Baby Steps

If you like the idea of QWOP and Getting Over It but bounced off the difficulty, Baby Steps is perfect for you – most of the time. But, if you relished the frustration of those games, then this is absolutely the game for you. With a similar hiking allure to Death Stranding, Baby Steps is all about putting your best foot forward which, more often than not, the game does just as well.

Baby Steps is a unique, yet somewhat divisive experience. Its sarcastic humor, awkward controls, and experimental approach will appeal to those who enjoy unusual challenges and don't mind getting angry to overcome them. For everyone else, the game may simply be frustrating.

If you don't mind the sim-heavy frustrations related to the controls in Baby Steps, you'll enjoy Nate's adventure and all his gaffs and the game's brand of humour. Cutscenes lack much of a point besides making Nate seem insecure and feeble, but despite how memorable and amusing it tries to be-Baby Steps tests your resolve more than anything. There is a meaningful tale behind it all, but Baby Steps more often than not makes you feel sorry for Nate and the odds are always stacked against you-just like Nate. Give it a go then, but nobody should blame if you take one trip too many and just don't feel like continuing the repetitive trudge.

Challenging you to make your way up a mountain, Baby Steps is likely to be one of the most divisive games of the year. With its hands-off approach, you're left to find your own fun as you ascend, and struggle with the simple act of walking. Ultimately, it just feels a little too aimless and punishing for its own good.

Baby Steps is a deliberately provocative video game. Its goal is not to challenge you to master the physics that governs Nate's movements, but to speak to your gut, triggering reactions of frustration, anger, and visceral emotion. After all, that's its nature: it's a rage game. It will surely be the subject of thousands of angry reactions from those who play it with an audience behind the screen, and its most extreme moments will rack up millions of views. This is the fate it has chosen. But, outside the context of online entertainment, is it fun to play? Baby Steps is, at times, one of the most irritating gaming experiences we’ve ever had: its cringe humor is annoying, and the most extreme obstacles often give the impression that success is just a matter of luck. If you're masochistic enough, it can provoke a strange and irresistible pleasure. For everyone else, the answer to the question posed in the title is no: there’s little beyond the meme.