Baby Steps Presents One of the Most Meaningful Choices I've Ever Faced in a Game

I've faced some hard choices in video games. Several of my selections in Life is Strange continue to trouble me. Ghost of Tsushima's ending section prompted me to put my controller down for a good 10 minutes while I thought through my options. I am accountable for so many Krogan deaths in Mass Effect that I wish I could undo. None of those moments compare to what could be the most difficult decision I’ve had to make in interactive media — and it concerns a enormous set of steps.

The Game Baby Steps, the newest release from the creators of Ape Out game, isn’t exactly a choice-driven game. Certainly not in the conventional way. You only need to explore a expansive environment as the protagonist Nate, a onesie-wearing manchild who can barely stand on his unsteady feet. It seems like an exercise in frustration, but Baby Steps’s appeal is in its unexpectedly meaningful plot that will sneak up on you when you least anticipate it. There’s not a single instance that demonstrates that power like a key selection that I keep reflecting on.

Alert: Spoilers

Some background information is needed at this point. Baby Steps begins as Nate is transported from his family's basement and into a fictional universe. He soon realizes that walking through it is a difficulty, as a lifetime spent as a sedentary person have weakened his muscles. The slapstick elements of it all arises from gamers directing Nate one step at a time, trying to prevent him from falling over.

Nate requires assistance, but he has trouble voicing that to other characters. Throughout his hero’s journey, he comes in contact with a cast of eccentric characters in the world who everyone tries to assist him. A self-assured trekker seeks to provide Nate a map, but he uncomfortably rejects in the game’s most hilarious scene. When he falls into an trapping cavity and is presented with a ladder, he strives to appear nonchalant like he requires no assistance and genuinely desires to be stuck in the hole. During the narrative, you encounter plenty of irritating episodes where Nate complicates his own situation because he’s too self-conscious to take support.

The Pivotal Moment

That comes to a head in Baby Steps’s single genuine instance of selection. As Nate nears the end his quest, he finds that he must ascend of a snow-capped peak. The unofficial caretaker of the world (who Nate has consistently evaded up to this point) shows up to let him know that there are two paths upward. If he’s prepared for difficulty, he can opt for a particularly extended and dangerous hiking trail dubbed The Challenge. It is the most intimidating challenge Baby Steps game provides; taking it seems inadvisable to any person.

But there’s a second option: He can merely climb a massive winding stairs in its place and reach the summit in a few minutes. The sole condition? He’ll have to refer to the caretaker “Lord” 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 context. It’s every one of Nate's doubts about himself culminating in one absurd moment. A portion of Nate's adventure is revolves around the reality that he’s self-conscious of his physical appearance and manhood. Whenever he sees that handsome trekker, it’s a painful recollection of what he fails to be. Taking on The Challenge could be a moment where he can prove that he’s as able as his unilateral competitor, but that path is likely paved with more embarrassing pratfalls. Does it merit suffering just to demonstrate something?

The staircase, on the other hand, give Nate another big moment to decide between receiving aid or refusing it. The user doesn't get to decide in whether or not they decline guidance, but they can choose to provide Nate with respite and opt for the steps. It ought to be an simple decision, but Baby Steps game is devilishly clever about causing suspicion whenever you see a simple solution. The game world contains planned obstacles that transform an easy path into a obstacle suddenly. Are the stairs yet another trap? Will Nate get at the peak just to be let down by some last-second gag? And more troubling, is he ready to be diminished another time by being forced to call a strange individual as Master?

No Perfect Choice

The brilliance of that instant is that there’s no perfect selection. Either one results in a genuine moment of character development and catharsis for Nate. If you decide to take on The Obstacle, it’s an philosophical victory. Nate at last receives a opportunity to demonstrate that he’s as competent as anyone else, willingly taking on a tough path rather than struggling through one that he has no choice but to follow. It’s hard, and possibly risky, but it’s the moment of strength that he requires.

But there’s no disgrace in the stairs as well. To select that route is to finally allow Nate to take support. And when he does, he discovers that there’s no real catch waiting for him. The steps are not a joke. They continue for a while, but they’re simple to climb and he doesn’t slide all the way down if he stumbles. It’s a easy journey after lengthy difficulty. Partway through, he even has a chat with the hiker who has, of course, chosen to take The Manbreaker. He attempts to act casual, but you can see that he’s worn out, subtly ruing the pointless struggle. By the time Nate reaches the summit and has to pay his debt, addressing his new Master, the agreement barely appears so nasty. Who has concern for humiliation by this freak?

Personal Reflection

When I played, I selected the steps. Some part of my reasoning just {wanted to call