The Game Baby Steps Presents Among the Most Impactful Decisions I've Ever Encountered in a Game

I've encountered some hard decisions in interactive entertainment. Several of my selections in Life is Strange continue to trouble me. Ghost of Tsushima ending section prompted me to set down my controller for a good 10 minutes while I thought through my options. I am the cause of countless Krogan fatalities in the Mass Effect series that I regret deeply. Not one of those instances hold a candle to what possibly is the toughest selection I've faced in interactive media — and it concerns a enormous set of steps.

Baby Steps, the recent title from the makers of Ape Out, isn’t exactly a choice-driven game. At least not in any traditional sense. You only need to explore a sprawling open world as Nate, a onesie-wearing manchild who can hardly stay upright on his shaky limbs. It seems like one big ragebait joke, but Baby Steps game’s power lies in its unexpectedly meaningful plot that will catch you off guard when you’re least expecting it. There’s no situation that demonstrates that power like a pivotal decision that remains on my mind.

Alert: Spoilers

Some background information is required here. Baby Steps starts when Nate is magically whisked away from the basement of his home and into a magical realm. He quickly discovers that moving around in it is a struggle, as years spent as a couch potato have atrophied his limbs. The physical comedy of it all stems from players controlling Nate gradually, trying to keep his ragdoll body standing.

Nate needs help, but he has trouble voicing that to others. Throughout his hero’s journey, he comes in contact with a collection of quirky personalities in the world who everyone tries to give him a hand. A composed outdoorsman tries to give Nate a map, but he uncomfortably rejects in the game’s best laugh-out-loud moment. When he drops into an unavoidable hole and is presented with a ladder, he tries to play it off like he requires no assistance and genuinely desires to be trapped in the pit. As the plot unfolds, you encounter plenty of irritating episodes where Nate creates additional difficulties because he’s not confident enough to take support.

The Pivotal Moment

Everything builds up in Baby Steps game’s single genuine instance of decision. As Nate gets close to finishing his journey, he realizes that he must reach the summit of a frosty elevation. The unofficial caretaker of the world (who Nate has consistently evaded up to this point) shows up to tell him that there are two ways up. If he’s ready for a test, he can take an extremely long and risky path dubbed The Challenge. It is the most formidable barrier Baby Steps includes; choosing it looks risky to anyone.

But there’s a other possibility: He can simply ascend a massive winding stairs in its place and reach the summit in a few minutes. The only caveat? He’ll have to address the guardian “Master” from now on if he takes the easy route.

A Painful Choice

I am absolutely sincere when I say that this is an painful decision in this situation. It’s all of Nate’s insecurities about himself coming to a head in a single ridiculous instant. A portion of Nate's adventure is centered around the fact that he’s self-conscious of his body and his masculinity. Every time he sees that impressive outdoorsman, it’s a hard reminder of what he fails to be. Undertaking The Challenge could be a time where he can demonstrate that he’s as competent as his one-sided rival, but that route is sure to be paved with more humiliating failures. Does it merit suffering just to make a statement?

The stairs, on the flip side, provide Nate with another significant opportunity to either accept or reject help. The user doesn't get to decide in if they reject navigation help, but they can decide to allow Nate some relief and choose the staircase. It might seem like an straightforward selection, but Baby Steps game is devilishly clever about causing suspicion whenever you encounter an easy option. The game world contains planned obstacles that turn a safe route into a obstacle on a dime. Could the steps an additional deception? Will Nate get at the peak just to be fooled by a final joke? And more concerning, is he ready to be diminished yet again by being compelled to refer to a strange individual as Master?

No Perfect Choice

The brilliance of that instant is that there’s no right or wrong answer. Each path results in a real situation of character development and emotional release for Nate. If you opt to attempt The Obstacle, it’s an personal triumph. Nate at last receives a moment to show that he’s as able as everyone else, willingly taking on a difficult route rather than suffering through one that he has no choice but to follow. It’s hard, and maybe ill-advised, but it’s the dose of confidence that he needs.

But there’s no disgrace in the steps too. To opt for that way is to finally allow Nate to accept help. And when he does so, he finds that there’s no real catch in store for 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 to the bottom if he trips. It’s a straightforward ascent after hours of struggle. Halfway up, he even has a conversation with the outdoorsman who has, unsurprisingly, selected The Manbreaker. He attempts to act casual, but you can discern that he’s fatigued, quietly regretting the pointless struggle. By the time Nate gets to the top and has to pay his debt, hailing his new Lord, the deal hardly seems so bad. Who has concern for humiliation by this odd character?

My Experience

When I played, I opted for the stairs. A portion of my thinking just {wanted to call