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

I've faced some challenging decisions in interactive entertainment. Some of my decisions in Life is Strange series still haunt me. Ghost of Tsushima ending section prompted me to pause the game for a good 10 minutes while I considered my choices. I am responsible for numerous Krogan fatalities in the Mass Effect series that I would love to reverse. None of those moments measure up to what now might be the most difficult decision I’ve had to make in interactive media — and it involves a massive stairway.

The Game Baby Steps, the latest game from the developers of Ape Out game, is hardly a selection-based adventure. Definitely not in typical gaming terms. You simply have to walk around a sprawling open world as Nate, a adult in a onesie who can hardly stay upright on his unsteady feet. It appears to be a setup for annoyance, but Baby Steps’s power lies in its deceptively impactful story that will catch you off guard when you’re least expecting it. There’s not a single instance that demonstrates that power like a key selection that I keep reflecting on.

Note: Spoilers Ahead

A bit of context is required here. Baby Steps begins as the protagonist is suddenly taken from his family's basement and into a magical realm. He soon realizes that navigating this world is a challenge, as a lifetime spent as a couch potato have deteriorated his physical condition. The physical comedy of it all stems from gamers directing Nate gradually, trying to prevent him from falling over.

Nate requires assistance, but he has difficulty expressing that to other characters. During his adventure, he encounters a cast of eccentric characters in the world who everyone tries to assist him. A cool, confident hiker seeks to provide Nate a navigation aid, but he clumsily declines in the game’s funniest instant. When he drops into an unavoidable hole and is offered a ladder, he strives to appear nonchalant like he doesn’t need the help and actually wants to be stuck in the hole. As the plot unfolds, you see numerous frustrating vignettes where Nate creates additional difficulties because he’s too insecure to take support.

The Pivotal Moment

That comes to a head in Baby Steps’s single genuine instance of decision. As Nate nears the end his adventure, he discovers that he must ascend of a snowy mountain. The default guardian of the world (who Nate has actively avoided up to this point) shows up to inform him that there are two paths upward. If he’s up for a challenge, he can choose a very lengthy and risky path called The Obstacle. It is the most formidable barrier Baby Steps game provides; choosing it looks risky to any person.

But there’s a alternative choice: He can merely climb a massive winding stairs in its place and reach the summit in just moments. The only caveat? He’ll have to refer to the caretaker “Sir” from now on if he chooses the simple path.

An Agonizing Decision

I am absolutely sincere when I say that this is an agonizing choice in context. It’s every one of Nate's doubts about himself culminating in a particularly bizarre situation. Part of Nate’s journey is revolves around the truth that he’s insecure of his physique and male identity. Whenever he sees that dashing hiker, it’s a difficult memory of all he lacks. Attempting The Obstacle could be a moment where he can prove that he’s as capable as his unilateral competitor, but that path is likely laden with more awkward mishaps. Does it merit struggling just to make a statement?

The staircase, on the flip side, offer Nate an additional crucial instance to either accept or reject help. The player has no choice in if they turn away a map, but they can decide to provide Nate with respite and opt for the steps. It should be an simple decision, but Baby Steps is exceptionally cunning about causing suspicion each time you encounter an easy option. The game world contains design traps that turn a safe route into a difficulty on a dime. Are the stairs an additional deception? Might Nate arrive at the peak just to be fooled by some last-second gag? And more troubling, is he prepared to be humiliated once again by being made to address an odd character as Lord?

No Perfect Choice

The brilliance of that instant is that there’s no right or wrong answer. Either one results in a authentic instance of character development and emotional release for Nate. If you decide to take on The Manbreaker, it’s an existential win. Nate finally gets a chance to prove that he’s as competent as everyone else, voluntarily accepting a difficult route rather than suffering through one that he has no choice but to follow. It’s difficult, and maybe ill-advised, but it’s the bit of empowerment that he needs.

But there’s no disgrace in the stairs too. To choose that path is to finally allow Nate to accept help. And when he does so, he discovers that there’s no secret drawback waiting for him. The staircase is not a trick. They continue for a while, but they’re simple to climb and he doesn’t slide all the way down if he trips. It’s a easy journey after hours of struggle. Partway through, he even has a discussion with the outdoorsman who has, unsurprisingly, selected The Challenge. He strives to appear composed, but you can discern that he’s exhausted, quietly regretting the pointless struggle. By the time Nate arrives at the peak and has to fulfill his obligation, hailing his new Lord, the deal hardly seems so unpleasant. Who has time to be embarrassed by this freak?

Personal Reflection

In my playthrough, I chose the staircase. Part of me just {wanted to call