The Game Baby Steps Presents Among the Most Significant Decisions I Have Ever Faced in Video Games

I've dealt with some difficult choices in video games. Several of my selections in Life is Strange series remain on my mind. Ghost of Tsushima's final sequence prompted me to pause the game for a good 10 minutes while I weighed my alternatives. I am responsible for numerous Krogan demises in the Mass Effect series that I wish I could undo. None of those moments hold a candle to what possibly is the most difficult decision I've faced in a video game — and it involves a giant staircase.

Baby Steps, the newest release from the makers of Ape Out game, isn’t exactly a decision-focused experience. Definitely not in any traditional sense. You only need to explore a sprawling open world as the protagonist Nate, a adult in a onesie who can struggle to remain on his shaky limbs. It appears to be an exercise in frustration, but Baby Steps game’s strength comes from its deceptively impactful story that will catch you off guard when you least anticipate it. There’s not a single instance that showcases that quality like a pivotal decision that I can’t stop thinking about.

Spoiler Warning

A bit of context is necessary here. Baby Steps begins as the protagonist is suddenly taken from the basement of his home and into a magical realm. He quickly discovers that moving around in it is a struggle, as years spent as a couch potato have weakened his muscles. The slapstick elements of it all stems from gamers directing Nate gradually, trying to maintain his balance.

Nate needs help, but he has problems articulating that to others. During his adventure, he comes in contact with a cast of eccentric characters in the world who each propose to give him a hand. A composed outdoorsman tries to give Nate a navigation aid, but he awkwardly refuses in the game’s funniest instant. When he falls into an trapping cavity and is given a way out, he attempts to act casual like he can manage alone and truly prefers to be confined in the cavity. As the plot unfolds, you encounter plenty of annoying scenarios where Nate creates additional difficulties because he’s too insecure to receive help.

The Pivotal Moment

That comes to a head in Baby Steps’s single genuine instance of selection. As Nate gets close to finishing his adventure, he realizes that he must ascend of a frosty elevation. The default guardian of the world (who Nate has consistently evaded up to this point) comes to let him know that there are two ways up. If he’s up for a challenge, he can opt for a particularly extended and hazardous route named The Obstacle. It is the most intimidating challenge Baby Steps has to offer; attempting it appears unwise to any person.

But there’s a second option: He can just walk up a massive winding stairs as an alternative and get to the top in a few minutes. The sole condition? He’ll have to refer to the caretaker “Lord” from now on if he chooses the simple path.

A Difficult Selection

I am completely earnest when I say that this is an difficult selection in this situation. It’s the totality of Nate's self-consciousness about himself culminating in one absurd moment. A portion of Nate's adventure is centered around the fact that he’s unconfident of his physical appearance and manhood. Whenever he sees that dashing hiker, it’s a painful recollection of everything he’s not. Attempting The Obstacle could be a moment where he can prove that he’s as competent as his imagined opponent, but that route is sure to be filled with more awkward mishaps. Is it justified suffering just to demonstrate something?

The staircase, on the other hand, offer Nate an additional crucial instance to choose whether to take assistance or not. The gamer cannot choose in about they decline guidance, but they can choose to give Nate a break and take the stairs. It should be an simple decision, but Baby Steps game is remarkably shrewd about creating doubt whenever you see a simple solution. The environment includes design traps that change a secure way into a setback instantly. Are the stairs yet another trap? Might Nate arrive at the peak just to be let down by a final joke? And more concerning, is he ready to be diminished another time by being compelled to refer to a strange individual as Master?

No Perfect Choice

The excellence of that situation is that there’s no correct or incorrect choice. Either one leads to a authentic instance of personal growth and emotional release for Nate. If you choose to tackle The Challenge, it’s an existential win. Nate at last receives a chance to prove that he’s as competent as everyone else, willingly taking on a difficult route rather than enduring one that he has no choice but to follow. It’s difficult, and perhaps unwise, but it’s the moment of strength that he craves.

But there’s no disgrace in the staircase too. To opt for that way is to finally allow Nate to receive assistance. And when he does, he realizes that there’s no secret drawback awaiting him. The steps are not a joke. They extend for some distance, but they’re straightforward to ascend and he doesn’t slide completely down if he falls. It’s a straightforward ascent after hours of struggle. Midway through, he even has a conversation with the outdoorsman who has, of course, selected The Challenge. He attempts to act casual, but you can discern that he’s exhausted, subtly ruing the unnecessary challenge. By the time Nate gets to the top and has to fulfill his obligation, hailing his new Lord, the arrangement scarcely looks so bad. Who has energy for shame by this odd character?

My Experience

In my playthrough, I opted for the stairs. Some part of my reasoning just {wanted to call