Baby Steps Features One of the Most Significant Decisions I've Ever Encountered in a Game

I've dealt with some hard choices in video games. Some of my decisions in Life is Strange series continue to trouble me. Ghost of Tsushima final sequence prompted me to put my controller down for a good 10 minutes while I thought through my options. I am accountable for numerous Krogan demises in Mass Effect that I wish I could undo. None of those moments measure up to what now might be the toughest selection I’ve had to make in a video game — and it involves a enormous set of steps.

The Game Baby Steps, the newest release from the developers of Ape Out, is hardly a choice-driven game. Definitely not in typical gaming terms. You only need to navigate a expansive environment as the protagonist Nate, a adult in a onesie who can barely stand on his unsteady feet. It seems like one big ragebait joke, but Baby Steps’s power lies in its deceptively impactful story that will catch you off guard when you’re least expecting it. There’s not a single instance that exemplifies that strength like one major choice that I keep reflecting on.

Alert: Spoilers

Some background information is necessary here. Baby Steps game starts when Nate is transported from the basement of his home and into a fantasy world. He quickly discovers that navigating this world is a challenge, as years spent as a sedentary person have atrophied his limbs. The physical comedy of it all stems from gamers directing Nate gradually, trying to keep his ragdoll body standing.

Nate requires assistance, but he has difficulty expressing that to other characters. Throughout his hero’s journey, he meets a collection of quirky personalities in the world who everyone tries to help him out. A composed outdoorsman tries to give Nate a map, but he clumsily declines in the game’s funniest instant. When he falls into an unavoidable hole and is given a way out, he attempts to act casual like he can manage alone and actually wants to be confined in the cavity. During the narrative, you encounter plenty of annoying scenarios where Nate makes life harder for himself because he’s too insecure to receive help.

The Ultimate Choice

Everything builds up in Baby Steps game’s key situation of selection. As Nate nears the end his quest, he discovers that he must climb to the top of a snow-capped peak. The unofficial caretaker of the world (who Nate has actively avoided up to this point) appears to tell him that there are two ways up. If he’s ready for a test, he can take an extremely long and hazardous route named The Obstacle. It is the most formidable barrier Baby Steps has to offer; choosing it looks risky to any person.

But there’s a alternative choice: He can merely climb a massive winding stairs in its place and arrive at the peak in a few minutes. The only caveat? He’ll have to call the groundskeeper “Master” from now on if he opts for the effortless way.

A Difficult Selection

I am completely earnest when I say that this is an painful decision in context. It’s every one of Nate's doubts about himself coming to a head in a single ridiculous instant. A portion of Nate's adventure 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. Taking on The Manbreaker could be a instance where he can show that he’s as capable as his unilateral competitor, but that path is likely paved with more embarrassing pratfalls. Does it merit struggling just to make a statement?

The stairs, on the flip side, offer Nate an additional crucial instance to either accept or reject help. The user doesn't get to decide in whether or not they decline guidance, but they can choose to allow Nate some relief and take the stairs. It should be an straightforward selection, but Baby Steps game is remarkably shrewd about creating doubt anytime you encounter an easy option. The world is filled with intentional pitfalls that turn a safe route into a difficulty instantly. Are the stairs yet another trap? Could Nate reach at the peak just to be let down by an ending prank? And even worse, is he ready to be diminished once again by being made to address some weirdo Lord?

No Correct Answer

The beauty of that moment is that there’s no correct or incorrect choice. Each path leads to a authentic instance of personal growth and emotional release for Nate. If you choose to tackle The Obstacle, it’s an existential win. Nate at last receives a chance to prove that he’s as competent as others, consciously choosing a difficult route rather than struggling through one that he has no alternative but to take. It’s challenging, and maybe ill-advised, but it’s the dose of confidence that he craves.

But there’s no shame in the staircase either. To select that route is to at last permit Nate to receive assistance. And when he accomplishes that, he finds that there’s no secret drawback awaiting him. The steps are not a joke. They continue for a while, but they’re easy to walk up and he doesn’t slide all the way down if he trips. It’s a simple climb after lengthy difficulty. Midway through, he even has a chat with the hiker who has, unsurprisingly, chosen to take The Manbreaker. He attempts to act casual, but you can see that he’s worn out, quietly regretting the needless difficulty. By the time Nate gets to the top and has to pay his debt, calling the character Lord, the deal hardly seems so unpleasant. Who has energy for shame by this freak?

Personal Reflection

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