The year was 2008. I was in college for video editing and although I had been using a computer for years, it was never for games, I was more of a Nintendo girl. (Unless you count Schoolhouse Rock games from way back when, but that doesn't exactly scream "PC gamer" does it?) When someone in my flash animation class showed me a game called QWOP. In my mind I thought, I can do this. Move the guys legs, run the race, cross the finish line, easy peasy. Spoiler: It was not easy, nor peasy. After 100 attempts, my fingers sore, my spirit crushed, I never crossed the finish line. 

Let's fast forward 16 years later, it's 2025.  Enter Baby Steps, developed by Bennett Foddy, Maxi Boch, and Gabe Cuzzillo. Foddy, the creator of QWOP joined forces with Boch and Cuzzillo to create not just a "walking sim" but a game that simulates walking, in all its weird, clumsy and comedic glory. 

Gameplay

Baby Steps is a physics based adventure game where you control Nate, an awkward, unemployed 30 something who has been dropped in what seems like the middle of nowhere. Your task is to guide Nate up a mountain by manually controlling each of his legs, navigating through the challenging terrain.

Gameplay for Baby Steps is very straightforward, but intentionally clumsy.  Use the controls to individually maneuver each of Nate's legs one at a time carefully, shifting his weight to stay balanced. There is no jump, and his arms are useless, which means you cannot catch yourself or grab onto anything to break your fall. Every step is deliberate, and one wrong move could cause you to tumble back down the mountain. That’s right, the physics are very real in Baby Steps, and they definitely don't work in your favor. 

Lead Nate through different terrains to reach the peak of the mountain.There are no maps, no markers, no way of truly knowing where you are. Your only directional compass is the light source guiding you to the next "summit".  Climb through tripping hazards, mud and sand, tiny, rickety board bridges with no railings. But with your unsteady legs, this isn't a simple task. Baby Steps does not hold your hands by any means, and you can expect to fail. If I had a nickel for every time I fell, I would be a VERY VERY rich girl. Some falls are small, and you can get right back up and try again. Others send you tumbling down steep, muddy slopes, through waterfalls, or into pits you'll have to painstakingly climb your way out of. 

Exploration

Exploration is KEY in Baby Steps. And not just because it's an adventure game, but it's critical to uncovering not only easter eggs, but  storyline too. Certain paths/areas trigger cut scenes and introduce you to NPCs that help you along your climb. And let’s just say, some of the NPCs are memorable.

If something catches your eye during your climb, don't wait, explore it then and there. The game takes you across a very open world, and without a map, the chances of finding it again are going to be difficult. 

Easter eggs range from hidden drawings, to wearable hats, glowing objects and lots more to uncover as you play. The game really focuses on that aspect of discovery so I feel as a reviewer I would be doing players a disservice by spoiling too much. But if you’re a PS5 trophy hunter, you can check here for what’s instore. For those who want to go in blind, what I will say is, look and explore it all so you don't miss anything. 

Art & Music

This game is truly beautiful. Take a break from the gameplay, and look at your surroundings. Whether it’s the foliage or sheen of the wet mud, the butt cheek moon, or the view below as you climb the mountain. The attention to detail and beauty create an environment that truly feels alive and thoughtfully created.

 I really enjoyed the addition of Nate's onesie getting more and more soiled as you fell, or got sweat marks in the daytime sun.  It was a great touch and oddly satisfying as it  became clean as I fell into the river, for the tenth time. 

As I played though, I will say some of the sound effects confused me. The random goose noises? a lawnmower? Some sort of engine? Some of them weren't associated with in game objects, and some were. But which is which? All up to the player to decide to seek them out. All in all they definitely fit the weird, fever dream vibe of the game, but definitely threw me for a loop the first time I heard them.

More to the Game

For the first time in my "adult gamer" life, I rage quit a game. Four times actually in the first two hours of playing Baby Steps. (So bravo devs)  I was so frustrated with the mechanics, especially the physics, and found myself cursing Nate and his awkward and clumsy movements. I took some space, and came back with a fresh mind. As I continued to play, I had the realization (slowly, but I got there) that Baby Steps is a giant metaphor for life. 

For every short but challenging path, there is a longer, more scenic route that feels more like climbing a steady set of stairs. But every path comes with its own set of consequences, some good, some bad, that come alongside it. 

Take the long, scenic route for instance. You get great views, you're slow and steady, and you reach the top pretty easy, with little risk. But how much did you really push yourself? Taking your time is something to be proud of, but deep down you might wonder: could you have challenged yourself more to get to where you're going?

Now consider the short and difficult route. Maybe you wiped out over and over, maybe cursed some guy named Nate (aka you) and his (your) clumsy legs, and took a hit to your pride along the way? Sure, but what did you gain? Did you get to see a different perspective? And when you accomplished the climb, did you feel good about the work you put in to get there?

These are all questions Baby Steps asks as you choose your path, whether in the game, or in real life. Just when you thought a silly game about a dude in a onesie wasn't philosophical. 

Tips 

Baby Steps  does come with a few trigger warnings that I definitely recommend taking a look into. The game is rated M for Mature, and includes references to drugs, mature humor, nudity, and strong language. Players do have the ability to turn off nudity in the accessibility options in settings.

In my opinion,and as suggested by the developers, a controller is best for this type of gameplay.  I tried both ways, and even though I would usually choose mouse and keyboard over controller, with how many buttons you need to push to control the legs, it got pretty messy pretty quick. For reference I used an Xbox controller.

Conclusion

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 through the failures, and embrace the struggle. That even baby steps, are progress.

Baby Steps toddles to Steam for PC and PS5 Tuesday, September 23rd, 2025. 

Thank you to the developers for the key for the purpose of reviewing this game. Baby Steps was reviewed on PC