Baby Steps Presents One of the Most Significant Choices I Have Ever Faced in Gaming

I've encountered some difficult decisions in interactive entertainment. Several of my selections in Life is Strange series continue to trouble me. Ghost of Tsushima concluding moments made me put my controller down for around ten minutes while I considered my options. I am the cause of countless Krogan deaths in Mass Effect that I would love to reverse. None of those moments hold a candle to what could be the most difficult decision I've faced in gaming — and it concerns a enormous set of steps.

Baby Steps, the recent title from the makers of Ape Out game, isn’t exactly a selection-based adventure. Definitely not in typical gaming terms. You only need to navigate a sprawling open world as the main character Nate, a grown-up in childish attire who can struggle to remain on his shaky limbs. It appears to be a setup for annoyance, but Baby Steps’s power lies in 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 can’t stop thinking about.

Note: Spoilers Ahead

Some background information is needed at this point. Baby Steps game starts when Nate is magically whisked away from his family's basement and into a fantasy world. He immediately finds that navigating this world is a difficulty, 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 keep his ragdoll body standing.

The protagonist needs aid, but he has trouble voicing that to others. Throughout his hero’s journey, he meets a collection of quirky personalities in the world who everyone tries to help him out. A self-assured trekker seeks to provide Nate a navigation aid, but he uncomfortably rejects in the game’s most hilarious scene. When he plunges into an inescapable pit and is offered a ladder, he attempts to act casual like he doesn’t need the help and actually wants to be stuck in the hole. Throughout the story, you encounter plenty of annoying scenarios where Nate complicates his own situation because he’s not confident enough to accept any assistance.

The Ultimate Choice

That comes to a head in Baby Steps game’s key situation of decision. As Nate nears the end his quest, he discovers that he must ascend of a snowy mountain. The unofficial caretaker of the world (who Nate has actively avoided up to this point) comes to tell him that there are two ways up. If he’s up for a challenge, he can opt for a particularly extended and risky path dubbed The Obstacle. It is the most formidable barrier Baby Steps provides; attempting it appears unwise to any person.

But there’s a second option: He can simply ascend a enormous coiled steps in its place and reach the summit in a few minutes. The sole condition? He’ll have to call the groundskeeper “Lord” from now on if he opts for the effortless way.

A Painful Choice

I am very serious when I say that this is an painful decision in this situation. It’s every one of Nate's doubts about himself reaching a climax in one absurd moment. A portion of Nate's adventure is focused on the fact that he’s self-conscious of his physique and male identity. Each instance he sees that impressive outdoorsman, it’s a painful recollection of everything he’s not. Attempting The Challenge could be a time where he can show that he’s as able as his unilateral competitor, but that road is bound to be laden with more humiliating failures. Is it worth suffering just to make a statement?

The staircase, 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 opt to provide Nate with respite and opt for the steps. It should be an straightforward selection, but Baby Steps game is exceptionally cunning about making you feel paranoid anytime you find a gift horse. The game world contains planned obstacles that turn a safe route into a setback on a dime. Is the staircase one more trick? Will Nate get at the peak just to be fooled by an ending prank? And even worse, is he ready to be diminished yet again by being forced to call some weirdo Lord?

No Perfect Choice

The brilliance of that instant is that there’s no right or wrong answer. Each path brings about a real situation of personal growth and emotional release for Nate. If you choose to tackle The Manbreaker, it’s an philosophical victory. Nate at last receives a chance to prove that he’s as capable as others, voluntarily accepting a difficult route rather than struggling through one that he has no alternative but to take. It’s hard, and possibly risky, but it’s the dose of confidence that he needs.

But there’s no disgrace in the steps either. To opt for that way is to finally allow Nate to receive assistance. And when he does, he finds that there’s no real catch awaiting him. The steps are not a joke. They continue for a while, but they’re simple to climb and he won't slip completely down if he stumbles. It’s a easy journey after extended challenges. Halfway up, he even has a conversation with the outdoorsman who has, naturally, opted for The Obstacle. He attempts to act casual, but you can tell that he’s exhausted, silently lamenting the pointless struggle. By the time Nate reaches the summit and has to fulfill his obligation, calling the character Lord, the arrangement scarcely looks so unpleasant. Who has time to be embarrassed by this odd character?

Personal Reflection

When I played, I opted for the stairs. Part of me just {wanted to call