Baby Steps Reviews
Baby Steps is an amazing game that very much fits my vibe in the simulation genre where the main mechanic is satisfying and the journey is just as enjoyable. It’s not a perfect game, but it does so much right that I can’t wait to play more of it at my own pace.
I’ve played my fair share of games since my short lived QWOP playing years days minutes. Some challenging, some not so much, but nothing has brought me back to the same chaos and frustration like Baby Steps. Baby Steps takes the awkward, clumsy movement of QWOP and combines it with funny conversations, beautiful scenery, and a gentle reminder to focus on the journey, not the destination. To laugh though the failures, and embrace the struggle. That even baby steps, are progress.
Baby Steps is a weird, basic game that finds an accessible balance between easy and aggravating. All you do is walk forward, going around or through obstacles, and it still finds a way to be so compelling and enjoyable that it's hard to stop. Even when falling down the mountain and having to climb up again, I still felt excited to get back on it and take a different route on the open mountain or take some extra time to strategically place my footing. The story may not be prominent, but it is entertaining, and I had a blast exploring to find other cutscenes to enjoy. The game is also wonderfully playable on the Steam Deck at its default settings, and I didn't find many settings that could make it look better. Still, it's definitely worth playing, and it will absolutely be a blast on the go.
Call it a subversion of expectations, call it a revision on the tired walking simulator genre, call it what you will. Baby Steps is intentonally stupid and, first and foremost, just some perfect fodder for streamers. It’s, admittedly, occasionally funny, occasionally interesting to play, and a bit frustrating at times, though never in a ragequit-inducing kind of way. If anything, I was actually impressed with how the developers were actually able to come up with a halfway entertaining gameplay loop based on something as banal and stupid as walking.
From the moment Baby Steps was first announced, I knew there was a chaotic, frustrating, and hilarious experience waiting for us. It turned out to be all of that and more. And sure, many are going to view it as a “streamer”-geared game because of how easy content can come from it. However, if you truly take the time to examine Baby Steps for what it actually is, you’ll discover something more. It’s not just a collection of viral moments; it’s a game for a specific kind of player—one who can appreciate the genius in its infuriating simplicity and the profound satisfaction in its difficulty. For those willing to embrace the falls, the crude humor, and the brutal journey, Baby Steps is a game you won’t want to miss. It proves that the most memorable adventures are often those where every single step is a hard-won victory.
Hilarious, bittersweet, surreal and rage-inducing all in equal measure, Baby Steps is a journey that you'll want to join Nate on.
I hope it’s obvious that I loved Baby Steps. I loved how it immediately allured me with its silly controls, wacky world and characters, and the numerous challenges that were largely fun (AND NEVER MADE ME MAD). It’s not as laser-focused as something like Getting Over It, which felt like a tightly-controlled roller coaster of an experience. This is more akin to a theme park, albeit one where the fun is largely in your hands. You get to decide how much or how little of the world you want to engage with. You get to decide which challenges are enjoyable diversions and which ones aren’t worth your time. You get to decide just how much you want to flail around, with each step forward one step closer to reaching the end. And when you get there, you’ll have realized that some things are worth doing the hard way, and others, well, let’s just say it’s good to have friends by your side.