The Game Baby Steps Features One of the Most Impactful Choices I've Ever Faced in Gaming

I've faced some challenging decisions in video games. Some of my decisions in Life is Strange still haunt me. Ghost of Tsushima concluding moments made me pause the game for around ten minutes while I thought through my alternatives. I am responsible for so many Krogan demises in the Mass Effect series that I wish I could undo. Not one of those instances measure up to what could be the most difficult decision I've faced in interactive media — and it involves a giant staircase.

The Game Baby Steps, the latest game from the makers of Ape Out game, is not really a decision-focused experience. Definitely not in any traditional sense. You simply have to explore a sprawling open world as Nate, a grown-up in childish attire who can hardly stay upright on his wobbly legs. It appears to be a setup for annoyance, but Baby Steps game’s power lies in its unexpectedly meaningful plot that will surprise you when you’re least expecting it. There’s not a single instance that demonstrates that power like one major choice that remains on my mind.

Note: Spoilers Ahead

A bit of context is necessary here. Baby Steps game starts when Nate is magically whisked away from his family's basement and into a fantasy world. He quickly discovers that moving around in it is a difficulty, as years spent as a sedentary person have atrophied his limbs. The physical comedy of it all arises from players controlling Nate step by step, trying to keep his ragdoll body standing.

Nate requires assistance, but he has difficulty expressing that to anyone. Throughout his hero’s journey, he comes in contact with a collection of quirky personalities in the world who all offer to help him out. A composed outdoorsman attempts to offer Nate a map, but he clumsily declines in the game’s funniest instant. When he plunges into an trapping cavity and is presented with a ladder, he attempts to act casual like he requires no assistance and genuinely desires to be trapped in the pit. As the plot unfolds, you encounter plenty of frustrating vignettes where Nate complicates his own situation because he’s not confident enough to accept any assistance.

The Pivotal Moment

Everything builds up in Baby Steps game’s one true moment of decision. As Nate approaches the conclusion his journey, he finds that he must reach the summit of a frosty elevation. The default guardian of the world (who Nate has desperately tried to duck up to this point) shows up to let him know that there are two paths upward. If he’s prepared for difficulty, he can choose a very lengthy and dangerous hiking trail called The Manbreaker. It is the most formidable barrier Baby Steps game provides; taking it seems inadvisable to anyone.

But there’s a other possibility: He can just walk up a gigantic spiral staircase in its place and arrive at the peak in just moments. The single stipulation? He’ll have to address the guardian “Lord” from now on if he takes the easy route.

An Agonizing Decision

I am absolutely sincere when I say that this is an painful decision in the game's narrative. It’s all of Nate’s insecurities about himself culminating in one absurd moment. A portion of Nate's adventure is centered around the reality that he’s unconfident of his physical appearance and manhood. Every time he sees that impressive outdoorsman, it’s a difficult memory of all he lacks. Undertaking The Challenge could be a time where he can demonstrate that he’s as capable as his imagined opponent, but that route is sure to be paved with more embarrassing pratfalls. Is it worth striving just to prove a point?

The steps, on the other hand, provide Nate with another significant opportunity to choose whether to take assistance or not. The user doesn't get to decide in whether or not they reject navigation help, but they can opt to allow Nate some relief and take the stairs. It ought to be an easy choice, but Baby Steps game is devilishly clever about causing suspicion whenever you see a simple solution. The world is filled with intentional pitfalls that change a secure way into a difficulty suddenly. Are the stairs yet another trap? Could Nate reach all the way to the top just to be disappointed by a final joke? And more concerning, is he prepared to be humiliated yet again by being compelled to refer to a strange individual as Master?

No Correct Answer

The beauty of that moment is that there’s no correct or incorrect choice. Both options brings about a genuine moment of character development and emotional release for Nate. If you choose to tackle The Manbreaker, it’s an existential win. Nate finally gets a opportunity to demonstrate that he’s as able as others, willingly taking on a tough path rather than enduring one that he has no alternative but to take. It’s hard, and possibly risky, but it’s the moment of strength that he craves.

But there’s no embarrassment in the steps as well. To choose that path is to eventually enable Nate to receive assistance. And when he does, he discovers that there’s no real catch awaiting him. The stairs aren’t a prank. They go on for a long time, but they’re easy to walk up and he won't slip all the way down if he stumbles. It’s a straightforward ascent after hours of struggle. Midway through, he even has a chat with the outdoorsman who has, naturally, opted for The Obstacle. He strives to appear composed, but you can see that he’s fatigued, subtly ruing the pointless struggle. By the time Nate arrives at the peak and has to meet his agreement, calling the character Lord, the arrangement scarcely looks so nasty. Who has energy for shame by this strange individual?

My Choice

During my game, I chose the staircase. A portion of my thinking just {wanted to call