Baby Steps Presents One of the Most Significant Decisions I've Ever Faced in Gaming

I've encountered some difficult decisions in video games. Some of my decisions in Life is Strange series still haunt me. Ghost of Tsushima final sequence made me pause the game for several minutes while I weighed my options. I am accountable for so many Krogan fatalities in the Mass Effect series that I wish I could undo. Not one of those instances measure up to what possibly is the toughest selection I’ve had to make in interactive media — and it has to do with a enormous set of steps.

Baby Steps, the newest release from the makers of Ape Out, is hardly a decision-focused experience. At least not in any traditional sense. You simply have to walk around a vast game world as 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 power lies in its deceptively impactful story that will surprise you when it's most unexpected. There’s no situation that demonstrates that power like a pivotal decision that I keep reflecting on.

Alert: Spoilers

Some background information is needed at this point. Baby Steps game begins as the protagonist is suddenly taken from his family's basement and into a fictional universe. He quickly discovers that walking through it is a struggle, as years spent as a sedentary person have weakened his muscles. The humorous physicality 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 difficulty expressing that to anyone. During his adventure, he meets a group of unusual individuals in the world who everyone tries to assist him. A self-assured trekker seeks to provide Nate a guide, but he uncomfortably rejects in the game’s most hilarious scene. When he falls into an trapping cavity and is offered a ladder, he attempts to act casual like he doesn’t need the help and actually wants to be stuck in the hole. As the plot unfolds, you see numerous irritating episodes where Nate makes life harder for himself because he’s not confident enough to take support.

The Ultimate Choice

That comes to a head in Baby Steps’s key situation of decision. As Nate nears the end his journey, he finds that he must reach the summit of a snow-capped peak. The default guardian of the world (who Nate has consistently evaded 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 hazardous route dubbed The Manbreaker. It is the most formidable barrier Baby Steps includes; choosing it looks risky to any person.

But there’s a alternative choice: He can just walk up a enormous coiled steps in its place and get to the top in just moments. The only caveat? He’ll have to refer to the caretaker “Master” from now on if he opts for the effortless way.

A Difficult Selection

I am absolutely sincere when I say that this is an agonizing choice in this situation. It’s every one of Nate's doubts about himself culminating in a single ridiculous instant. Part of Nate’s journey is centered around the truth that he’s self-conscious of his physique and male identity. Each instance he sees that impressive outdoorsman, it’s a difficult memory of what he fails to be. Undertaking The Manbreaker could be a instance where he can prove that he’s as competent as his imagined opponent, but that road is bound to be paved with more embarrassing pratfalls. Is it worth struggling just to prove a point?

The stairs, on the other hand, give Nate another big moment to either accept or reject help. The player has no choice in if they decline guidance, but they can opt to provide Nate with respite and choose the staircase. It should be an straightforward selection, but Baby Steps is exceptionally cunning about making you feel paranoid each time you see a simple solution. The world is filled with planned obstacles that change a secure way into a setback on a dime. Are the stairs yet another trap? Will Nate get at the peak just to be fooled by some last-second gag? And more troubling, is he ready to be diminished another time by being compelled to refer to some weirdo Lord?

No Right or Wrong

The beauty of that moment is that there’s no perfect selection. Each path leads to a authentic instance of character development and therapeutic resolution for Nate. If you decide to take on The Obstacle, it’s an personal triumph. Nate finally gets a opportunity to demonstrate that he’s as able as anyone else, consciously choosing a difficult route rather than suffering through one that he has no option except to pursue. It’s hard, and maybe ill-advised, but it’s the moment of strength that he requires.

But there’s no disgrace in the steps too. To select that route is to eventually enable Nate to take support. And when he does so, he realizes that there’s no secret drawback waiting for him. The stairs aren’t a prank. They continue for a while, but they’re straightforward to ascend and he does not fall completely down if he trips. It’s a straightforward ascent after extended challenges. Partway through, he even has a discussion with the hiker who has, naturally, selected The Manbreaker. He tries to play it cool, but you can see that he’s exhausted, quietly regretting the needless difficulty. By the time Nate arrives at the peak and has to fulfill his obligation, addressing his new Master, the arrangement scarcely looks so unpleasant. Who has time to be embarrassed by this freak?

My Choice

When I played, I opted for the stairs. Some part of my reasoning just {wanted to call