Baby Steps Presents Among the Most Significant Choices I Have Ever Experienced in a Game

I've dealt with some hard decisions in interactive entertainment. Several of my selections in Life is Strange remain on my mind. Ghost of Tsushima final sequence prompted me to pause the game for around ten minutes while I weighed my options. I am responsible for numerous Krogan demises in the Mass Effect series that I regret deeply. Not a single one of those situations compare to what could be the most difficult decision I’ve had to make in gaming — and it concerns a giant staircase.

The Game Baby Steps, the latest game from the developers of Ape Out game, isn’t exactly a decision-focused experience. Certainly not in any traditional sense. You only need to explore a sprawling open world as the protagonist Nate, a onesie-wearing manchild who can hardly stay upright on his wobbly legs. It seems like one big ragebait joke, but Baby Steps’s power lies in its unexpectedly meaningful plot that will catch you off guard when it's most unexpected. There’s no situation that demonstrates that power like a key selection that remains on my mind.

Spoiler Warning

A bit of context is necessary here. Baby Steps game begins as Nate is transported from his parents’ basement and into a fantasy world. He immediately finds that navigating this world is a difficulty, as a long time spent as a sedentary person have deteriorated his physical condition. The physical comedy of it all arises from players controlling Nate gradually, trying to maintain his balance.

The protagonist needs aid, but he has difficulty expressing that to other characters. As he progresses, he comes in contact with a group of unusual individuals in the world who each propose to assist him. A composed outdoorsman seeks to provide Nate a navigation aid, but he uncomfortably rejects in the game’s most hilarious scene. When he falls into an trapping cavity and is given a way out, he tries to play it off like he can manage alone and genuinely desires to be trapped in the pit. As the plot unfolds, you see numerous irritating episodes where Nate complicates his own situation because he’s not confident enough to accept any assistance.

The Ultimate Choice

That comes to a head in Baby Steps game’s single genuine instance of decision. As Nate nears the end his quest, he finds that he must reach the summit of a frosty elevation. The default guardian of the world (who Nate has desperately tried to duck up to this point) shows up to let him know that there are two paths upward. If he’s prepared for difficulty, he can opt for a particularly extended and dangerous hiking trail named The Obstacle. It is the most intimidating challenge Baby Steps game provides; choosing it looks risky to any human.

But there’s a other possibility: He can merely climb a massive winding stairs as an alternative and arrive at the peak in a short time. The single stipulation? He’ll have to refer to the caretaker “Lord” from now on if he chooses the simple path.

A Difficult Selection

I am very serious when I say that this is an painful decision in this situation. 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 reality that he’s unconfident of his physical appearance and manhood. Each instance he sees that handsome trekker, it’s a painful recollection of all he lacks. Undertaking The Obstacle could be a moment where he can demonstrate that he’s as able as his unilateral competitor, but that route is sure to be laden with more embarrassing pratfalls. Is it worth struggling just to demonstrate something?

The stairs, on the flip side, offer Nate an additional crucial instance to either accept or reject help. The player has no choice in whether or not they turn away a map, but they can choose to allow Nate some relief and opt for the steps. It might seem like an simple decision, but Baby Steps is remarkably shrewd about creating doubt anytime you see a simple solution. The world is filled with planned obstacles that change a secure way into a setback suddenly. Is the staircase yet another trap? Will Nate get at the peak just to be fooled by an ending prank? And more troubling, is he prepared to be humiliated another time by being compelled to refer to some weirdo Lord?

No Right or Wrong

The brilliance of that instant is that there’s no correct or incorrect choice. Both options leads to a genuine moment of protagonist evolution and therapeutic resolution for Nate. If you choose to tackle The Obstacle, it’s an philosophical victory. Nate finally gets a chance to prove that he’s as able as anyone else, consciously choosing a difficult route rather than enduring one that he has no option except to pursue. It’s challenging, and perhaps unwise, but it’s the dose of confidence that he requires.

But there’s no disgrace in the staircase either. To opt for that way is to finally allow Nate to take support. And when he does so, he discovers that there’s no hidden trick awaiting him. The stairs aren’t a prank. They go on for a long time, but they’re straightforward to ascend and he doesn’t slide all the way down if he falls. It’s a simple climb after extended challenges. Partway through, he even has a discussion with the trekker who has, unsurprisingly, opted for The Manbreaker. He attempts to act casual, but you can discern that he’s exhausted, subtly ruing the pointless struggle. By the time Nate arrives at the peak and has to fulfill his obligation, hailing his new Lord, the deal hardly seems so nasty. Who has energy for shame by this odd character?

Personal Reflection

When I played, I selected the steps. A portion of my thinking just {wanted to call