Baby Steps Review: Physics Satire Earns 85 Score With Slapstick Open-World Challenge

Baby Steps is an $18 indie experiment that turns the simple act of walking into an exhausting, hilarious ordeal. The game, developed by Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, and Bennett Foddy and published by Devolver Digital, pushes players into a wilderness trek as Nate, a 35-year-old slacker who stumbles from his couch into a surreal mountain climb. Instead of power-ups or polished parkour, movement is mapped to awkward physics inputs where even lifting a foot feels like a gamble.

In PC Gamer’s review, Jody Macgregor scored the game 85/100, highlighting how Baby Steps successfully transforms slapstick physics into both comedy and critique of the modern open-world formula. His analysis captures the game’s blend of absurd failure, frustrating repetition, and occasional brilliance in satire.

The setup is deceptively straightforward. Nate, stranded in the wilderness with no shoes and no sense of balance, sets his sights on a distant mountain. Every step, stumble, and faceplant becomes part of the journey. Using a controller is strongly recommended, with triggers and sticks tied to foot movement. This granular control offers precision but little grace, leaving Nate waddling like a moose on ice. Every fall can undo minutes of progress, and each climb demands patience bordering on masochism.

What makes Baby Steps notable is how it mocks the conventions of both survival challenges and open-world adventures. The game is full of improvised cutscenes where Nate rejects every offer of help, from maps to hiking shoes. He embodies the archetype of a stubborn gamer refusing shortcuts, a satire of difficulty discourse, and “hardcore” self-imposed challenges. It is a clever twist that keeps the narrative sharp, even when the physics gag begins to wear thin after the first several hours.

The world itself is a patchwork of slapstick obstacles: mudslides, precarious ladders, rockfaces, and bizarre zones like Box Hell, a maze of cardboard. Losing items is a constant hazard, with hats and tools easily misplaced in falls. Even simple objectives, such as returning objects to firetowers or climbing for collectibles, become extended farces when Nate’s clumsy body sabotages every attempt. Players will often spend more time chasing dropped gear than progressing toward the summit.

Yet for all its frustration, Baby Steps is consistently funny. The awkward animations, improvised dialogue, and Nate’s self-defeating personality create a rhythm where failure is part of the entertainment. Macgregor noted that while the first seven hours offered endless laughs, the following stretch veered toward draining repetition. Still, the sharp dialogue and story moments provided enough motivation to continue.

Optional challenges add variety, but the real core is the climb itself. Each biome introduces new hazards, from sandy slopes to ant tunnels, forcing experimentation. Some paths seem impossible until persistence or a small overlooked trick reveals the way. The game plays with player psychology, punishing impatience while rewarding slow adaptation. However, Baby Steps is not afraid to lean into outright unfairness, with moments that many players will find deliberately absurd or aggravating.

What separates Baby Steps from other “masocore” experiments is its satirical edge. Instead of glorifying triumph over adversity, the game rewards perseverance with comedic cutscenes and character interactions. The result is less about mastery and more about enduring the joke until its punchline lands. After nearly 15 hours of clumsy climbing, the experience reshapes how players appreciate basic movement in other games. As Macgregor pointed out, switching to a fluid action title like Borderlands 4 immediately after highlights the contrast and reinforces Baby Steps’ design purpose.

Check Baby Steps on Steam.

Baby Steps earns its 85 score as a Sisyphean but rewarding parody. It makes walking feel like an achievement, turns falls into slapstick, and skewers open-world excess through deliberate awkwardness. For players willing to endure its frustrations, it offers a unique blend of comedy and challenge that lingers long after Nate’s final stumble.