The Game Baby Steps Presents Among the Most Impactful Decisions I've Ever Encountered in Gaming

I've faced some difficult decisions in gaming. Certain choices I made in Life is Strange series still haunt me. Ghost of Tsushima's concluding moments made me put my controller down for around ten minutes while I considered my choices. I am responsible for countless Krogan fatalities in Mass Effect that I regret deeply. Not one of those instances measure up to what now might be the toughest selection I’ve had to make in interactive media — and it has to do with a massive stairway.

The Game Baby Steps, the newest release from the creators of Ape Out, is not really a choice-driven game. Definitely not in the conventional way. You only need to navigate a sprawling open world as Nate, a grown-up in childish attire who can hardly stay upright on his wobbly legs. It seems like a setup for annoyance, but Baby Steps’s appeal is in its surprisingly deep narrative that will sneak up on you when you’re least expecting it. There’s no moment that showcases that quality like one major choice that I keep reflecting on.

Note: Spoilers Ahead

A bit of context is needed at this point. Baby Steps begins as Nate is transported from his parents’ basement and into a fantasy world. He soon realizes that navigating this world is a challenge, as a long time spent as a inactive individual have weakened his muscles. The humorous physicality of it all comes from players controlling Nate step by step, trying to prevent him from falling over.

Nate needs help, but he has difficulty expressing that to others. As he progresses, he encounters a collection of quirky personalities in the world who everyone tries to give him a hand. A composed outdoorsman seeks to provide Nate a guide, but he awkwardly refuses in the game’s best laugh-out-loud moment. When he drops into an inescapable pit and is presented with a ladder, he tries to play it off like he can manage alone and truly prefers to be stuck in the hole. As the plot unfolds, you encounter plenty of irritating episodes where Nate creates additional difficulties because he’s too insecure to take support.

The Defining Decision

That comes to a head in Baby Steps’s one true moment of choice. As Nate nears the end his quest, 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) shows up to tell him that there are two ways up. If he’s ready for a test, he can choose a very lengthy and hazardous route named The Obstacle. It is the most formidable barrier Baby Steps provides; choosing it looks risky to anyone.

But there’s a other possibility: He can simply ascend a enormous coiled steps as an alternative and arrive at the peak in a short time. The sole condition? He’ll have to refer to the caretaker “Master” from now on if he opts for the effortless way.

A Difficult Selection

I am very serious when I say that this is an agonizing choice in the game's narrative. It’s all of Nate’s insecurities about himself reaching a climax in one absurd moment. Part of Nate’s journey is revolves around the fact that he’s unconfident of his physical appearance and manhood. Every time he sees that dashing hiker, it’s a painful recollection of all he lacks. Taking on The Manbreaker could be a moment where he can demonstrate that he’s as capable as his imagined opponent, but that road is bound to be filled with more awkward mishaps. Is it worth suffering just to prove a point?

The stairs, on the contrary, provide Nate with another significant opportunity to choose whether to take assistance or not. The gamer cannot choose in whether or not they turn away a map, but they can decide to give Nate a break and opt for the steps. It ought to be an easy choice, but Baby Steps game is remarkably shrewd about creating doubt whenever you encounter an easy option. The environment includes design traps that change a secure way into a setback suddenly. Are the stairs yet another trap? Might Nate arrive all the way to the top just to be disappointed by an ending prank? And more concerning, is he ready to be diminished yet again by being forced to call a strange individual as Master?

No Correct Answer

The beauty of that moment is that there’s no perfect selection. Both options results in a authentic instance of personal growth and emotional release for Nate. If you choose to tackle The Challenge, it’s an personal triumph. Nate eventually obtains a chance to prove that he’s as competent as everyone else, willingly taking on a tough path rather than suffering through 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 steps as well. To choose that path is to finally allow Nate to receive assistance. And when he does so, he finds that there’s no hidden trick in store for him. The stairs aren’t a prank. They extend for some distance, but they’re simple to climb and he does not fall completely down if he stumbles. It’s a simple climb after hours of struggle. Halfway up, he even has a chat with the outdoorsman who has, unsurprisingly, opted for The Challenge. He strives to appear composed, but you can discern that he’s worn out, quietly regretting the pointless struggle. By the time Nate arrives at the peak and has to meet his agreement, hailing his new Lord, the agreement barely appears so bad. Who has time to be embarrassed by this strange individual?

My Experience

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