Baby Steps Presents Among the Most Impactful Choices I Have Ever Encountered in Gaming

I've faced some challenging choices in video games. Some of my decisions in Life is Strange continue to trouble me. Ghost of Tsushima concluding moments led me to pause the game for around ten minutes while I considered my options. I am the cause of so many Krogan fatalities in the Mass Effect series that I wish I could undo. None of those moments compare to what could be the toughest selection I’ve had to make in gaming — and it has to do with a enormous set of steps.

Baby Steps, the latest game from the makers of Ape Out, isn’t exactly a selection-based adventure. Definitely not in the conventional way. You simply have to navigate a vast game world as Nate, a adult in a onesie who can hardly stay upright on his shaky limbs. It looks like one big ragebait joke, but Baby Steps game’s strength comes from its unexpectedly meaningful plot that will surprise you when you’re least expecting it. There’s no moment that showcases that quality like a pivotal decision that remains on my mind.

Alert: Spoilers

Some background information is necessary here. Baby Steps begins as Nate is magically whisked away from his family's basement and into a fantasy world. He immediately finds that navigating this world is a struggle, as years spent as a inactive individual have deteriorated his physical condition. The physical comedy of it all stems from users guiding Nate gradually, trying to prevent him from falling over.

The protagonist needs aid, but he has difficulty expressing that to other characters. As he progresses, he encounters a cast of eccentric characters in the world who all offer to give him a hand. A composed outdoorsman tries to give Nate a map, but he awkwardly refuses in the game’s best laugh-out-loud moment. When he plunges into an unavoidable hole and is presented with a ladder, he attempts to act casual like he can manage alone and actually wants to be trapped in the pit. As the plot unfolds, you experience no shortage of annoying scenarios where Nate complicates his own situation because he’s not confident enough to take support.

The Ultimate Choice

That comes to a head in Baby Steps’s single genuine instance of selection. As Nate gets close to finishing his adventure, he finds that he must climb to the top of a snow-capped peak. The de facto groundskeeper of the world (who Nate has consistently evaded up to this point) shows up to let him know that there are two ways up. If he’s prepared for difficulty, he can opt for a particularly extended and risky path called The Obstacle. It is the most intimidating challenge Baby Steps game has to offer; choosing it looks risky to anyone.

But there’s a other possibility: He can simply ascend a massive winding stairs as an alternative and reach the summit in a short time. The sole condition? He’ll have to call the groundskeeper “Sir” from now on if he opts for the effortless way.

An Agonizing Decision

I am absolutely sincere when I say that this is an difficult selection in context. It’s every one of Nate's doubts about himself reaching a climax in a particularly bizarre situation. A portion of Nate's adventure is centered around the fact that he’s unconfident of his physique and male identity. Each instance he sees that dashing hiker, it’s a hard reminder of everything he’s not. Undertaking The Manbreaker could be a time where he can prove that he’s as able as his imagined opponent, but that route is sure to be filled with more awkward mishaps. Is it worth struggling just to demonstrate something?

The staircase, on the other hand, offer Nate an additional crucial instance to decide between receiving aid or refusing it. The player has no choice in whether or not they turn away a map, but they can decide to provide Nate with respite and take the stairs. It might seem like an simple decision, but Baby Steps game is remarkably shrewd about creating doubt whenever you see a simple solution. The game world contains intentional pitfalls that turn a safe route into a obstacle on a dime. Are the stairs yet another trap? Will Nate get to the very summit just to be let down by an ending prank? And even worse, is he willing to be emasculated yet again by being made to address some weirdo Lord?

No Right or Wrong

The beauty of that moment is that there’s no right or wrong answer. Both options brings about a real situation of protagonist evolution and emotional release for Nate. If you decide to take on The Challenge, it’s an personal triumph. Nate finally gets a chance to prove that he’s as competent as anyone else, willingly taking on a tough path rather than struggling through one that he has no option except to pursue. It’s hard, and maybe ill-advised, but it’s the moment of strength that he craves.

But there’s no shame in the steps as well. To select that route is to finally allow Nate to accept help. And when he accomplishes that, he realizes that there’s no real catch awaiting him. The stairs aren’t a prank. They extend for some distance, but they’re easy to walk up and he doesn’t slide completely down if he stumbles. It’s a easy journey after extended challenges. Partway through, he even has a discussion with the hiker who has, unsurprisingly, chosen to take The Challenge. He strives to appear composed, but you can discern that he’s worn out, quietly regretting the unnecessary challenge. By the time Nate arrives at the peak and has to fulfill his obligation, addressing his new Master, the agreement barely appears so nasty. Who has concern for humiliation by this freak?

My Experience

During my game, I selected the steps. Some part of my reasoning just {wanted to call