Baby Steps Includes Among the Most Impactful Decisions I Have Ever Experienced in a Game

I've encountered some challenging choices in gaming. Some of my decisions in Life is Strange continue to trouble me. Ghost of Tsushima final sequence made me set down my controller for several minutes while I considered my choices. I am the cause of numerous Krogan deaths in the Mass Effect series that I would love to reverse. Not one of those instances compare to what possibly is the hardest choice I’ve had to make in gaming — and it involves a giant staircase.

The Game Baby Steps, the latest game from the makers of Ape Out game, is hardly a decision-focused experience. Definitely not in typical gaming terms. You must navigate a sprawling open world as the protagonist Nate, a adult in a onesie who can hardly stay upright on his shaky limbs. It appears to be a setup for annoyance, but Baby Steps game’s power lies in its surprisingly deep narrative that will catch you off guard when you’re least expecting it. There’s no moment that exemplifies that strength like one major choice that remains on my mind.

Spoiler Warning

Some background information is required here. Baby Steps game starts when the protagonist is suddenly taken from his parents’ basement and into a fantasy world. He quickly discovers that moving around in it is a struggle, as a lifetime spent as a couch potato have weakened his muscles. The slapstick elements of it all comes from users guiding Nate gradually, trying to keep his ragdoll body standing.

Nate needs help, but he has trouble voicing that to anyone. During his adventure, he meets a collection of quirky personalities in the world who all offer to give him a hand. A composed outdoorsman tries to give Nate a guide, but he uncomfortably rejects in the game’s best laugh-out-loud moment. When he drops into an unavoidable hole and is presented with a ladder, he tries to play it off like he requires no assistance and actually wants to be trapped in the pit. As the plot unfolds, you see numerous irritating episodes where Nate makes life harder for himself because he’s too insecure to take support.

The Ultimate Choice

That comes to a head in Baby Steps game’s single genuine instance of selection. As Nate gets close to finishing his journey, he realizes that he must reach the summit of a snow-capped peak. The de facto groundskeeper of the world (who Nate has desperately tried to duck up to this point) appears to inform him that there are two paths upward. If he’s up for a challenge, he can opt for a particularly extended and risky path dubbed The Obstacle. It is the most formidable barrier Baby Steps includes; attempting it appears unwise to any person.

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

A Painful Choice

I am very serious when I say that this is an painful decision in the game's narrative. 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 revolves around the truth that he’s insecure of his body and his masculinity. Each instance he sees that handsome trekker, it’s a hard reminder of everything he’s not. Undertaking The Challenge could be a time where he can prove that he’s as capable as his unilateral competitor, but that path is likely filled with more embarrassing pratfalls. Is it justified striving just to demonstrate something?

The stairs, on the other hand, give Nate another big moment to either accept or reject help. The gamer cannot choose in if they turn away a map, but they can opt to give Nate a break and choose the staircase. It ought to be an easy choice, but Baby Steps is remarkably shrewd about making you feel paranoid anytime you encounter an easy option. The environment includes design traps that change a secure way into a setback on a dime. Are the stairs yet another trap? Could Nate reach all the way to the top just to be disappointed by an ending prank? And more concerning, is he ready to be diminished once again by being compelled to refer to a strange individual as Master?

No Perfect Choice

The beauty of that moment is that there’s no perfect selection. Either one leads to a genuine moment of character development and emotional release for Nate. If you decide to take on The Manbreaker, it’s an philosophical victory. Nate at last receives a chance to prove that he’s as competent as anyone else, voluntarily accepting a tough path rather than enduring one that he has no option except to pursue. It’s challenging, and possibly risky, but it’s the bit of empowerment that he needs.

But there’s no disgrace in the stairs either. To opt for that way is to eventually enable Nate to accept help. And when he does, he finds that there’s no hidden trick in store for him. The staircase is not a trick. They go on for a long time, but they’re straightforward to ascend and he does not fall all the way down if he trips. It’s a straightforward ascent after extended challenges. Partway through, he even has a discussion with the hiker who has, unsurprisingly, selected The Manbreaker. He attempts to act casual, but you can tell that he’s worn out, quietly regretting the pointless struggle. By the time Nate gets to the top and has to fulfill his obligation, addressing his new Master, the deal hardly seems so bad. Who has concern for humiliation by this freak?

Personal Reflection

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