Baby Steps’ Giant Staircase Forces an Agonizing Choice: Tackle The Manbreaker or Call a Stranger Lord?
Baby Steps, a new game from Ape Out creators Gabe Cuzzillo, Bennett Foddy, and Maxi Boch, presents a notable in-game decision near its end: players must choose between climbing a long, dangerous trail called “The Manbreaker” or walking up a giant spiral staircase and accepting a requirement to call the groundskeeper “Lord”.
Overview
Baby Steps places players in a fantasy world as Nate, a onesie-wearing character who moves one step at a time with ragdoll-like physics. The game was created by Gabe Cuzzillo, Bennett Foddy, and Maxi Boch, and it uses deliberate, awkward movement as a central mechanical and narrative element.
Game and controls
Players control Nate step-by-step, which makes basic movement intentionally slow and unstable. Consequently, many interactions revolve around physical comedy and managing the character’s balance. Throughout the game, other characters offer assistance, maps, ladders, or alternate routes, and those offers can be accepted or declined through player choices in specific moments.
The choice at the mountain
Near the end of the game, the player must ascend a snowy mountain. There are two explicit routes presented by the groundskeeper: the trail called “The Manbreaker”, which is long and dangerous, or a giant spiral staircase that reaches the summit quickly but requires the player to call the groundskeeper “Lord” from then on.
The decision functions as a clear narrative fork. One route emphasizes overcoming a difficult physical challenge, while the other emphasizes accepting help and a social concession. Both options are actual in-game paths that lead to the summit rather than being purely symbolic.
Outcomes and player paths
Both choices lead to distinct gameplay and character moments. If players choose “The Manbreaker”, they face a lengthy, risky trail that tests the game’s core movement mechanics. Alternatively, taking the stairs offers an easier climb, with fewer mechanical setbacks, and includes a mid-climb encounter with the hiker character who chose the trail.
The article’s author reports choosing the stairs in their playthrough and notes seeing other players opt directly for “The Manbreaker”. The source also points to a player account of completing the trail; you can read that conquering The Manbreaker.
Credits and links
The game is by Gabe Cuzzillo, Bennett Foddy, and Maxi Boch, and the image used in the original piece is credited to those creators and Devolver Digital. The article references a comparison to a long stair climb in Final Fantasy VII Remake as a point of cultural context.
