Baby Steps Includes Among the Most Meaningful Decisions I've Ever Faced in Gaming

I've faced some challenging decisions in gaming. Some of my decisions in Life is Strange remain on my mind. Ghost of Tsushima concluding moments prompted me to put my controller down for several minutes while I thought through my alternatives. I am responsible for countless Krogan fatalities in the Mass Effect series that I regret deeply. Not one of those instances measure up to what possibly is the most difficult decision I've faced in a video game — and it involves a giant staircase.

Baby Steps, the newest release from the creators of Ape Out game, isn’t exactly a selection-based adventure. Definitely not in typical gaming terms. You simply have to explore a expansive environment as the main character Nate, a onesie-wearing manchild who can barely stand on his wobbly legs. It looks like an exercise in frustration, but Baby Steps game’s strength comes from its unexpectedly meaningful plot that will surprise you when you’re least expecting it. There’s not a single instance that showcases that quality like a key selection that I can’t stop thinking about.

Note: Spoilers Ahead

A bit of context is necessary here. Baby Steps game starts when the protagonist is suddenly taken from his family's basement and into a fantasy world. He quickly discovers that navigating this world is a challenge, as a lifetime spent as a sedentary person have deteriorated his physical condition. The slapstick elements of it all arises from gamers directing Nate gradually, trying to maintain his balance.

Nate requires assistance, but he has problems articulating that to other characters. During his adventure, he encounters a group of unusual individuals in the world who everyone tries to help him out. A composed outdoorsman attempts to offer Nate a navigation aid, but he awkwardly refuses in the game’s funniest instant. When he falls into an trapping cavity and is presented with a ladder, he strives to appear nonchalant like he requires no assistance and actually wants to be confined in the cavity. During the narrative, you encounter plenty of annoying scenarios where Nate creates additional difficulties because he’s too insecure to receive help.

The Pivotal Moment

This culminates in Baby Steps’s key situation of choice. As Nate approaches the conclusion his journey, he discovers that he must climb to the top of a snowy mountain. The unofficial caretaker of the world (who Nate has desperately tried to duck up to this point) comes to let him know that there are two paths upward. If he’s ready for a test, he can choose a very lengthy and dangerous hiking trail named The Manbreaker. It is the most daunting obstacle Baby Steps has to offer; taking it seems inadvisable to any person.

But there’s a other possibility: He can simply ascend a massive winding stairs as an alternative and reach the summit in a few minutes. The only caveat? He’ll have to address the guardian “Sir” from now on if he opts for the effortless way.

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 culminating in one absurd moment. A portion of Nate's adventure is focused on the reality that he’s insecure of his physique and male identity. Each instance he sees that impressive outdoorsman, it’s a hard reminder of everything he’s not. Taking on The Manbreaker could be a time where he can prove that he’s as competent as his imagined opponent, but that route is sure to be paved with more embarrassing pratfalls. Does it merit suffering just to demonstrate something?

The steps, on the flip side, give Nate another big moment to decide between receiving aid or refusing it. The gamer cannot choose in if they decline guidance, but they can choose to allow Nate some relief and opt for the steps. It should be an simple decision, but Baby Steps is devilishly clever about making you feel paranoid anytime you encounter an easy option. The world is filled with design traps that transform an easy path into a difficulty suddenly. Is the staircase one more trick? Could Nate reach 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 compelled to refer to an odd character as Lord?

No Correct Answer

The excellence of that situation is that there’s no perfect selection. Each path leads to a real situation of character development and catharsis for Nate. If you decide to take on The Manbreaker, it’s an existential win. Nate at last receives a moment to show that he’s as capable as anyone else, consciously choosing a difficult route rather than struggling through one that he has no choice but to follow. It’s challenging, and perhaps unwise, but it’s the moment of strength that he craves.

But there’s no shame in the steps too. To select that route is to eventually enable Nate to take support. And when he accomplishes that, he discovers that there’s no secret drawback awaiting him. The steps are not a joke. They go on for a long time, but they’re straightforward to ascend and he does not fall all the way down if he stumbles. It’s a simple climb after extended challenges. Halfway up, he even has a conversation with the trekker who has, naturally, opted for The Manbreaker. He tries to play it cool, but you can discern that he’s fatigued, subtly ruing the unnecessary challenge. By the time Nate arrives at the peak and has to fulfill his obligation, calling the character Lord, the agreement barely appears so nasty. Who has time to be embarrassed by this freak?

My Choice

When I played, I opted for the stairs. Some part of my reasoning just {wanted to call