Baby Steps Presents Among the Most Impactful Decisions I Have Ever Faced in Gaming

I've encountered some hard decisions in gaming. Several of my selections in Life is Strange still haunt me. Ghost of Tsushima's ending section led me to set down my controller for several minutes while I weighed my choices. I am responsible for so many Krogan deaths in the Mass Effect series that I wish I could undo. None of those moments measure up to what now might be the most difficult decision I’ve had to make in interactive media — and it concerns a giant staircase.

The Game Baby Steps, the recent title from the developers of Ape Out, is not really a choice-driven game. Definitely not in the conventional way. You only need to navigate a vast game world as the main character Nate, a onesie-wearing manchild who can barely stand on his shaky limbs. It appears to be an exercise in frustration, but Baby Steps’s power lies in its deceptively impactful story that will surprise you when you least anticipate it. There’s not a single instance that exemplifies that strength like one major choice that I keep reflecting on.

Note: Spoilers Ahead

Some scene setting is required here. Baby Steps begins as Nate is magically whisked away from the basement of his home and into a magical realm. He soon realizes that walking through it is a difficulty, as years spent as a couch potato have weakened his muscles. The physical comedy of it all stems from players controlling Nate gradually, trying to maintain his balance.

Nate requires assistance, but he has trouble voicing that to anyone. As he progresses, he meets a group of unusual individuals in the world who everyone tries to help him out. A composed outdoorsman tries to give Nate a map, but he uncomfortably rejects in the game’s funniest instant. When he drops into an trapping cavity and is given a way out, he tries to play it off like he doesn’t need the help and truly prefers to be confined in the cavity. Throughout the story, you encounter plenty of irritating episodes where Nate complicates his own situation because he’s too self-conscious to receive help.

The Ultimate Choice

Everything builds up in Baby Steps game’s one true moment of selection. As Nate approaches the conclusion his adventure, he discovers that he must ascend of a frosty elevation. The default guardian of the world (who Nate has desperately tried to duck up to this point) comes to tell him that there are two ways up. If he’s ready for a test, he can take an extremely long and dangerous hiking trail called The Obstacle. It is the most formidable barrier Baby Steps game includes; choosing it looks risky to any human.

But there’s a second option: He can just walk up a enormous coiled steps as an alternative and reach the summit in just moments. The only caveat? He’ll have to refer to the caretaker “Lord” from now on if he chooses the simple path.

A Painful Choice

I am completely earnest when I say that this is an agonizing choice in context. It’s all of Nate’s insecurities about himself reaching a climax in one absurd moment. A portion of Nate's adventure is centered around the fact that he’s self-conscious of his physique and male identity. Each instance he sees that impressive outdoorsman, it’s a painful recollection of all he lacks. Attempting The Challenge could be a moment where he can show that he’s as capable as his unilateral competitor, but that route is sure to be laden with more awkward mishaps. Is it worth struggling just to demonstrate something?

The stairs, on the other hand, offer Nate an additional crucial instance to decide between receiving aid or refusing it. The gamer cannot choose in if they reject navigation help, but they can choose to give Nate a break and opt for the steps. It should be an simple decision, but Baby Steps game is remarkably shrewd about causing suspicion whenever you find a gift horse. The world is filled with design traps that turn a safe route into a difficulty instantly. Could the steps yet another trap? Might Nate arrive all the way to the top just to be let down by some last-second gag? And even worse, is he prepared to be humiliated yet again by being forced to call an odd character as Lord?

No Right or Wrong

The brilliance of that instant is that there’s no perfect selection. Both options leads to a authentic instance of protagonist evolution and catharsis for Nate. If you decide to take on The Challenge, it’s an personal triumph. Nate at last receives a chance to prove that he’s as able as everyone else, voluntarily accepting a difficult route rather than enduring one that he has no alternative but to take. It’s difficult, and maybe ill-advised, but it’s the bit of empowerment that he craves.

But there’s no shame in the staircase as well. To choose that path is to at last permit Nate to take support. And when he does, he discovers that there’s no hidden trick in store for him. The steps are not a joke. They continue for a while, but they’re straightforward to ascend and he won't slip all the way down if he falls. It’s a easy journey after extended challenges. Midway through, he even has a discussion with the outdoorsman who has, unsurprisingly, opted for The Obstacle. He tries to play it cool, but you can discern that he’s exhausted, quietly regretting the pointless struggle. By the time Nate reaches the summit and has to pay his debt, hailing his new Lord, the agreement barely appears so unpleasant. Who has energy for shame by this strange individual?

Personal Reflection

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