Baby Steps Presents One of the Most Meaningful Choices I've Ever Experienced in Video Games

I've dealt with some challenging choices in gaming. Several of my selections in Life is Strange series remain on my mind. Ghost of Tsushima's ending section made me put my controller down for around ten minutes while I considered my choices. I am accountable for so many Krogan fatalities in the Mass Effect series that I would love to reverse. Not one of those instances measure up to what possibly is the most difficult decision I've faced in interactive media — and it has to do with a enormous set of steps.

Baby Steps, the recent title from the developers of Ape Out game, isn’t exactly a selection-based adventure. Definitely not in typical gaming terms. You must explore a vast game world as Nate, a adult in a onesie who can struggle to remain on his wobbly legs. It appears to be a setup for annoyance, but Baby Steps game’s power lies in its unexpectedly meaningful plot that will surprise you when you’re least expecting it. There’s no situation that showcases that quality like one major choice that remains on my mind.

Spoiler Warning

Some background information is necessary here. Baby Steps game begins as 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 lifetime spent as a couch potato have deteriorated his physical condition. The humorous physicality of it all stems from gamers directing Nate step by step, trying to prevent him from falling over.

The protagonist needs aid, but he has problems articulating that to anyone. As he progresses, he meets a cast of eccentric characters in the world who each propose to give him a hand. A self-assured trekker seeks to provide Nate a navigation aid, but he uncomfortably rejects in the game’s funniest instant. When he plunges into an trapping cavity and is presented with a ladder, he strives to appear nonchalant like he requires no assistance and truly prefers to be stuck in the hole. As the plot unfolds, you experience no shortage of annoying scenarios where Nate creates additional difficulties because he’s not confident enough to accept any assistance.

The Defining Decision

This culminates in Baby Steps game’s single genuine instance of decision. As Nate approaches the conclusion his adventure, he realizes that he must reach the summit of a snowy mountain. The de facto groundskeeper of the world (who Nate has actively avoided up to this point) shows up to inform him that there are two routes to the top. If he’s ready for a test, he can choose a very lengthy and dangerous hiking trail dubbed The Obstacle. It is the most intimidating challenge Baby Steps game has to offer; attempting it appears unwise to anyone.

But there’s a other possibility: He can just walk up a gigantic spiral staircase in its place and reach the summit in a few minutes. The sole condition? He’ll have to call the groundskeeper “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 agonizing choice in the game's narrative. It’s all of Nate’s insecurities about himself reaching a climax in a particularly bizarre situation. Part of Nate’s journey is revolves around the reality that he’s unconfident of his physical appearance and manhood. Every time he sees that impressive outdoorsman, it’s a painful recollection of everything he’s not. Taking on The Challenge could be a time where he can demonstrate that he’s as capable as his imagined opponent, but that path is likely paved with more awkward mishaps. Is it justified striving just to prove a point?

The stairs, on the flip side, provide Nate with another significant opportunity 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 decide to give Nate a break and choose the staircase. It ought to be an easy choice, but Baby Steps game is remarkably shrewd about making you feel paranoid anytime you encounter an easy option. The world is filled with design traps that change a secure way into a difficulty on a dime. Are the stairs yet another trap? Could Nate reach all the way to the top just to be fooled by an ending prank? And even worse, is he willing to be emasculated yet again by being compelled to refer to some weirdo Lord?

No Right or Wrong

The brilliance of that instant is that there’s no perfect selection. Both options leads to a real situation of personal growth and emotional release for Nate. If you opt to attempt The Challenge, it’s an existential win. Nate at last receives a moment to show that he’s as capable as everyone else, willingly taking on a tough path rather than enduring one that he has no choice but to follow. It’s difficult, and perhaps unwise, but it’s the dose of confidence that he needs.

But there’s no shame in the staircase either. To select that route is to eventually enable Nate to accept help. And when he does, he realizes 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 straightforward to ascend and he does not fall completely down if he trips. It’s a straightforward ascent after hours of struggle. Partway through, he even has a chat with the hiker who has, unsurprisingly, chosen to take The Obstacle. He attempts to act casual, but you can discern that he’s worn out, subtly ruing the unnecessary challenge. By the time Nate reaches the summit and has to pay his debt, calling the character Lord, the arrangement scarcely looks so bad. Who has concern for humiliation by this freak?

Personal Reflection

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