Baby Steps Features Among the Most Meaningful Decisions I Have Ever Experienced in Video Games

I've faced some hard decisions in video games. Some of my decisions in Life is Strange series still haunt me. Ghost of Tsushima's final sequence made me pause the game for a good 10 minutes while I weighed my options. I am the cause of numerous Krogan fatalities in the Mass Effect series that I regret deeply. None of those moments compare to what now might be the toughest selection I've ever made in a video game — and it concerns a massive stairway.

Baby Steps, the newest release from the makers of Ape Out game, isn’t exactly a selection-based adventure. Definitely not in typical gaming terms. You simply have to explore a sprawling open world as the main character Nate, a adult in a onesie who can hardly stay upright on his shaky limbs. It looks like a setup for annoyance, but Baby Steps game’s appeal is in its deceptively impactful story that will surprise you when it's most unexpected. There’s not a single instance that demonstrates that power like a key selection that I can’t stop thinking about.

Alert: Spoilers

Some scene setting is required here. Baby Steps begins as Nate is transported from his parents’ basement and into a fictional universe. He immediately finds that navigating this world is a struggle, as a long time spent as a couch potato have atrophied his limbs. The physical comedy of it all stems from gamers directing Nate step by step, trying to maintain his balance.

The protagonist needs aid, but he has difficulty expressing that to others. Throughout his hero’s journey, he comes in contact with a collection of quirky personalities in the world who each propose to give him a hand. A composed outdoorsman tries to give Nate a guide, but he uncomfortably rejects in the game’s most hilarious scene. When he drops into an unavoidable hole and is given a way out, he attempts to act casual like he can manage alone and truly prefers to be trapped in the pit. During the narrative, you see numerous irritating episodes where Nate creates additional difficulties because he’s not confident enough to receive help.

The Ultimate Choice

Everything builds up in Baby Steps game’s single genuine instance of decision. As Nate nears the end his journey, he realizes that he must reach the summit of a snow-capped peak. The de facto groundskeeper of the world (who Nate has actively avoided up to this point) shows up to let him know that there are two paths upward. If he’s up for a challenge, he can opt for a particularly extended and hazardous route dubbed The Obstacle. It is the most intimidating challenge Baby Steps game provides; taking it seems inadvisable to anyone.

But there’s a other possibility: He can merely climb a enormous coiled steps as an alternative and get to the top in a few minutes. The sole condition? He’ll have to call the groundskeeper “Lord” from now on if he opts for the effortless way.

An Agonizing Decision

I am completely earnest when I say that this is an difficult selection in this situation. It’s all of Nate’s insecurities about himself culminating in one absurd moment. An element of Nate's story is revolves around the truth that he’s insecure of his body and his masculinity. Whenever he sees that handsome trekker, it’s a difficult memory of all he lacks. Taking on The Manbreaker could be a moment where he can prove that he’s as able as his imagined opponent, but that road is bound to be paved with more humiliating failures. Is it worth struggling just to make a statement?

The staircase, on the contrary, give Nate another big moment to decide between receiving aid or refusing it. The user doesn't get to decide in if they decline guidance, but they can opt to allow Nate some relief and choose the staircase. It might seem like an easy choice, but Baby Steps game is devilishly clever about causing suspicion anytime you find a gift horse. The environment includes planned obstacles that turn a safe route into a difficulty suddenly. Are the stairs an additional deception? Might Nate arrive all the way to the top just to be fooled by some last-second gag? And even worse, is he ready to be diminished yet again by being compelled to refer to a strange individual as Master?

No Correct Answer

The excellence of that situation is that there’s no correct or incorrect choice. Each path results in a genuine moment of protagonist evolution and catharsis for Nate. If you choose to tackle The Manbreaker, it’s an philosophical victory. Nate eventually obtains a chance to prove that he’s as competent as anyone else, willingly taking on a challenging way rather than suffering through one that he has no choice but to follow. It’s hard, and perhaps unwise, but it’s the dose of confidence that he craves.

But there’s no embarrassment in the stairs too. To opt for that way is to finally allow Nate to receive assistance. And when he accomplishes that, he realizes that there’s no secret drawback waiting for him. The staircase is not a trick. They go on for a long time, but they’re straightforward to ascend and he won't slip completely down if he falls. It’s a simple climb after extended challenges. Halfway up, he even has a discussion with the outdoorsman who has, of course, opted for The Challenge. He attempts to act casual, but you can see that he’s exhausted, silently lamenting the needless difficulty. By the time Nate reaches the summit and has to pay his debt, calling the character Lord, the arrangement scarcely looks so unpleasant. Who has concern for humiliation by this freak?

My Experience

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