Baby Steps Includes Among the Most Impactful Decisions I Have Ever Encountered in Gaming

I've dealt with some hard decisions in video games. Several of my selections in Life is Strange series continue to trouble me. Ghost of Tsushima final sequence made me set down my controller for several minutes while I weighed my options. I am accountable for numerous Krogan demises in Mass Effect that I regret deeply. Not one of those instances measure up to what now might be the toughest selection I've ever made in gaming — and it concerns a enormous set of steps.

The Game Baby Steps, the latest game from the creators of Ape Out, isn’t exactly a choice-driven game. At least not in any traditional sense. You must walk around a vast game world as the main character Nate, a adult in a onesie who can barely stand on his unsteady feet. It looks like one big ragebait joke, but Baby Steps’s appeal is in its deceptively impactful story that will surprise you when it's most unexpected. There’s no situation that showcases that quality like one major choice that remains on my mind.

Note: Spoilers Ahead

Some background information is required here. Baby Steps starts when Nate is transported from the basement of his home and into a fictional universe. He immediately finds that moving around in it is a challenge, as a long time spent as a inactive individual have deteriorated his physical condition. The slapstick elements of it all comes from gamers directing Nate step by step, trying to maintain his balance.

The protagonist needs aid, but he has problems articulating that to others. As he progresses, he meets a cast of eccentric characters in the world who everyone tries to help him out. A cool, confident hiker seeks to provide Nate a navigation aid, but he awkwardly refuses in the game’s funniest instant. When he plunges into an unavoidable hole and is given a way out, he strives to appear nonchalant like he can manage alone and genuinely desires to be stuck in the hole. Throughout the story, you see numerous annoying scenarios where Nate complicates his own situation because he’s not confident enough to take support.

The Pivotal Moment

This culminates in Baby Steps game’s one true moment of selection. As Nate gets close to finishing his quest, he finds that he must reach the summit of a frosty elevation. The default guardian of the world (who Nate has actively avoided up to this point) comes to let him know that there are two paths upward. If he’s up for a challenge, he can choose a very lengthy and dangerous hiking trail named The Obstacle. It is the most intimidating challenge Baby Steps game has to offer; taking it seems inadvisable to anyone.

But there’s a other possibility: He can just walk up a massive winding stairs as an alternative and reach the summit in just moments. The sole condition? He’ll have to call the groundskeeper “Master” from now on if he chooses the simple path.

A Painful Choice

I am very serious 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. An element of Nate's story is focused on the reality that he’s self-conscious of his physical appearance and manhood. Whenever he sees that dashing hiker, it’s a hard reminder of what he fails to be. Taking on The Obstacle could be a instance where he can prove that he’s as competent as his unilateral competitor, but that route is sure to be laden with more awkward mishaps. Is it worth suffering just to prove a point?

The staircase, on the flip side, offer Nate an additional crucial instance to decide between receiving aid or refusing it. The player has no choice in about they reject navigation help, but they can decide to give Nate a break and opt for the steps. It might seem like an simple decision, but Baby Steps game is devilishly clever about making you feel paranoid each time you see a simple solution. The game world contains planned obstacles that transform an easy path into a difficulty instantly. Is the staircase yet another trap? Could Nate reach to the very summit just to be let down by a final joke? And more troubling, is he prepared to be humiliated another time by being forced to call some weirdo Lord?

No Correct Answer

The beauty of that moment is that there’s no perfect selection. Each path brings about a real situation of character development and catharsis for Nate. If you decide to take on The Challenge, it’s an personal triumph. Nate at last receives a opportunity to demonstrate that he’s as competent as everyone else, willingly taking on a tough path rather than struggling through one that he has no option except to pursue. It’s challenging, and maybe ill-advised, but it’s the moment of strength that he requires.

But there’s no embarrassment in the steps either. To opt for that way is to finally allow Nate to accept help. And when he does, he realizes that there’s no real catch in store for him. The stairs aren’t a prank. They extend for some distance, but they’re straightforward to ascend and he doesn’t slide completely down if he trips. It’s a simple climb after hours of struggle. Midway through, he even has a chat with the outdoorsman who has, naturally, selected The Obstacle. He attempts to act casual, but you can tell that he’s worn out, silently lamenting the pointless struggle. By the time Nate gets to the top and has to fulfill his obligation, calling the character Lord, the deal hardly seems so nasty. Who has concern for humiliation by this odd character?

Personal Reflection

During my game, I selected the steps. Part of me just {wanted to call