The Game Baby Steps Includes One of the Most Meaningful Decisions I Have Ever Experienced in a Game

I've dealt with some difficult decisions in interactive entertainment. Some of my decisions in Life is Strange remain on my mind. Ghost of Tsushima concluding moments made me put my controller down for a good 10 minutes while I thought through my choices. I am responsible for numerous Krogan deaths in the Mass Effect series that I would love to reverse. None of those moments compare to what now might be the most difficult decision I've ever made in gaming — and it concerns a giant staircase.

Baby Steps, the newest release from the creators of Ape Out, isn’t exactly a decision-focused experience. At least not in the conventional way. You only need to explore a expansive environment as Nate, a onesie-wearing manchild who can hardly stay upright on his wobbly legs. It appears to be a setup for annoyance, but Baby Steps’s appeal is in its surprisingly deep narrative that will surprise you when you’re least expecting it. There’s not a single instance that showcases that quality like a pivotal decision that I keep reflecting on.

Spoiler Warning

Some scene setting is needed at this point. Baby Steps game starts when Nate is transported from the basement of his home and into a fictional universe. He immediately finds that moving around in it is a challenge, as a lifetime spent as a sedentary person have atrophied his limbs. The physical comedy of it all stems from players controlling Nate step by step, trying to keep his ragdoll body standing.

Nate needs help, but he has trouble voicing that to anyone. Throughout his hero’s journey, he encounters a cast of eccentric characters in the world who all offer to assist him. A cool, confident hiker attempts to offer Nate a guide, but he uncomfortably rejects in the game’s funniest instant. When he plunges into an trapping cavity and is given a way out, he strives to appear nonchalant like he requires no assistance and truly prefers to be stuck in the hole. As the plot unfolds, 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 reach the summit of a snowy mountain. The default guardian of the world (who Nate has consistently evaded up to this point) comes to let him know that there are two paths upward. If he’s up for a challenge, he can take an extremely long and risky path named The Obstacle. It is the most intimidating challenge Baby Steps game has to offer; choosing it looks risky to anyone.

But there’s a second option: He can simply ascend a gigantic spiral staircase as an alternative and arrive at the peak in a few minutes. The single stipulation? He’ll have to address the guardian “Sir” from now on if he chooses the simple path.

A Difficult Selection

I am completely earnest when I say that this is an agonizing choice in the game's narrative. It’s the totality of Nate's self-consciousness about himself coming to a head in a particularly bizarre situation. 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 everything he’s not. Undertaking The Manbreaker could be a instance where he can demonstrate that he’s as capable as his unilateral competitor, but that road is bound to be laden with more awkward mishaps. Is it worth suffering just to prove a point?

The steps, on the flip side, offer Nate an additional crucial instance to decide between receiving aid or refusing it. The user doesn't get to decide in about they reject navigation help, but they can choose to provide Nate with respite and opt for the steps. It might seem like an straightforward selection, but Baby Steps is exceptionally cunning about making you feel paranoid whenever you find a gift horse. The world is filled with planned obstacles that transform an easy path into a obstacle on a dime. Are the stairs yet another trap? Will Nate get to the very summit just to be fooled by a final joke? And more concerning, is he prepared to be humiliated yet again by being made to address a strange individual as Master?

No Correct Answer

The brilliance of that instant is that there’s no perfect selection. Either one brings about a genuine moment of character development and therapeutic resolution for Nate. If you decide to take on The Obstacle, it’s an philosophical victory. Nate finally gets a opportunity to demonstrate that he’s as competent as anyone else, consciously choosing a tough path rather than suffering through one that he has no option except to pursue. It’s challenging, and possibly risky, but it’s the bit of empowerment that he craves.

But there’s no shame in the steps as well. To select that route is to at last permit Nate to receive assistance. And when he does, he discovers that there’s no real catch waiting for him. The steps are not a joke. They go on for a long time, but they’re simple to climb and he does not fall all the way down if he trips. It’s a easy journey after hours of struggle. Midway through, he even has a chat with the hiker who has, unsurprisingly, chosen to take The Obstacle. He attempts to act casual, but you can tell that he’s worn out, quietly regretting the needless difficulty. By the time Nate reaches the summit and has to meet his agreement, hailing his new Lord, the agreement barely appears so unpleasant. Who has time to be embarrassed by this strange individual?

My Choice

During my game, I selected the steps. Part of me just {wanted to call