Baby Steps Includes One of the Most Significant Decisions I've Ever Experienced in Gaming

I've faced some hard decisions in interactive entertainment. Some of my decisions in Life is Strange remain on my mind. Ghost of Tsushima's ending section led me to pause the game for several minutes while I considered my options. I am responsible for so many Krogan deaths in Mass Effect that I would love to reverse. Not one of those instances measure up to what possibly is the most difficult decision I’ve had to make in interactive media — and it has to do with a giant staircase.

The Game Baby Steps, the latest game from the makers of Ape Out game, isn’t exactly a choice-driven game. Definitely not in the conventional way. You only need to walk around a sprawling open world as the protagonist Nate, a grown-up in childish attire who can barely stand on his wobbly legs. It seems like a setup for annoyance, but Baby Steps game’s power lies in its deceptively impactful story that will surprise you when you least anticipate it. There’s not a single instance that showcases that quality like a key selection that I keep reflecting on.

Note: Spoilers Ahead

Some scene setting is necessary here. Baby Steps starts when Nate is transported from his parents’ basement and into a fantasy world. He immediately finds that moving around in it is a difficulty, as years spent as a inactive individual have deteriorated his physical condition. The slapstick elements of it all stems from gamers directing Nate gradually, trying to keep his ragdoll body standing.

Nate needs help, but he has problems articulating that to anyone. Throughout his hero’s journey, he comes in contact with a collection of quirky personalities in the world who everyone tries to give him a hand. A self-assured trekker tries to give Nate a guide, but he clumsily declines in the game’s most hilarious scene. When he plunges into an inescapable pit and is given a way out, he strives to appear nonchalant like he can manage alone and truly prefers to be stuck in the hole. Throughout the story, you see numerous annoying scenarios where Nate creates additional difficulties because he’s not confident enough to accept any assistance.

The Defining Decision

That comes to a head in Baby Steps’s single genuine instance of decision. As Nate gets close to finishing his quest, he finds that he must ascend of a snowy mountain. The de facto groundskeeper of the world (who Nate has consistently evaded up to this point) comes to inform him that there are two paths upward. If he’s up for a challenge, he can take an extremely long and dangerous hiking trail named The Manbreaker. It is the most intimidating challenge Baby Steps game has to offer; taking it seems inadvisable to any human.

But there’s a other possibility: He can simply ascend a gigantic spiral staircase in its place and reach the summit in a short time. The sole condition? He’ll have to refer to the caretaker “Master” from now on if he chooses the simple path.

A Painful Choice

I am absolutely sincere when I say that this is an agonizing choice in this situation. It’s every one of Nate's doubts about himself coming to a head in one absurd moment. Part of Nate’s journey is centered around the fact that he’s self-conscious of his body and his masculinity. Whenever he sees that dashing hiker, it’s a difficult memory of everything he’s not. Taking on The Obstacle could be a instance where he can show that he’s as competent as his unilateral competitor, but that route is sure to be paved with more embarrassing pratfalls. Does it merit suffering just to prove a point?

The stairs, on the flip side, give Nate another big moment to either accept or reject help. The player has no choice in whether or not they decline guidance, but they can choose to allow Nate some relief and opt for the steps. It should be an easy choice, but Baby Steps is exceptionally cunning about making you feel paranoid anytime you find a gift horse. The world is filled with design traps that transform an easy path into a obstacle instantly. Could the steps yet another trap? Could Nate reach all the way to the top just to be let down by some last-second gag? And even worse, is he prepared to be humiliated once again by being made to address some weirdo Lord?

No Right or Wrong

The brilliance of that instant is that there’s no correct or incorrect choice. Either one results in a authentic instance of personal growth and catharsis for Nate. If you choose to tackle The Manbreaker, 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 possibly risky, but it’s the dose of confidence that he needs.

But there’s no disgrace in the staircase as well. To opt for that way is to at last permit Nate to take support. And when he accomplishes that, he realizes that there’s no hidden trick waiting for him. The steps are not a joke. They go on for a long time, but they’re straightforward to ascend and he doesn’t slide to the bottom if he falls. It’s a easy journey after hours of struggle. Partway through, he even has a conversation with the outdoorsman who has, unsurprisingly, opted for The Obstacle. He tries to play it cool, but you can see that he’s fatigued, quietly regretting the needless difficulty. By the time Nate reaches the summit and has to meet his agreement, calling the character Lord, the agreement barely appears so bad. Who has energy for shame by this odd character?

Personal Reflection

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