The Game Baby Steps Presents Among the Most Impactful Choices I Have Ever Encountered in Video Games

I've faced some hard decisions in interactive entertainment. Certain choices I made in Life is Strange series remain on my mind. Ghost of Tsushima concluding moments prompted me to put my controller down for a good 10 minutes while I considered my choices. I am the cause of countless Krogan deaths in the Mass Effect series that I wish I could undo. None of those moments compare to what now might be the most difficult decision I've faced in interactive media — and it involves a enormous set of steps.

Baby Steps, the recent title from the developers of Ape Out, is not really a choice-driven game. At least not in typical gaming terms. You simply have to navigate a expansive environment as Nate, a grown-up in childish attire who can hardly stay upright on his wobbly legs. It seems like a setup for annoyance, 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 moment that showcases that quality like a pivotal decision that I keep reflecting on.

Alert: Spoilers

Some background information is needed at this point. Baby Steps begins as Nate is transported from his parents’ basement and into a fantasy world. He immediately finds that navigating this world is a difficulty, as a lifetime spent as a couch potato have deteriorated his physical condition. The physical comedy of it all arises from players controlling Nate one step at a time, trying to maintain his balance.

Nate requires assistance, but he has trouble voicing that to others. During his adventure, he comes in contact with a cast of eccentric characters in the world who each propose to assist him. A cool, confident hiker seeks to provide Nate a guide, but he clumsily declines in the game’s funniest instant. When he falls into an inescapable pit and is offered a ladder, he attempts to act casual like he can manage alone and actually wants to be confined in the cavity. During the narrative, you experience no shortage of frustrating vignettes where Nate complicates his own situation because he’s not confident enough to take support.

The Defining Decision

That comes to a head in Baby Steps’s key situation of choice. As Nate approaches the conclusion his adventure, he realizes that he must reach the summit of a snowy mountain. The default guardian of the world (who Nate has consistently evaded up to this point) comes to let him know that there are two paths upward. If he’s prepared for difficulty, he can opt for a particularly extended and dangerous hiking trail called The Obstacle. It is the most daunting obstacle Baby Steps game includes; attempting it appears unwise to any human.

But there’s a second option: He can simply ascend a massive winding stairs as an alternative and arrive at the peak in a few minutes. The only caveat? He’ll have to call the groundskeeper “Lord” from now on if he chooses the simple path.

A Painful Choice

I am absolutely sincere when I say that this is an painful decision in the game's narrative. It’s all of Nate’s insecurities about himself culminating in a particularly bizarre situation. A portion of Nate's adventure is revolves around the truth that he’s self-conscious of his physical appearance and manhood. Whenever he sees that dashing hiker, it’s a hard reminder of everything he’s not. Taking on The Challenge could be a time where he can demonstrate that he’s as capable as his unilateral competitor, but that route is sure to be filled with more embarrassing pratfalls. Does it merit suffering just to make a statement?

The staircase, on the other hand, provide Nate with another significant opportunity to decide between receiving aid or refusing it. The gamer cannot choose in about they decline guidance, but they can decide to provide Nate with respite and choose the staircase. It ought to be an easy choice, but Baby Steps game is remarkably shrewd about causing suspicion each time you find a gift horse. The environment includes planned obstacles that transform an easy path into a setback on a dime. Are the stairs yet another trap? Might Nate arrive at the peak just to be disappointed 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 Correct Answer

The excellence of that situation is that there’s no right or wrong answer. Either one results in a authentic instance of personal growth and therapeutic resolution for Nate. If you choose to tackle The Obstacle, it’s an existential win. Nate finally gets a moment to show that he’s as able as everyone else, consciously choosing a challenging way rather than enduring one that he has no alternative but to take. It’s challenging, and possibly risky, 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 finally allow Nate to receive assistance. And when he does so, he finds that there’s no hidden trick waiting for him. The staircase is not a trick. They extend for some distance, but they’re easy to walk up and he doesn’t slide all the way down if he trips. It’s a simple climb after lengthy difficulty. Midway through, he even has a chat with the trekker who has, naturally, selected The Obstacle. He strives to appear composed, but you can tell that he’s worn out, silently lamenting the unnecessary challenge. By the time Nate arrives at the peak and has to fulfill his obligation, addressing his new Master, the agreement barely appears so bad. Who has energy for shame by this odd character?

Personal Reflection

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