"I spent most of my first hour of Baby Steps with myface planted in the ground. It's not what I thought my first hour would be. After all, this is Bennett Foddy's (the man behind other maddening games like the crossover hit QWOP and 2017's Getting Over It) first "open world" game. Surely the philosopher-turned-designer would broaden his newest game's appeal by curbing the unwieldy controls his games are known for."
"I found out thehard way that this couldn't be further from the truth. In reality, Baby Steps is an unapologetic successor to the memorable and meme-able games that came before it. It's janky. It's ugly, in an endearing kind of way. And it is, in moments, as entertaining as it is frustrating. Baby Step is another Foddy game that won't be for everyone in the long term. But I deeply respect what's sure to be 2025's most bizarre game for committing to the bit."
Baby Steps is Bennett Foddy's first open-world game that centers on making a character named Nate walk across a hilly, nature-filled landscape. Each chapter requires Nate to reach a distant camp by traversing rocky, uneven terrain and unforgiving obstacles. Movement relies on four inputs: left and right triggers for Nate's legs, the right stick for camera and orientation, and the left analog stick for forward momentum. Walking forward requires precise timing and coordination, producing intentionally awkward, physics-based movement. The presentation is janky and visually rough in an endearing way. The experience is frequently frustrating, occasionally entertaining, and will appeal to players who enjoy deliberate, difficult mechanics.
Read at Inverse
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