There are few things I love in video games more than invisible level design, a gameplay loop that doesn’t revolve around combat, and anime waifus with big… Well, “Baby Steps” only has two of those things, although it does feature a surprising amount of hanging dong attached to talking donkeys.

Listen, it’s hard to explain. You just have to play this one for yourself or watch it on YouTube.

If you aren’t aware of this game, then I don’t know what you’re doing on this website or reading this. It’s about a typical Gamergate loser in his parents’ literal basement who doesn’t do anything but sit and play games. Shots fired at the fanbase. Nate, our protagonist, has to learn to walk with atrophied legs/feet.

Your L2 is the left leg and your R2 is your right leg. After a few minutes, it actually makes sense to control. You can precisely place each foot where you want, and go as fast or slow as you deem necessary. It’s intuitive, and not at all as frustrating as everyone led me to believe (in most cases). The terrain definitely loves to ruin your day with slick mud or slippery sand, but I was thrilled with the progress I made and the different hats I found and placed on my head.

My favorite was the froggy one.

There was a lot of talk about this being akin to “Dark Souls” where the exuberance and joy of conquering massive challenges is the biggest dopamine rush a gamer can achieve. I definitely understand that, but since I am a god gamer myself, I just found this to be a hilarious romp through a big open map that silently guides you through to the next major checkpoint quite elegantly. Whether it be sightlines, or things in the distance, or the shape of a mountain, I never thought “where do I go next?”

What made this Bennett Foddy-adjacent game (derisively decried as “streamer slop” by some) stand above its contemporaries is the story, and to a larger degree, the cutscenes. Spliced around the “walking” you do are scenes showing off Nate’s extreme nervousness and antisocial behavior. These range from the cringey to the downright absurd and surreal, but never failed to make me chuckle. The larger story about growing up, not being afraid to ask for help, the loneliness epidemic that affects men in our digital age, and the nature of hopes, wishes, and dreams are masterfully skewered here.

If you choose to ignore the donkey dicks, that is.

I was sort of blown away by this game’s ability to effortlessly, wordlessly, and confidently let the walking do the talking. So to speak. It drops you into a section, lets you wander, and you come to discover yourself finding these things the creators left for you to stumble upon.

Its the invisible hand of the director navigating you, and it works. This is such a delight to play, and explore, that whatever off-putting words have been written about this being extremely difficult should fall on deaf ears. This is a must-play. It’s so unique — truly unlike anything else you’ll find outside of possibly “Octodad.”

But even then, titles like “Octodad” are more about the cartoonish jokes, childish slapstick, and goofy items around to knock about with your tentacles. “Baby Steps” is adult — more about tying the narrative arc of Nate to the literal “one step at a time” gameplay you do by alternating the left and right shoulder buttons. Plus, the awkward comedy done by Australians that reminds me of the stumbling, bumbling riffs from “Rick & Morty.”

And I mean that in the best way, as a compliment.

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Image Credit: “Baby Steps”