The Game Baby Steps Features Among the Most Impactful Choices I Have Ever Encountered in Video Games

I've encountered some challenging choices in video games. Certain choices I made in Life is Strange series continue to trouble me. Ghost of Tsushima concluding moments prompted me to put my controller down for several minutes while I thought through my choices. I am responsible for numerous Krogan demises in Mass Effect that I would love to reverse. Not a single one of those situations hold a candle to what now might be the most difficult decision I've faced in a video game — and it concerns a enormous set of steps.

Baby Steps, the latest game from the creators of Ape Out, isn’t exactly a decision-focused experience. At least not in the conventional way. You simply have to walk around a sprawling open world as the protagonist Nate, a onesie-wearing manchild who can struggle to remain on his wobbly legs. It looks like one big ragebait joke, but Baby Steps game’s appeal is in its unexpectedly meaningful plot that will sneak up on you when you least anticipate it. There’s no moment that demonstrates that power like a pivotal decision that I can’t stop thinking about.

Note: Spoilers Ahead

A bit of context is required here. Baby Steps starts when Nate is magically whisked away from the basement of his home and into a fictional universe. He quickly discovers that walking through it is a struggle, as years spent as a couch potato have weakened his muscles. The humorous physicality of it all comes from users guiding Nate step by step, trying to keep his ragdoll body standing.

Nate needs help, but he has difficulty expressing that to anyone. As he progresses, he meets a cast of eccentric characters in the world who each propose to give him a hand. A cool, confident hiker seeks to provide Nate a guide, but he awkwardly refuses in the game’s funniest instant. When he plunges into an trapping cavity and is given a way out, he tries to play it off like he requires no assistance and truly prefers to be trapped in the pit. Throughout the story, you see numerous irritating episodes where Nate makes life harder for himself because he’s too self-conscious to take support.

The Defining Decision

That comes to a head in Baby Steps game’s key situation of choice. As Nate gets close to finishing his adventure, he discovers that he must ascend of a snowy mountain. The de facto groundskeeper of the world (who Nate has desperately tried to duck up to this point) shows up to tell him that there are two paths upward. If he’s prepared for difficulty, he can opt for a particularly extended and hazardous route called The Obstacle. It is the most intimidating challenge Baby Steps game includes; attempting it appears unwise to any human.

But there’s a second option: He can merely climb a gigantic spiral staircase instead and reach the summit in a short time. The sole condition? He’ll have to call the groundskeeper “Master” from now on if he takes the easy route.

A Difficult Selection

I am absolutely sincere when I say that this is an painful decision in context. It’s every one of Nate's doubts about himself culminating in a particularly bizarre situation. A portion of Nate's adventure is centered around the reality that he’s insecure of his physical appearance and manhood. Whenever he sees that impressive outdoorsman, it’s a hard reminder of all he lacks. Taking on The Challenge could be a instance where he can prove that he’s as capable as his one-sided rival, but that route is sure to be filled with more humiliating failures. Does it merit striving just to demonstrate something?

The stairs, on the contrary, provide Nate with another significant opportunity to choose whether to take assistance or not. The user doesn't get to decide in if they decline guidance, but they can choose to provide Nate with respite and opt for the steps. It ought to be an easy choice, but Baby Steps is exceptionally cunning about making you feel paranoid each time you see a simple solution. The world is filled with design traps that change a secure way into a setback on a dime. Is the staircase one more trick? Could Nate reach all the way to the top just to be fooled by a final joke? And more concerning, is he prepared to be humiliated once again by being forced to call a strange individual as Master?

No Correct Answer

The excellence of that situation is that there’s no right or wrong answer. Both options brings about a authentic instance of personal growth and catharsis for Nate. If you choose to tackle The Manbreaker, it’s an philosophical victory. Nate finally gets a opportunity to demonstrate that he’s as competent as anyone else, voluntarily accepting a challenging way rather than enduring one that he has no choice but to follow. It’s challenging, and possibly risky, but it’s the moment of strength that he craves.

But there’s no disgrace in the stairs either. To opt for that way is to at last permit Nate to accept help. And when he accomplishes that, he discovers that there’s no secret drawback awaiting him. The steps are not a joke. They continue for a while, but they’re straightforward to ascend and he won't slip to the bottom if he falls. It’s a straightforward ascent after lengthy difficulty. Midway through, he even has a conversation with the outdoorsman who has, unsurprisingly, selected The Challenge. He strives to appear composed, but you can see that he’s fatigued, quietly regretting the needless difficulty. By the time Nate reaches the summit and has to meet his agreement, addressing his new Master, the arrangement scarcely looks so bad. Who has energy for shame by this strange individual?

Personal Reflection

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