Baby Steps: The Gloriously Clumsy QWOP-Child That’s Stealing Hearts (And Kneecaps)
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Jeff's been digging into *Baby Steps*, a physics comedy from the creators of *QWOP* that's more than just viral slapstick. It's an unexpectedly deep dive into failure, masculinity, and the journey from clumsy manchild to… slightly less clumsy manchild, earning it buzz as a potential Game of the Year contender.
Right, so I've been tinkering with the digital tea leaves this week, and bloody hell, a game called *Baby Steps* has popped up on my radar, looking all innocent and... well, hilariously uncoordinated. It’s published by Devolver Digital, those lovely anarchists of the indie scene, and it’s already generating some serious chatter about being a dark horse for 2025’s Game of the Year. Reckon we need to dive into this one, mate, because it's wilder than it first appeared.
Fair warning: this news sounds like it's about a game designed purely to make streamers rage-quit in spectacular fashion, but stick with me because there's a surprising amount of wizardry going on under the hood. Imagine, if you will, that infamous viral sensation *QWOP* – you know, the one where you had to individually control each limb of a runner and inevitably faceplant into oblivion? Now, imagine that brilliant, devilish concept got together with an open-world game, had a few pints, and decided to go on a grand, deeply introspective hike. That, my friends, is *Baby Steps*.
From what I’m hearing, not two hours into the journey, you might find yourself navigating a world that’s less 'epic adventure' and more 'existential pratfall simulator'. One account I stumbled upon detailed a player, finally mastering the delicate art of not instantly collapsing, confidently circumnavigating a clearly ominous pit. Laughing in its face, even! Only to, thirty minutes later, after a treacherous climb, completely beef it on a narrow outcropping and tumble directly *back into the very same pit*. Landing flat on their back, groaning. Everything you need to know about *Baby Steps* exists in that moment: setups, punchlines, and spectacular failures that make you feel like a beached tuna, but ultimately, empower you to dust yourself off and try again.
This glorious mess is the brainchild of Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, and Bennett Foddy – yes, *that* Bennett Foddy, the mad genius behind *QWOP* and *Getting Over It*. They've put a basement-dwelling bloke, clad in a onesie and mid-Netflix binge, into a mysterious world straight out of an *Elder Scrolls* game. The first laugh, apparently, hits the second you try to walk: pressing the joystick forward causes an immediate, unceremonious faceplant. To stay upright, you're alternating left and right triggers, each controlling a leg, making you feel like a toddler learning to navigate the digital world. And you'll be doing this a *lot* as you embark on an unexpectedly grand hike – potentially to find a good spot to piss, or perhaps to fetch cigarettes for a gaggle of donkey men with, shall we say, prominent anatomical features. It's truly got the energy of a stoner comedy meeting a Samuel Beckett play, which is a magical combination if ever there was one.
This isn't just a 'walking simulator' in the contemplative, narrative sense. This is a *walking* simulator in the most literal, clumsy, 'how do I even physics?' sense. The goal is simply to walk, whether it's up a mountain, across a twisted mine cart track, or through a cardboard box maze. And when I say 'really walk,' I mean it. You start off barely able to stand, then progress to a single, wobbly step, eventually chaining together short walks before inevitably splatting. But the brilliance, the true alchemical reaction here, is the progression. By the end, you're supposedly scaling crags, balancing on logs in rivers, and generally feeling like a clumsy digital ninja. It's a journey from helpless infant to... well, a slightly less helpless, slightly more competent infant.
Getting to that point requires an absolute mountain of failure, and that's where the game’s devilish comedy truly shines. The world, though visually sparse, is densely packed with environmental traps straight out of a Wile E. Coyote cartoon. Every precarious overlook, slippery stairwell, or just-out-of-reach zipline is designed to punish your slightest misstep. It’s like Kevin McCallister from *Home Alone* designed a video game, but instead of booby-trapping burglars, he’s booby-trapped your sense of self-worth. You'll fall, you'll swear, you'll probably quit at least once, but the reports suggest you'll keep coming back.
Now, here’s where my curiosity, and frankly, my digital wizard's gut, really started humming. You could easily dismiss *Baby Steps* as an interactive shitpost designed for viral Twitch clips. We’ve seen Foddy’s previous work generate that kind of reaction. But the buzz suggests something deeper. Apparently, this game captivated one particular player for twelve straight hours, gripping their Steam Deck so tightly their palms hurt, staying up past bedtime just to keep failing. And this from someone who usually gets twitchy if a Soulslike boss takes more than 30 minutes! So, what makes *Baby Steps*' frustrations so magnetic?
Part of it is undoubtedly the world itself. It sounds like a 3D rendition of *Getting Over It*'s surreal trash landscape – an outhouse dangling from a cliff, a sandcastle kingdom hidden away, every vista looking like a Salvador Dalí painting. And the unorthodox score, with bird calls and insect buzzing morphing into complex percussion, only heightens the hypnotic, dreamlike chaos. But it's also incredibly, genuinely funny, with visual gags aplenty and riotous cutscenes featuring eccentric characters voiced by the creators themselves, often cracking up during hilariously uncomfortable conversations.
But the real magic, the core of what makes this game tick beyond slapstick and absurdity, is its unlikely hero. When you first meet him, he’s a forgettable chap, passed out on a couch while his parents argue about what to do with him. The initial instinct is to laugh at his expense. He’s a perfect punching bag. But a heartbreaking line of dialogue midway through the story apparently shifts everything, revealing a deep layer of insecurity and self-hatred. And wouldn't you know it, that moment coincides with a brutal difficulty spike.
This is where *Baby Steps* steps into territory few games dare to tread: masculinity. Our awkward, out-of-shape protagonist isn't the ideal male image, a fact literally dangled in his face by those aforementioned donkey men. His only stereotypically masculine trait is his inability to ask for help, or accept it when offered – leading to an ongoing, brilliant gag where he repeatedly turns down maps. This context transforms the game from a mere physics comedy into a sincere dissection of manhood and its societal pressures. It’s about feeling inadequate but not knowing how to express it; every misstep isn't just a setback in progress, but a setback in his potential for personal growth.
There's a particularly harrowing part where the reviewer was stuck in a circular river for hours, convinced the character couldn't make a seemingly impossible leap across some minecart tracks. Desperation eventually led to a risky attempt, expecting failure. But the character, our clumsy hero, executed it perfectly. That moment, apparently, was a breakthrough. It wasn't about the player's skill, but about *trusting the character*. It generated that fabled 'Dark Souls rush', but externalized. It wasn't the player feeling good about themselves, but feeling like they'd helped build the *hero's* confidence. It's about *him*, not your custom avatar.
So, while *Baby Steps* is designed to infuriate you, to test your patience with deviously placed setbacks, and to make you laugh and swear (and probably quit), it seems that if you see it through, you'll find something genuinely powerful waiting for you. Forget your cool swords or power-ups; you'll gain grace, compassion, and apparently, a good spot to piss. Now that's what I call a truly magical gaming experience, mate. Colour me intrigued.
Tags: indie games, physics comedy, QWOP, devolver digital, game review
Original article: Polygon