The Game Baby Steps Features One of the Most Meaningful Choices I Have Ever Experienced in a Game

I've encountered some challenging choices in gaming. Certain choices I made in Life is Strange series still haunt me. Ghost of Tsushima's ending section made me set down my controller for around ten minutes while I considered my choices. I am the cause of countless Krogan fatalities in the Mass Effect series that I wish I could undo. Not one of those instances measure up to what could be the most difficult decision I’ve had to make in gaming — and it involves a giant staircase.

The Game Baby Steps, the latest game from the creators of Ape Out game, isn’t exactly a selection-based adventure. Certainly not in typical gaming terms. You only need to explore a sprawling open world as the protagonist Nate, a grown-up in childish attire who can barely stand on his wobbly legs. It appears to be one big ragebait joke, but Baby Steps’s appeal is in its deceptively impactful story that will catch you off guard when it's most unexpected. There’s no situation that demonstrates that power like one major choice that remains on my mind.

Note: Spoilers Ahead

A bit of context is needed at this point. Baby Steps game begins as Nate is magically whisked away from his family's basement and into a fantasy world. He immediately finds that navigating this world is a struggle, as years spent as a sedentary person have atrophied his limbs. The humorous physicality of it all arises from players controlling Nate one step at a time, trying to maintain his balance.

Nate requires assistance, but he has difficulty expressing that to other characters. As he progresses, he encounters a group of unusual individuals in the world who each propose to give him a hand. A composed outdoorsman attempts to offer Nate a guide, but he awkwardly refuses in the game’s most hilarious scene. When he falls into an trapping cavity and is offered a ladder, he strives to appear nonchalant like he requires no assistance and actually wants to be stuck in the hole. As the plot unfolds, you encounter plenty of annoying scenarios where Nate creates additional difficulties because he’s not confident enough to receive help.

The Pivotal Moment

Everything builds up in Baby Steps game’s one true moment of choice. As Nate approaches the conclusion his adventure, he finds that he must reach the summit of a frosty elevation. The default guardian of the world (who Nate has consistently evaded up to this point) comes to inform him that there are two routes to the top. If he’s ready for a test, he can take an extremely long and hazardous route named The Manbreaker. It is the most daunting obstacle Baby Steps game provides; choosing it looks risky to any person.

But there’s a second option: He can merely climb a massive winding stairs instead and arrive at the peak in a few minutes. The single stipulation? He’ll have to refer to the caretaker “Sir” from now on if he opts for the effortless way.

A Difficult Selection

I am completely earnest when I say that this is an agonizing choice in the game's narrative. It’s every one of Nate's doubts about himself culminating in a particularly bizarre situation. Part of Nate’s journey is focused on the truth that he’s insecure of his physical appearance and manhood. Whenever he sees that handsome trekker, it’s a difficult memory of all he lacks. Undertaking The Manbreaker could be a time where he can prove that he’s as capable as his imagined opponent, but that route is sure to be paved with more embarrassing pratfalls. Is it worth suffering just to demonstrate something?

The stairs, on the contrary, provide Nate with another significant opportunity to choose whether to take assistance or not. The player has no choice in about they decline guidance, but they can choose to give Nate a break and choose the staircase. It should be an straightforward selection, but Baby Steps is remarkably shrewd about causing suspicion each time you find a gift horse. The environment includes design traps that transform an easy path into a obstacle suddenly. Could the steps yet another trap? Could Nate reach to the very summit just to be fooled by some last-second gag? And even worse, is he willing to be emasculated yet again by being made to address some weirdo Lord?

No Correct Answer

The beauty of that moment is that there’s no correct or incorrect choice. Both options 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 eventually obtains a opportunity to demonstrate that he’s as capable as everyone else, consciously choosing a tough path rather than enduring one that he has no alternative but to take. It’s challenging, and possibly risky, but it’s the dose of confidence that he needs.

But there’s no embarrassment in the steps either. To opt for that way is to eventually enable Nate to receive assistance. And when he does so, he discovers that there’s no hidden trick waiting for him. The steps are not a joke. They continue for a while, but they’re simple to climb and he doesn’t slide all the way down if he stumbles. It’s a easy journey after extended challenges. Halfway up, he even has a chat with the outdoorsman who has, unsurprisingly, selected The Obstacle. He tries to play it cool, but you can tell that he’s worn out, silently lamenting the needless difficulty. By the time Nate gets to the top and has to fulfill his obligation, hailing his new Lord, the agreement barely appears so bad. Who has energy for shame by this odd character?

My Experience

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