Baby Steps Includes Among the Most Impactful Decisions I Have Ever Encountered in Gaming

I've dealt with some challenging choices in video games. Some of my decisions in Life is Strange still haunt me. Ghost of Tsushima's final sequence prompted me to put my controller down for a good 10 minutes while I weighed my options. I am the cause of countless Krogan demises in the Mass Effect series that I regret deeply. Not one of those instances compare to what could be the toughest selection I’ve had to make in a video game — and it concerns a enormous set of steps.

The Game Baby Steps, the recent title from the creators of Ape Out, is not really a decision-focused experience. Definitely not in the conventional way. You simply have to navigate a sprawling open world as the main character Nate, a grown-up in childish attire who can struggle to remain on his shaky limbs. It seems 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 no moment that exemplifies that strength like a key selection that remains on my mind.

Note: Spoilers Ahead

Some scene setting is needed at this point. Baby Steps game begins as Nate is magically whisked away from the basement of his home and into a magical realm. He immediately finds that walking through it is a difficulty, as years spent as a sedentary person have atrophied his limbs. The humorous physicality of it all arises from players controlling Nate step by step, trying to prevent him from falling over.

Nate requires assistance, but he has problems articulating that to other characters. Throughout his hero’s journey, he comes in contact with a group of unusual individuals in the world who all offer to assist him. A self-assured trekker tries to give Nate a map, but he clumsily declines in the game’s most hilarious scene. When he falls into an inescapable pit and is presented with a ladder, he tries to play it off like he doesn’t need the help and truly prefers to be confined in the cavity. As the plot unfolds, you see numerous annoying scenarios where Nate makes life harder for himself because he’s not confident enough to take support.

The Pivotal Moment

That comes to a head in Baby Steps’s key situation of selection. As Nate approaches the conclusion his quest, he discovers that he must ascend of a snow-capped peak. The unofficial caretaker of the world (who Nate has actively avoided up to this point) shows up to let him know that there are two paths upward. If he’s prepared for difficulty, he can take an extremely long and dangerous hiking trail called The Obstacle. It is the most daunting obstacle Baby Steps game provides; attempting it appears unwise to any human.

But there’s a other possibility: He can simply ascend a massive winding stairs instead and arrive at the peak in just moments. The single stipulation? He’ll have to refer to the caretaker “Sir” from now on if he chooses the simple path.

A Difficult Selection

I am very serious when I say that this is an agonizing choice in context. It’s the totality of Nate's self-consciousness about himself culminating in a particularly bizarre situation. A portion of Nate's adventure is focused on the truth that he’s insecure of his body and his masculinity. Each instance he sees that dashing hiker, it’s a painful recollection of everything he’s not. Taking on The Challenge could be a time where he can prove that he’s as capable as his imagined opponent, but that road is bound to be filled with more humiliating failures. Is it justified striving just to prove a point?

The steps, on the flip side, give Nate another big moment to decide between receiving aid or refusing it. The gamer cannot choose in about they decline guidance, but they can decide to provide Nate with respite and choose the staircase. It ought to be an easy choice, but Baby Steps is exceptionally cunning about causing suspicion anytime you encounter an easy option. The world is filled with intentional pitfalls that change a secure way into a setback on a dime. Are the stairs an additional deception? Will Nate get at the peak just to be fooled by a final joke? And more concerning, is he ready to be diminished yet again by being made to address an odd character as Lord?

No Correct Answer

The brilliance of that instant is that there’s no perfect selection. Each path brings about a real situation of personal growth and emotional release for Nate. If you choose to tackle The Challenge, it’s an philosophical victory. Nate finally gets a opportunity to demonstrate that he’s as competent as others, voluntarily accepting a difficult route rather than enduring one that he has no option except to pursue. It’s challenging, and maybe ill-advised, but it’s the dose of confidence that he needs.

But there’s no disgrace in the steps either. To select that route is to finally allow Nate to accept help. And when he does so, he finds that there’s no hidden trick awaiting 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 to the bottom if he trips. It’s a simple climb after lengthy difficulty. Halfway up, he even has a conversation with the trekker who has, of course, opted for The Manbreaker. He strives to appear composed, but you can tell that he’s worn out, quietly regretting the needless difficulty. By the time Nate arrives at the peak and has to meet his agreement, hailing his new Lord, the arrangement scarcely looks so nasty. Who has time to be embarrassed by this odd character?

Personal Reflection

In my playthrough, I opted for the stairs. A portion of my thinking just {wanted to call