Baby Steps can be seen as either the worst game of the year or, for some, the most entertaining. However, for us, it clearly leans toward the former. We’ve played titles that flirt with madness, but never something so exasperating and irritating, capable of boiling your blood.
The frustration this game causes is not the same as Dark Souls, where you lose due to lack of preparation or not memorizing patterns. Here, you won’t find a health bar, deep mechanics, or epic battles. All you do is walk. Yes, literally walk. Using the controller triggers, you must move each foot of the protagonist to attempt climbing a mountain.
The story introduces us to Nate, a complete slacker who suddenly gets mysteriously transported to the base of a mountain. Other characters task him with reaching the summit, without giving any explanation, dressed only in pajamas and barefoot. According to the developer, the plot is meant to convey a message about moving forward despite difficulties. In practice, however, all you really learn is how your character eats dirt and rocks every time he trips.
If you’re still wondering about the gameplay, the reality is that there’s nothing beyond moving the feet. The rest of the character’s body remains stiff, with no meaningful animations. The world is technically open, but it offers no incentive: the only goal is to climb. At first, it might feel funny to fall and start over, but the humor quickly wears off after the umpteenth time.
The game’s biggest issue lies in its inconsistent controls. Instead of feeling like you’re guiding the character, it feels like you’re fighting against him. Add to that archaic graphics reminiscent of games from two decades ago, and voice acting that sounds like someone poorly imitating Seth Rogen with mediocre jokes.
Baby Steps might appeal to streamers or players with a masochistic sense of humor. For everyone else, it’s neither worth the money nor the time.
Final Score: 1/5
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