Baby Steps Presents One of the Most Impactful Decisions I Have Ever Encountered in Gaming

I've encountered some hard choices in gaming. Several of my selections in Life is Strange series continue to trouble me. Ghost of Tsushima ending section prompted me to set down my controller for several minutes while I considered my choices. I am accountable for so many Krogan demises in the Mass Effect series that I regret deeply. None of those moments compare to what could be the most difficult decision I’ve had to make in interactive media — and it involves a enormous set of steps.

The Game Baby Steps, the latest game from the makers of Ape Out game, isn’t exactly a choice-driven game. Definitely not in typical gaming terms. You simply have to navigate a vast game world as the protagonist Nate, a onesie-wearing manchild who can hardly stay upright on his unsteady feet. It looks like a setup for annoyance, but Baby Steps’s power lies in its surprisingly deep narrative that will catch you off guard when you least anticipate it. There’s no situation that showcases that quality like a key selection that remains on my mind.

Alert: Spoilers

Some scene setting is necessary here. Baby Steps game starts when Nate is transported from his family's basement and into a fantasy world. He quickly discovers that navigating this world is a difficulty, as years spent as a couch potato have weakened his muscles. The physical comedy of it all comes from gamers directing Nate one step at a time, trying to keep his ragdoll body standing.

Nate needs help, but he has difficulty expressing that to anyone. During his adventure, he encounters a cast of eccentric characters in the world who everyone tries to give him a hand. A composed outdoorsman attempts to offer Nate a navigation aid, but he uncomfortably rejects in the game’s most hilarious scene. When he plunges into an unavoidable hole and is offered a ladder, he strives to appear nonchalant like he requires no assistance and genuinely desires to be trapped in the pit. Throughout the story, you see numerous annoying scenarios where Nate complicates his own situation because he’s too insecure to accept any assistance.

The Defining Decision

That comes to a head in Baby Steps’s key situation of choice. As Nate approaches the conclusion his adventure, he discovers that he must reach the summit of a frosty elevation. The unofficial caretaker of the world (who Nate has desperately tried to duck up to this point) appears to tell him that there are two ways up. If he’s up for a challenge, he can choose a very lengthy and dangerous hiking trail dubbed The Manbreaker. It is the most intimidating challenge Baby Steps has to offer; attempting it appears unwise to any person.

But there’s a second option: He can just walk up a enormous coiled steps in its place and get to the top in a few minutes. The only caveat? He’ll have to refer to the caretaker “Master” from now on if he chooses the simple path.

A Difficult Selection

I am absolutely sincere when I say that this is an agonizing choice in the game's narrative. It’s all of Nate’s insecurities about himself culminating in one absurd moment. Part of Nate’s journey is centered around the fact that he’s unconfident of his physique and male identity. Each instance he sees that impressive outdoorsman, it’s a hard reminder of what he fails to be. Taking on The Obstacle could be a time where he can prove that he’s as capable as his imagined opponent, but that road is bound to be laden with more awkward mishaps. Is it worth striving just to make a statement?

The steps, on the other hand, offer Nate an additional crucial instance to decide between receiving aid or refusing it. The player has no choice in if they turn away a map, but they can choose to allow Nate some relief and take the stairs. It ought to be an straightforward selection, but Baby Steps is remarkably shrewd about causing suspicion each time you encounter an easy option. The environment includes intentional pitfalls that change a secure way into a setback suddenly. Could the steps an additional deception? Might Nate arrive to the very summit just to be fooled by an ending prank? And more concerning, is he ready to be diminished yet again 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 real situation of protagonist evolution and therapeutic resolution for Nate. If you choose to tackle The Obstacle, it’s an personal triumph. Nate at last receives a chance to prove that he’s as capable as others, consciously choosing a challenging way rather than suffering through one that he has no choice but to follow. It’s challenging, and possibly risky, but it’s the moment of strength that he requires.

But there’s no shame in the staircase as well. To opt for that way is to finally allow Nate to receive assistance. And when he does, he realizes that there’s no secret drawback waiting for him. The staircase is not a trick. They continue for a while, but they’re easy to walk up and he doesn’t slide to the bottom if he stumbles. It’s a simple climb after lengthy difficulty. Halfway up, he even has a conversation with the trekker who has, unsurprisingly, chosen to take The Obstacle. He strives to appear composed, but you can discern that he’s worn out, silently lamenting the pointless struggle. By the time Nate reaches the summit and has to pay his debt, addressing his new Master, the arrangement scarcely looks so nasty. Who has time to be embarrassed by this odd character?

My Experience

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