Baby Steps Includes One of the Most Meaningful Decisions I've Ever Faced in Video Games

I've dealt with some difficult choices in interactive entertainment. Some of my decisions in Life is Strange remain on my mind. Ghost of Tsushima's final sequence prompted me to put my controller down for several minutes while I thought through my choices. I am accountable for so many Krogan demises in the Mass Effect series that I regret deeply. Not one of those instances compare to what could be the most difficult decision I’ve had to make in a video game — and it involves a enormous set of steps.

Baby Steps, the latest game from the developers of Ape Out, isn’t exactly a choice-driven game. At least not in any traditional sense. You must explore a sprawling open world as the main character Nate, a grown-up in childish attire who can hardly stay upright on his shaky limbs. It looks like one big ragebait joke, but Baby Steps’s strength comes from its deceptively impactful story that will surprise you when you’re least expecting it. There’s no moment that demonstrates that power like one major choice that I can’t stop thinking about.

Note: Spoilers Ahead

A bit of context is necessary here. Baby Steps begins as the protagonist is suddenly taken from his family's basement and into a fictional universe. He immediately finds that walking through it is a challenge, as a lifetime spent as a inactive individual have deteriorated his physical condition. The slapstick elements of it all stems from players controlling Nate one step at a time, trying to maintain his balance.

Nate needs help, but he has difficulty expressing that to other characters. Throughout his hero’s journey, he comes in contact with a group of unusual individuals in the world who each propose to help him out. A cool, confident hiker attempts to offer Nate a navigation aid, but he uncomfortably rejects in the game’s best laugh-out-loud moment. When he drops into an inescapable pit 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. During the narrative, you encounter plenty of irritating episodes where Nate complicates his own situation because he’s too self-conscious to take support.

The Pivotal Moment

This culminates in Baby Steps game’s one true moment of decision. As Nate gets close to finishing his journey, he finds that he must reach the summit of a snowy mountain. The de facto groundskeeper of the world (who Nate has desperately tried to duck up to this point) shows up to tell him that there are two routes to the top. If he’s prepared for difficulty, he can choose a very lengthy and hazardous route dubbed The Challenge. It is the most daunting obstacle Baby Steps game has to offer; choosing it looks risky to any person.

But there’s a other possibility: He can merely climb a gigantic spiral staircase as an alternative and reach the summit 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 completely earnest when I say that this is an difficult selection in this situation. It’s all of Nate’s insecurities about himself coming to a head in a single ridiculous instant. Part of Nate’s journey is revolves around the fact that he’s unconfident of his physical appearance and manhood. Every time he sees that handsome trekker, it’s a difficult memory of all he lacks. Taking on The Manbreaker could be a moment where he can demonstrate that he’s as competent as his one-sided rival, but that route is sure to be laden with more awkward mishaps. Is it justified struggling just to make a statement?

The stairs, on the contrary, give Nate another big moment to choose whether to take assistance or not. The player has no choice in whether or not they reject navigation help, but they can decide to give Nate a break and take the stairs. It might seem like an simple decision, but Baby Steps game is exceptionally cunning about causing suspicion anytime you see a simple solution. The environment includes planned obstacles that turn a safe route into a difficulty suddenly. Is the staircase yet another trap? Will Nate get at the peak just to be let down by a final joke? And more troubling, is he prepared to be humiliated once again by being compelled to refer to an odd character as Lord?

No Perfect Choice

The excellence of that situation is that there’s no right or wrong answer. Both options leads to a genuine moment of personal growth and catharsis for Nate. If you choose to tackle The Obstacle, it’s an personal triumph. Nate eventually obtains a moment to show that he’s as able as everyone else, consciously choosing a tough path rather than struggling through one that he has no option except to pursue. It’s challenging, and possibly risky, but it’s the moment of strength that he requires.

But there’s no disgrace in the stairs either. To opt for that way is to finally allow Nate to receive assistance. And when he does so, he discovers that there’s no hidden trick in store for him. The staircase is not a trick. They go on for a long time, but they’re straightforward to ascend and he won't slip all the way down if he falls. It’s a easy journey after lengthy difficulty. Halfway up, he even has a chat with the hiker who has, of course, selected The Challenge. He attempts to act casual, but you can see that he’s exhausted, silently lamenting the needless difficulty. By the time Nate arrives at the peak and has to meet his agreement, calling the character Lord, the deal hardly seems so nasty. Who has concern for humiliation by this freak?

Personal Reflection

During my game, I opted for the stairs. Part of me just {wanted to call