Baby Steps Presents Among the Most Meaningful Choices I Have Ever Encountered in Video Games

I've dealt with some difficult decisions in interactive entertainment. Certain choices I made in Life is Strange series remain on my mind. Ghost of Tsushima final sequence made me set down my controller for several minutes while I thought through my choices. I am the cause of so many Krogan demises in the Mass Effect series that I wish I could undo. Not one of those instances hold a candle to what possibly is the hardest choice I've ever made in gaming — and it has to do with a enormous set of steps.

The Game Baby Steps, the latest game from the creators of Ape Out, is not really a decision-focused experience. Certainly not in any traditional sense. You only need to navigate a sprawling open world as the main character Nate, a adult in a onesie who can hardly stay upright on his wobbly legs. It appears to be one big ragebait joke, but Baby Steps’s appeal is in its surprisingly deep narrative that will sneak up on you when it's most unexpected. There’s not a single instance that demonstrates that power like one major choice that remains on my mind.

Alert: Spoilers

A bit of context is needed at this point. Baby Steps game starts when Nate is magically whisked away from his family's basement and into a fantasy world. He soon realizes that moving around in it is a difficulty, as a long time spent as a sedentary person have deteriorated his physical condition. The humorous physicality of it all arises from players controlling Nate step by step, trying to maintain his balance.

Nate requires assistance, but he has problems articulating that to others. During his adventure, he meets a group of unusual individuals in the world who everyone tries to assist him. A self-assured trekker tries to give Nate a navigation aid, but he uncomfortably rejects in the game’s most hilarious scene. When he falls into an inescapable pit and is given a way out, he tries to play it off like he can manage alone and genuinely desires to be confined in the cavity. As the plot unfolds, you experience no shortage of annoying scenarios where Nate complicates his own situation because he’s not confident enough to take support.

The Ultimate Choice

That comes to a head in Baby Steps game’s single genuine instance of decision. As Nate gets close to finishing his journey, he finds that he must ascend of a snow-capped peak. The default guardian of the world (who Nate has actively avoided up to this point) shows up to tell him that there are two ways up. If he’s prepared for difficulty, he can choose a very lengthy and dangerous hiking trail named The Manbreaker. It is the most intimidating challenge Baby Steps game includes; attempting it appears unwise to any human.

But there’s a alternative choice: He can simply ascend a enormous coiled steps as an alternative and arrive at the peak in a few minutes. The only caveat? He’ll have to call the groundskeeper “Master” from now on if he opts for the effortless way.

A Painful Choice

I am completely earnest when I say that this is an painful decision in this situation. It’s the totality of Nate's self-consciousness about himself reaching a climax in one absurd moment. A portion of Nate's adventure is revolves around the truth that he’s self-conscious of his body and his masculinity. Every time he sees that impressive outdoorsman, it’s a hard reminder of everything he’s not. Attempting The Challenge could be a instance where he can show that he’s as competent as his one-sided rival, but that route is sure to be paved with more awkward mishaps. Is it justified suffering just to prove a point?

The stairs, on the flip side, provide Nate with another significant opportunity to decide between receiving aid or refusing it. The gamer cannot choose in whether or not they decline guidance, but they can opt to allow Nate some relief and opt for the steps. It ought to be an simple decision, but Baby Steps is exceptionally cunning about creating doubt anytime you find a gift horse. The world is filled with design traps that turn a safe route into a obstacle on a dime. Could the steps one more trick? Could Nate reach all the way to the top just to be fooled by an ending prank? And more concerning, is he willing to be emasculated once again by being made to address an odd character as Lord?

No Correct Answer

The excellence of that situation is that there’s no correct or incorrect choice. Either one leads to a authentic instance of protagonist evolution and emotional release for Nate. If you decide to take on The Obstacle, it’s an philosophical victory. Nate eventually obtains a chance to prove that he’s as competent as everyone else, voluntarily accepting a difficult route rather than suffering through one that he has no alternative but to take. It’s challenging, and perhaps unwise, but it’s the dose of confidence that he requires.

But there’s no disgrace in the steps either. To opt for that way is to at last permit Nate to accept help. And when he does, he discovers that there’s no hidden trick in store for him. The stairs aren’t a prank. They extend for some distance, but they’re simple to climb and he won't slip all the way down if he falls. It’s a simple climb after extended challenges. Midway through, he even has a discussion with the trekker who has, unsurprisingly, selected The Manbreaker. He attempts to act casual, but you can tell that he’s worn out, subtly ruing the needless difficulty. By the time Nate reaches the summit and has to fulfill his obligation, hailing his new Lord, the arrangement scarcely looks so unpleasant. Who has time to be embarrassed by this strange individual?

Personal Reflection

During my game, I chose the staircase. A portion of my thinking just {wanted to call