The Game Baby Steps Includes Among the Most Significant Decisions I've Ever Experienced in Gaming

I've encountered some difficult choices in video games. Certain choices I made in Life is Strange remain on my mind. Ghost of Tsushima's final sequence made me put my controller down for a good 10 minutes while I considered my options. I am the cause of countless Krogan demises in the Mass Effect series that I would love to reverse. Not one of those instances hold a candle to what now might be the toughest selection I've ever made in a video game — and it has to do with a giant staircase.

Baby Steps, the latest game from the developers of Ape Out game, is not really a choice-driven game. At least not in the conventional way. You simply have to walk around a vast game world as Nate, a adult in a onesie who can barely stand on his shaky limbs. It looks like a setup for annoyance, but Baby Steps game’s appeal is in its deceptively impactful story that will sneak up on you when you least anticipate it. There’s not a single instance that showcases that quality like a pivotal decision that I can’t stop thinking about.

Note: Spoilers Ahead

Some background information is necessary here. Baby Steps begins as Nate is transported from the basement of his home and into a fictional universe. He quickly discovers that moving around in it is a difficulty, as years spent as a sedentary person have weakened his muscles. The physical comedy of it all arises from users guiding Nate step by step, trying to prevent him from falling over.

The protagonist needs aid, but he has trouble voicing that to other characters. As he progresses, he comes in contact with a group of unusual individuals in the world who everyone tries to assist him. A self-assured trekker tries to give Nate a map, but he awkwardly refuses in the game’s funniest instant. When he falls into an trapping cavity and is presented with a ladder, he attempts to act casual like he doesn’t need the help and genuinely desires to be stuck in the hole. As the plot unfolds, you encounter plenty of irritating episodes where Nate creates additional difficulties because he’s too self-conscious to take support.

The Pivotal Moment

That comes to a head in Baby Steps game’s single genuine instance of selection. As Nate nears the end his journey, he discovers that he must climb to the top of a snow-capped peak. The unofficial caretaker of the world (who Nate has consistently evaded up to this point) shows up to tell him that there are two paths upward. If he’s prepared for difficulty, he can choose a very lengthy and risky path called The Manbreaker. It is the most daunting obstacle Baby Steps game has to offer; choosing it looks risky to anyone.

But there’s a second option: He can merely climb a enormous coiled steps as an alternative and arrive at the peak in just moments. The only caveat? He’ll have to address the guardian “Master” from now on if he opts for the effortless way.

A Difficult Selection

I am very serious when I say that this is an difficult selection in this situation. It’s all of Nate’s insecurities about himself coming to a head in a particularly bizarre situation. Part of Nate’s journey is focused on the fact that he’s insecure of his physique and male identity. Each instance he sees that handsome trekker, it’s a hard reminder of everything he’s not. Undertaking The Obstacle could be a moment where he can show that he’s as able as his one-sided rival, but that path is likely paved with more embarrassing pratfalls. Is it justified struggling just to prove a point?

The stairs, on the contrary, offer Nate an additional crucial instance to either accept or reject help. The player has no choice in if they reject navigation help, but they can choose to provide Nate with respite and choose the staircase. It should be an simple decision, but Baby Steps game is devilishly clever about causing suspicion each time you find a gift horse. The game world contains planned obstacles that transform an easy path into a difficulty on a dime. Is the staircase yet another trap? Will Nate get all the way to the top just to be disappointed by some last-second gag? And even worse, is he prepared to be humiliated yet again by being compelled to refer to some weirdo Lord?

No Right or Wrong

The excellence of that situation is that there’s no perfect selection. Either one brings about a authentic instance of protagonist evolution and catharsis for Nate. If you choose to tackle The Challenge, it’s an philosophical victory. Nate eventually obtains a chance to prove that he’s as able as others, consciously choosing a tough path rather than struggling through one that he has no alternative but to take. It’s difficult, and maybe ill-advised, but it’s the bit of empowerment that he needs.

But there’s no disgrace in the stairs as well. To choose that path is to finally allow Nate to accept help. And when he accomplishes that, he finds that there’s no hidden trick waiting for him. The steps are not a joke. They go on for a long time, but they’re straightforward to ascend and he won't slip completely down if he falls. It’s a straightforward ascent after extended challenges. Halfway up, he even has a chat with the hiker who has, naturally, chosen to take The Obstacle. He strives to appear composed, but you can discern that he’s exhausted, quietly regretting the pointless struggle. By the time Nate reaches the summit and has to meet his agreement, addressing his new Master, the arrangement scarcely looks so bad. Who has time to be embarrassed by this freak?

My Experience

During my game, I selected the steps. A portion of my thinking just {wanted to call