Baby Steps Features One of the Most Significant Choices I Have Ever Faced in Video Games

I've dealt with some challenging choices in gaming. Certain choices I made in Life is Strange remain on my mind. Ghost of Tsushima final sequence led me to set down my controller for several minutes while I thought through my choices. I am the cause of so many Krogan demises in the Mass Effect series that I would love to reverse. Not a single one of those situations measure up to what could be the hardest choice I’ve had to make in gaming — and it concerns a enormous set of steps.

Baby Steps, the latest game from the makers of Ape Out, is not really a selection-based adventure. At least not in the conventional way. You only need to navigate a expansive environment as Nate, a adult in a onesie who can barely stand on his unsteady feet. It appears to be a setup for annoyance, but Baby Steps game’s power lies in its unexpectedly meaningful plot that will catch you off guard when you’re least expecting it. There’s not a single instance that demonstrates that power like a pivotal decision that I keep reflecting on.

Note: Spoilers Ahead

A bit of context is necessary here. Baby Steps begins as the protagonist is suddenly taken from his parents’ basement and into a fictional universe. He soon realizes that navigating this world is a challenge, as a lifetime spent as a inactive individual have atrophied his limbs. The physical comedy of it all comes from players controlling Nate step by step, trying to keep his ragdoll body standing.

Nate requires assistance, but he has problems articulating that to others. During his adventure, he comes in contact with a collection of quirky personalities in the world who everyone tries to give him a hand. A cool, confident hiker tries to give Nate a guide, but he clumsily declines in the game’s best laugh-out-loud moment. When he falls into an trapping cavity and is presented with a ladder, he strives to appear nonchalant like he doesn’t need the help and actually wants to be stuck in the hole. Throughout the story, you encounter plenty of irritating episodes where Nate creates additional difficulties because he’s not confident enough to take support.

The Defining Decision

Everything builds up in Baby Steps game’s key situation of decision. As Nate gets close to finishing his quest, he finds that he must climb to the top of a snowy mountain. The de facto groundskeeper of the world (who Nate has consistently evaded up to this point) comes to inform him that there are two ways up. If he’s up for a challenge, he can choose a very lengthy and hazardous route named The Obstacle. It is the most daunting obstacle Baby Steps has to offer; choosing it looks risky to any human.

But there’s a other possibility: He can simply ascend a gigantic spiral staircase instead and reach the summit in a short time. The single stipulation? He’ll have to call the groundskeeper “Lord” from now on if he chooses the simple path.

A Painful Choice

I am very serious when I say that this is an difficult selection in this situation. It’s every one of Nate's doubts about himself coming to a head in a particularly bizarre situation. A portion of Nate's adventure is centered around the reality that he’s insecure of his physical appearance and manhood. Each instance he sees that impressive outdoorsman, it’s a hard reminder of all he lacks. Undertaking The Obstacle could be a moment where he can demonstrate that he’s as competent as his one-sided rival, but that road is bound to be paved with more humiliating failures. Does it merit struggling just to demonstrate something?

The staircase, on the flip side, provide Nate with another significant opportunity to either accept or reject help. The user doesn't get to decide in about they decline guidance, but they can decide to provide Nate with respite and choose the staircase. It might seem like an straightforward selection, but Baby Steps game is exceptionally cunning about creating doubt whenever you see a simple solution. The environment includes design traps that change a secure way into a difficulty on a dime. Could the steps an additional deception? Could Nate reach all the way to the top just to be let down by some last-second gag? And more concerning, is he willing to be emasculated another time by being made to address some weirdo Lord?

No Correct Answer

The brilliance of that instant is that there’s no perfect selection. Each path leads to a authentic instance of character development and catharsis for Nate. If you opt to attempt The Challenge, it’s an existential win. Nate at last receives a moment to show that he’s as competent as everyone else, consciously choosing a tough path rather than suffering through one that he has no choice but to follow. It’s hard, and maybe ill-advised, but it’s the moment of strength that he needs.

But there’s no embarrassment in the stairs too. To select that route is to finally allow Nate to take support. And when he does, he discovers that there’s no secret drawback waiting for him. The stairs aren’t a prank. They continue for a while, but they’re easy to walk up and he won't slip to the bottom if he trips. It’s a simple climb after hours of struggle. Partway through, he even has a chat with the hiker who has, unsurprisingly, opted for The Manbreaker. He attempts to act casual, but you can tell that he’s exhausted, quietly regretting the pointless struggle. By the time Nate gets to the top and has to fulfill his obligation, hailing his new Lord, the deal hardly seems so nasty. Who has concern for humiliation by this freak?

My Experience

During my game, I opted for the stairs. Part of me just {wanted to call