Baby Steps Includes One of the Most Impactful Choices I've Ever Experienced in Gaming

I've encountered some difficult choices in gaming. Certain choices I made in Life is Strange remain on my mind. Ghost of Tsushima's ending section prompted me to set down my controller for several minutes while I thought through my alternatives. I am responsible for countless Krogan fatalities in Mass Effect that I wish I could undo. None of those moments measure up to what possibly is the most difficult decision I've faced in gaming — and it has to do with a giant staircase.

The Game Baby Steps, the recent title from the makers of Ape Out, isn’t exactly a selection-based adventure. Definitely not in the conventional way. You must explore a sprawling open world as the protagonist Nate, a grown-up in childish attire who can barely stand on his unsteady feet. It seems like one big ragebait joke, but Baby Steps’s strength comes from its deceptively impactful story that will sneak up on you when you least anticipate it. There’s not a single instance that demonstrates that power like one major choice that I keep reflecting on.

Alert: Spoilers

Some scene setting is necessary here. Baby Steps starts when Nate is transported from the basement of his home and into a fantasy world. He quickly discovers that moving around in it is a challenge, as a lifetime spent as a inactive individual have weakened his muscles. The humorous physicality of it all stems from gamers directing Nate gradually, trying to keep his ragdoll body standing.

Nate requires assistance, but he has difficulty expressing that to others. As he progresses, he meets a group of unusual individuals in the world who each propose to give him a hand. A self-assured trekker attempts to offer Nate a navigation aid, but he awkwardly refuses in the game’s most hilarious scene. When he falls into an unavoidable hole and is given a way out, he strives to appear nonchalant like he doesn’t need the help and actually wants to be stuck in the hole. During the narrative, you encounter plenty of irritating episodes where Nate complicates his own situation because he’s not confident enough to accept any assistance.

The Ultimate Choice

This culminates in Baby Steps game’s one true moment of selection. As Nate gets close to finishing his adventure, he discovers that he must ascend of a snowy mountain. The unofficial caretaker of the world (who Nate has consistently evaded up to this point) comes to tell 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; choosing it looks risky to any person.

But there’s a alternative choice: He can simply ascend a enormous coiled steps instead and get to the top in a few minutes. The only caveat? He’ll have to call the groundskeeper “Master” from now on if he takes the easy route.

An Agonizing Decision

I am completely earnest 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. Each instance he sees that handsome trekker, it’s a hard reminder of all he lacks. Undertaking The Challenge could be a moment where he can prove that he’s as capable as his unilateral competitor, but that route is sure to be laden with more humiliating failures. Is it justified suffering just to make a statement?

The staircase, on the other hand, give Nate another big moment to either accept or reject help. The gamer cannot choose in about they turn away a map, but they can decide to provide Nate with respite and opt for the steps. It might seem like an simple decision, but Baby Steps is devilishly clever about making you feel paranoid whenever you encounter an easy option. The world is filled with design traps that transform an easy path into a difficulty on a dime. Are the stairs yet another trap? Will Nate get to the very summit just to be let down by some last-second gag? And more concerning, is he willing to be emasculated yet again by being made to address some weirdo Lord?

No Right or Wrong

The beauty of that moment is that there’s no perfect selection. Both options brings about a authentic instance of personal growth and emotional release for Nate. If you opt to attempt The Challenge, it’s an personal triumph. Nate finally gets a chance to prove that he’s as capable as everyone else, consciously choosing a challenging way rather than struggling through one that he has no option except to pursue. It’s difficult, and maybe ill-advised, but it’s the bit of empowerment that he craves.

But there’s no embarrassment in the stairs either. To choose that path is to eventually enable Nate to receive assistance. And when he does so, he finds that there’s no secret drawback waiting for him. The steps are not a joke. They extend for some distance, but they’re easy to walk up and he won't slip completely down if he stumbles. It’s a straightforward ascent after hours of struggle. Halfway up, he even has a discussion with the outdoorsman who has, unsurprisingly, opted for The Challenge. He strives to appear composed, but you can tell that he’s worn out, silently lamenting the pointless struggle. By the time Nate arrives at the peak and has to fulfill his obligation, hailing his new Lord, the agreement barely appears so bad. Who has time to be embarrassed by this strange individual?

Personal Reflection

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