The Game Baby Steps Includes One of the Most Meaningful Decisions I Have Ever Experienced in a Game

I've encountered some difficult choices in interactive entertainment. Several of my selections in Life is Strange series remain on my mind. Ghost of Tsushima final sequence made me pause the game for several minutes while I weighed my alternatives. I am responsible for numerous Krogan fatalities in Mass Effect that I regret deeply. Not one of those instances hold a candle to what possibly is the most difficult decision I've faced in a video game — and it involves a giant staircase.

The Game Baby Steps, the newest release from the developers of Ape Out, is hardly a decision-focused experience. At least not in the conventional way. You must explore a sprawling open world as the protagonist Nate, a grown-up in childish attire who can struggle to remain on his unsteady feet. It appears to be an exercise in frustration, but Baby Steps’s appeal is in its surprisingly deep narrative that will catch you off guard when you least anticipate it. There’s no situation that exemplifies that strength like a key selection that I can’t stop thinking about.

Note: Spoilers Ahead

A bit of context is necessary here. Baby Steps starts when Nate is transported from his parents’ basement and into a fantasy world. He immediately finds that navigating this world is a difficulty, as a long time spent as a inactive individual have weakened his muscles. The humorous physicality of it all comes from users guiding Nate step by step, trying to prevent him from falling over.

The protagonist needs aid, but he has problems articulating that to others. Throughout his hero’s journey, he encounters a cast of eccentric characters in the world who each propose 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 unavoidable hole and is given a way out, he strives to appear nonchalant like he can manage alone and actually wants to be trapped in the pit. As the plot unfolds, you see numerous irritating episodes where Nate complicates his own situation because he’s not confident enough to accept any assistance.

The Pivotal Moment

Everything builds up in Baby Steps game’s single genuine instance of decision. As Nate approaches the conclusion his adventure, he discovers that he must reach the summit of a snow-capped peak. The default guardian of the world (who Nate has consistently evaded up to this point) appears 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 called The Challenge. It is the most daunting obstacle Baby Steps game includes; taking it seems inadvisable to anyone.

But there’s a second option: He can just walk up a enormous coiled steps in its place and get to the top in just moments. The only caveat? He’ll have to address the guardian “Master” from now on if he chooses the simple path.

A Difficult Selection

I am very serious when I say that this is an difficult selection in context. It’s the totality of Nate's self-consciousness about himself coming to a head in a particularly bizarre situation. A portion of Nate's adventure is revolves around the truth that he’s unconfident of his body and his masculinity. Every time he sees that dashing hiker, it’s a painful recollection of all he lacks. Taking on The Challenge could be a time where he can prove that he’s as capable as his imagined opponent, but that route is sure to be paved with more awkward mishaps. Is it justified struggling just to prove a point?

The steps, on the flip side, give Nate another big moment to choose whether to take assistance or not. The user doesn't get to decide in whether or not they turn away a map, but they can opt to give Nate a break and opt for the steps. It should be an straightforward selection, but Baby Steps is devilishly clever about causing suspicion whenever you encounter an easy option. The world is filled with planned obstacles that change a secure way into a difficulty on a dime. Is the staircase one more trick? Will Nate get at the peak just to be let down by some last-second gag? And more concerning, is he prepared to be humiliated yet again by being forced to call a strange individual as Master?

No Right or Wrong

The excellence of that situation is that there’s no right or wrong answer. Either one brings about a authentic instance of personal growth and catharsis for Nate. If you opt to attempt The Obstacle, it’s an personal triumph. Nate finally gets a moment to show that he’s as able as anyone else, voluntarily accepting a difficult route rather than enduring one that he has no choice but to follow. It’s difficult, and maybe ill-advised, but it’s the moment of strength that he needs.

But there’s no disgrace in the steps either. To select that route is to eventually enable Nate to receive assistance. And when he does, he finds that there’s no hidden trick in store for him. The steps are not a joke. They go on for a long time, but they’re simple to climb and he won't slip completely down if he falls. It’s a straightforward ascent after lengthy difficulty. Partway through, he even has a chat with the trekker who has, of course, opted for The Challenge. He tries to play it cool, but you can see that he’s worn out, silently lamenting the pointless struggle. By the time Nate arrives at the peak and has to fulfill his obligation, calling the character Lord, the arrangement scarcely looks so nasty. Who has time to be embarrassed by this freak?

My Choice

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