Baby Steps Includes One of the Most Impactful Decisions I Have Ever Faced in a Game

I've encountered some hard choices in interactive entertainment. Some of my decisions in Life is Strange remain on my mind. Ghost of Tsushima ending section prompted me to set down my controller for around ten minutes while I thought through my alternatives. I am responsible for so many Krogan fatalities in Mass Effect that I would love to reverse. None of those moments measure up to what possibly is the most difficult decision I've ever made in a video game — and it concerns a enormous set of steps.

The Game Baby Steps, the recent title from the makers of Ape Out, is not really a choice-driven game. Certainly not in typical gaming terms. You simply have to explore a vast game world as the protagonist Nate, a onesie-wearing manchild who can struggle to remain on his shaky limbs. It appears to be an exercise in frustration, but Baby Steps game’s appeal is in its deceptively impactful story that will sneak up on you when it's most unexpected. There’s no moment that showcases that quality like one major choice that I can’t stop thinking about.

Spoiler Warning

A bit of context is required here. Baby Steps game begins as Nate is magically whisked away from his family's basement and into a fantasy world. He soon realizes that navigating this world is a challenge, as years spent as a couch potato have weakened his muscles. The physical comedy of it all stems from users guiding Nate step by step, trying to maintain his balance.

The protagonist needs aid, but he has problems articulating that to other characters. Throughout his hero’s journey, he encounters a collection of quirky personalities in the world who each propose to give him a hand. A self-assured trekker attempts to offer Nate a map, but he uncomfortably rejects in the game’s best laugh-out-loud moment. When he drops into an inescapable pit and is offered a ladder, he strives to appear nonchalant like he requires no assistance and actually wants to be stuck in the hole. As the plot unfolds, you see numerous irritating episodes where Nate creates additional difficulties because he’s too self-conscious to accept any assistance.

The Defining Decision

That comes to a head in Baby Steps’s key situation of selection. As Nate nears the end his adventure, he discovers that he must climb to the top of a snowy mountain. The unofficial caretaker of the world (who Nate has consistently evaded up to this point) appears to let him know that there are two ways up. If he’s up for a challenge, he can choose a very lengthy and dangerous hiking trail called The Challenge. It is the most formidable barrier Baby Steps has to offer; choosing it looks risky to any human.

But there’s a other possibility: He can merely climb a massive winding stairs in its place and reach the summit in a short time. The sole condition? He’ll have to refer to the caretaker “Master” from now on if he chooses the simple path.

An Agonizing Decision

I am absolutely sincere when I say that this is an difficult selection in context. It’s the totality of Nate's self-consciousness about himself culminating in a single ridiculous instant. Part of Nate’s journey is focused on the reality that he’s self-conscious of his body and his masculinity. Each instance he sees that dashing hiker, it’s a hard reminder of what he fails to be. Attempting The Obstacle could be a moment where he can prove that he’s as capable as his one-sided rival, but that path is likely filled with more awkward mishaps. Is it worth struggling just to make a statement?

The stairs, on the contrary, provide Nate with another significant opportunity to either accept or reject help. The user doesn't get to decide in whether or not they reject navigation help, but they can decide to allow Nate some relief and choose the staircase. It should be an easy choice, but Baby Steps game is remarkably shrewd about creating doubt whenever you find a gift horse. The game world contains planned obstacles that change a secure way into a obstacle suddenly. Is the staircase yet another trap? Might Nate arrive at the peak just to be disappointed by some last-second gag? And more concerning, is he prepared to be humiliated another time by being forced to call an odd character as Lord?

No Perfect Choice

The brilliance of that instant is that there’s no right or wrong answer. Either one brings about a authentic instance of personal growth and emotional release for Nate. If you opt to attempt The Obstacle, it’s an philosophical victory. Nate finally gets a moment to show that he’s as able as others, consciously choosing a challenging way rather than enduring one that he has no choice but to follow. It’s hard, and maybe ill-advised, but it’s the bit of empowerment that he requires.

But there’s no disgrace in the steps either. To select that route is to at last permit Nate to accept help. And when he accomplishes that, he discovers that there’s no secret drawback awaiting him. The steps are not a joke. They extend for some distance, but they’re straightforward to ascend and he does not fall all the way down if he trips. It’s a simple climb after extended challenges. Midway through, he even has a conversation with the outdoorsman who has, of course, opted for The Manbreaker. He attempts to act casual, but you can discern that he’s worn out, quietly regretting the pointless struggle. By the time Nate gets to the top and has to fulfill his obligation, calling the character Lord, the deal hardly seems so bad. Who has time to be embarrassed by this odd character?

My Experience

When I played, I opted for the stairs. Part of me just {wanted to call