The Game Baby Steps Presents Among the Most Significant Decisions I've Ever Encountered in Video Games

I've dealt with some hard choices in gaming. Some of my decisions in Life is Strange series continue to trouble me. Ghost of Tsushima's ending section led me to pause the game for several minutes while I considered my options. I am the cause of so many Krogan deaths in the Mass Effect series that I wish I could undo. Not a single one of those situations measure up to what possibly is the most difficult decision I’ve had to make in gaming — and it has to do with a giant staircase.

Baby Steps, the latest game from the makers of Ape Out, is not really a decision-focused experience. Definitely not in the conventional way. You simply have to explore a sprawling open world as the main character Nate, a onesie-wearing manchild who can struggle to remain on his wobbly legs. It appears to be one big ragebait joke, but Baby Steps game’s appeal is in its unexpectedly meaningful plot that will catch you off guard when it's most unexpected. There’s not a single instance that showcases that quality like a key selection that remains on my mind.

Spoiler Warning

A bit of context is required here. Baby Steps starts when Nate is transported from his family's basement and into a fictional universe. He immediately finds that navigating this world is a struggle, as a lifetime spent as a couch potato have weakened his muscles. The physical comedy of it all comes from gamers directing Nate one step at a time, trying to keep his ragdoll body standing.

The protagonist needs aid, but he has problems articulating that to others. During his adventure, he encounters a cast of eccentric characters in the world who all offer to help him out. A cool, confident hiker seeks to provide Nate a guide, but he awkwardly refuses in the game’s funniest instant. When he drops into an inescapable pit and is presented with a ladder, he strives to appear nonchalant like he requires no assistance and actually wants to be trapped in the pit. As the plot unfolds, you see numerous frustrating vignettes where Nate creates additional difficulties because he’s not confident enough to receive help.

The Ultimate Choice

That comes to a head in Baby Steps game’s key situation of choice. As Nate nears the end his adventure, he realizes that he must reach the summit of a frosty elevation. The de facto groundskeeper of the world (who Nate has actively avoided up to this point) appears 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 dubbed The Obstacle. It is the most formidable barrier Baby Steps has to offer; attempting it appears unwise to any person.

But there’s a other possibility: He can just walk up a enormous coiled steps instead and reach the summit in a short time. The sole condition? He’ll have to call the groundskeeper “Sir” from now on if he chooses the simple path.

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 culminating in a particularly bizarre situation. A portion of Nate's adventure is focused on the fact that he’s unconfident of his physique and male identity. Whenever he sees that impressive outdoorsman, it’s a painful recollection of all he lacks. Attempting The Manbreaker could be a time where he can show that he’s as able as his imagined opponent, but that route is sure to be filled with more awkward mishaps. Is it worth suffering just to demonstrate something?

The steps, on the contrary, offer Nate an additional crucial instance to either accept or reject help. The gamer cannot choose in about they decline guidance, but they can opt to give Nate a break and opt for the steps. It ought to be an straightforward selection, but Baby Steps is remarkably shrewd about making you feel paranoid each time you see a simple solution. The game world contains intentional pitfalls that transform an easy path into a obstacle on a dime. Is the staircase yet another trap? Could Nate reach at the peak just to be fooled by some last-second gag? And even worse, is he willing to be emasculated once again by being forced to call some weirdo Lord?

No Perfect Choice

The beauty of that moment is that there’s no correct or incorrect choice. Both options brings about a real situation of character development and emotional release for Nate. If you opt to attempt The Manbreaker, it’s an existential win. Nate at last receives a chance to prove that he’s as able as others, willingly taking on a challenging way rather than struggling through one that he has no choice but to follow. It’s hard, and maybe ill-advised, but it’s the bit of empowerment that he needs.

But there’s no disgrace in the stairs either. To select that route is to at last permit Nate to take support. And when he accomplishes that, he discovers that there’s no real catch in store for him. The staircase is not a trick. They go on for a long time, but they’re easy to walk up and he won't slip all the way down if he falls. It’s a simple climb after extended challenges. Halfway up, he even has a discussion with the trekker who has, naturally, opted for The Challenge. He strives to appear composed, but you can see that he’s exhausted, subtly ruing the pointless struggle. By the time Nate arrives at the peak and has to pay his debt, addressing his new Master, the agreement barely appears so nasty. Who has time to be embarrassed by this freak?

My Choice

When I played, I opted for the stairs. Part of me just {wanted to call