couldn't resist getting it. And it is still absolutely delightful. The best thing this game has going for it is its' characters, Dan Murray and Liz Allaire, especially Liz Allaire. She's insane in the most charming way. But Dan is amusing too - he's a jerk, but everyone around him still loves him anyway. And these two weirdos - and the overall insanity of the world around - give the game enormous amount of charm and humor. Puzzle-wise game though the game is decently simple - though in a few times I had to either recall some vague memories of first walkthrough from back then, or just use in-game hint system, though most of the time the problem was in a missed hotspot. There are a few issues with the game though. Sometimes it can be pretty glitchy - no idea if it's just from attempt to run an 2011 game on 2025 machine, or if it was glitchy from the start. Don't forget to save, so a sudden freeze didn't force you to replay last half of the chapter. Another issue - sometimes the pacing can be off, might be budget cuts or might be a stylistic choice, but a lot of the things are just shown through narration and smash cuts. And my main problem with the game, the main two leads share very little screentime, not enough to develop chemistry - which is weird considering how much the game ships them But that's just a minor issues in the face of a very fun 7 hour experience
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Frequently Asked Questions
The Next BIG Thing is currently priced at 4.99€ on Steam.
The Next BIG Thing is currently not on sale. You can purchase it for 4.99€ on Steam.
The Next BIG Thing received 572 positive votes out of a total of 680 achieving a rating of 7.93.
😊
The Next BIG Thing was developed by Pendulo Studios and published by Focus Entertainment.
The Next BIG Thing is playable and fully supported on Windows.
The Next BIG Thing is playable and fully supported on MacOS.
The Next BIG Thing is not playable on Linux.
The Next BIG Thing is a single-player game.
The Next BIG Thing does not currently offer any DLC.
The Next BIG Thing does not support mods via Steam Workshop.
The Next BIG Thing supports Remote Play on Tablet. Discover more about Steam Remote Play.
The Next BIG Thing is enabled for Steam Family Sharing. This means you can share the game with authorized users from your Steam Library, allowing them to play it on their own accounts. For more details on how the feature works, you can read the original Steam Family Sharing announcement or visit the Steam Family Sharing user guide and FAQ page.
You can find solutions or submit a support ticket by visiting the Steam Support page for The Next BIG Thing.
Data sources
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Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.
Last Updates| Steam data | 23 January 2026 23:24 |
|---|---|
| SteamSpy data | 26 January 2026 15:52 |
| Steam price | 28 January 2026 20:46 |
| Steam reviews | 27 January 2026 19:51 |
If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about The Next BIG Thing, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.
- SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about The Next BIG Thing
- SteamCharts - Analysis of The Next BIG Thing concurrent players on Steam
- ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck The Next BIG Thing compatibility
Game modes
Features
Online players
0
Developer
Pendulo Studios
Publisher
Focus Entertainment
Release
21 Apr 2011
Platforms
Remote Play
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