The Game Baby Steps Presents One of the Most Impactful Decisions I've Ever Experienced in a Game

I've faced some difficult choices in gaming. Certain choices I made in Life is Strange series remain on my mind. Ghost of Tsushima's final sequence made me put my controller down for around ten minutes while I weighed my choices. I am responsible for numerous Krogan deaths in Mass Effect that I wish I could undo. None of those moments compare to what possibly is the most difficult decision I've ever made in interactive media — and it has to do with a giant staircase.

The Game Baby Steps, the latest game from the developers of Ape Out game, is not really a decision-focused experience. Certainly not in any traditional sense. You simply have to navigate a expansive environment as the main character Nate, a grown-up in childish attire who can barely stand on his shaky limbs. It looks like a setup for annoyance, but Baby Steps’s appeal is in its unexpectedly meaningful plot that will sneak up on you when you’re least expecting it. There’s no situation that demonstrates that power like a key selection that remains on my mind.

Note: Spoilers Ahead

A bit of context is required here. Baby Steps game begins as Nate is magically whisked away from his family's basement and into a magical realm. He quickly discovers that navigating this world is a struggle, as a long time spent as a sedentary person have deteriorated his physical condition. The humorous physicality of it all comes from gamers directing Nate gradually, trying to keep his ragdoll body standing.

Nate requires assistance, but he has problems articulating that to other characters. Throughout his hero’s journey, he comes in contact with a cast of eccentric characters in the world who everyone tries to give him a hand. A self-assured trekker attempts to offer Nate a navigation aid, but he uncomfortably rejects in the game’s funniest instant. When he falls into an inescapable pit and is presented with a ladder, he tries to play it off like he doesn’t need the help and truly prefers to be stuck in the hole. Throughout the story, you encounter plenty of irritating episodes where Nate makes life harder for himself because he’s too self-conscious to take support.

The Pivotal Moment

Everything builds up in Baby Steps game’s single genuine instance of decision. As Nate approaches the conclusion his quest, he realizes that he must ascend of a frosty elevation. The unofficial caretaker of the world (who Nate has desperately tried to duck up to this point) appears to let him know that there are two routes to the top. If he’s prepared for difficulty, he can opt for a particularly extended and risky path dubbed The Obstacle. It is the most daunting obstacle Baby Steps game provides; choosing it looks risky to any person.

But there’s a alternative choice: He can just walk up a gigantic spiral staircase instead and get to the top in a short time. The only caveat? He’ll have to address the guardian “Master” from now on if he opts for the effortless way.

A Difficult Selection

I am absolutely sincere when I say that this is an difficult selection in this situation. It’s all of Nate’s insecurities about himself culminating in one absurd moment. An element of Nate's story is focused on the reality that he’s insecure of his body and his masculinity. Whenever he sees that impressive outdoorsman, it’s a hard reminder of all he lacks. Attempting The Manbreaker could be a moment where he can demonstrate that he’s as able as his unilateral competitor, but that road is bound to be paved with more awkward mishaps. Is it worth struggling just to demonstrate something?

The stairs, on the other hand, give Nate another big moment to choose whether to take assistance or not. The user doesn't get to decide in about they turn away a map, but they can opt to give Nate a break and opt for the steps. It might seem like an simple decision, but Baby Steps is exceptionally cunning about making you feel paranoid anytime you encounter an easy option. The environment includes design traps that change a secure way into a obstacle suddenly. Could the steps yet another trap? Could Nate reach to the very summit just to be disappointed by an ending prank? And more troubling, is he prepared to be humiliated another time by being forced to call a strange individual as Master?

No Perfect Choice

The brilliance of that instant is that there’s no perfect selection. Each path results in a genuine moment of protagonist evolution and emotional release for Nate. If you choose to tackle The Manbreaker, it’s an philosophical victory. Nate at last receives a opportunity to demonstrate that he’s as capable as others, voluntarily accepting a difficult route rather than suffering through one that he has no option except to pursue. It’s difficult, and maybe ill-advised, but it’s the dose of confidence that he needs.

But there’s no disgrace in the steps either. To opt for that way is to at last permit Nate to take support. And when he does, he finds that there’s no hidden trick waiting for him. The stairs aren’t a prank. They continue for a while, but they’re easy to walk up and he does not fall to the bottom if he falls. It’s a straightforward ascent after hours of struggle. Midway through, he even has a chat with the outdoorsman who has, unsurprisingly, chosen to take The Manbreaker. He strives to appear composed, but you can discern that he’s exhausted, quietly regretting the needless difficulty. By the time Nate arrives at the peak and has to meet his agreement, calling the character Lord, the agreement barely appears so nasty. Who has energy for shame by this strange individual?

My Choice

During my game, I opted for the stairs. A portion of my thinking just {wanted to call