The Game Baby Steps Presents One of the Most Impactful Choices I've Ever Encountered in Gaming

I've faced some hard decisions in gaming. Several of my selections in Life is Strange series still haunt me. Ghost of Tsushima ending section led me to set down my controller for a good 10 minutes while I thought through my alternatives. I am the cause of numerous Krogan demises in Mass Effect that I wish I could undo. Not one of those instances measure up to what now might be the toughest selection I've faced in interactive media — and it concerns a massive stairway.

The Game Baby Steps, the latest game from the creators of Ape Out, isn’t exactly a choice-driven game. Certainly not in typical gaming terms. You simply have to walk around a sprawling open world as the protagonist Nate, a onesie-wearing manchild who can struggle to remain on his wobbly legs. It seems like a setup for annoyance, but Baby Steps game’s power lies in its unexpectedly meaningful plot that will catch you off guard when you’re least expecting it. There’s no moment that exemplifies that strength like a pivotal decision that remains on my mind.

Note: Spoilers Ahead

A bit of context is required here. Baby Steps starts when Nate is magically whisked away from his family's basement and into a fantasy world. He soon realizes that walking through it is a difficulty, as a long time spent as a inactive individual have deteriorated his physical condition. The humorous physicality of it all comes from gamers directing Nate one step at a time, trying to maintain his balance.

Nate needs help, but he has difficulty expressing that to other characters. Throughout his hero’s journey, he comes in contact with a group of unusual individuals in the world who everyone tries to help him out. A composed outdoorsman attempts to offer 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 strives to appear nonchalant like he doesn’t need the help and truly prefers to be confined in the cavity. As the plot unfolds, you encounter plenty of annoying scenarios where Nate complicates his own situation 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 approaches the conclusion his journey, he realizes that he must climb to the top of a snowy mountain. The default guardian of the world (who Nate has desperately tried to duck up to this point) appears to inform him that there are two routes to the top. If he’s up for a challenge, he can take an extremely long and risky path called The Manbreaker. It is the most intimidating challenge Baby Steps game has to offer; choosing it looks risky to anyone.

But there’s a second option: He can merely climb a gigantic spiral staircase in its place and arrive at the peak in just moments. The sole condition? He’ll have to refer to the caretaker “Lord” from now on if he takes the easy route.

A Difficult Selection

I am completely earnest when I say that this is an painful decision in this situation. It’s every one of Nate's doubts about himself culminating in one absurd moment. Part of Nate’s journey is centered around the reality that he’s self-conscious of his physique and male identity. Every time he sees that dashing hiker, it’s a hard reminder of what he fails to be. Undertaking The Manbreaker could be a time where he can demonstrate that he’s as capable as his unilateral competitor, but that road is bound to be laden with more humiliating failures. Is it justified suffering just to demonstrate something?

The stairs, on the other hand, offer Nate an additional crucial instance to either accept or reject help. The user doesn't get to decide in whether or not they reject navigation help, but they can decide to allow Nate some relief and take the stairs. It might seem like an simple decision, but Baby Steps is remarkably shrewd about creating doubt each time you encounter an easy option. The world is filled with design traps that change a secure way into a setback on a dime. Could the steps an additional deception? Will Nate get all the way to the top just to be fooled by a final joke? And more concerning, is he prepared to be humiliated another time by being forced to call an odd character as Lord?

No Correct Answer

The beauty of that moment is that there’s no correct or incorrect choice. Either one leads to a authentic instance of character development and catharsis for Nate. If you opt to attempt The Challenge, it’s an existential win. Nate at last receives a opportunity to demonstrate that he’s as able as others, consciously choosing a tough path rather than struggling through one that he has no choice but to follow. It’s difficult, and perhaps unwise, but it’s the moment of strength that he needs.

But there’s no embarrassment in the stairs too. To choose that path is to at last permit Nate to accept help. And when he accomplishes that, he realizes that there’s no secret drawback in store for him. The stairs aren’t a prank. They go on for a long time, but they’re easy to walk up and he won't slip completely down if he falls. It’s a easy journey after extended challenges. Midway through, he even has a discussion with the hiker who has, unsurprisingly, chosen to take The Manbreaker. He tries to play it cool, but you can tell that he’s worn out, silently lamenting the needless difficulty. By the time Nate gets to the top and has to pay his debt, addressing his new Master, the deal hardly seems so nasty. Who has concern for humiliation by this strange individual?

My Experience

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