Imagine a game so wonderfully strange that it actively “punishes” players for skipping its story moments with an even longer cutscene. That’s exactly what you get with Baby Steps, the recently released walking simulator from the brilliant minds of Gabe Cuzzillo, Maxi Boch, and Bennett Foddy. This title is already known for being quirky and absurd, but its most outrageous trick is a 28-minute cutscene that only triggers if you’ve diligently skipped nearly every other cutscene in the game.
And when we say “successfully skip,” we mean it’s no easy feat! Baby Steps doesn’t just let you tap a button and move on. Each attempt to bypass a cutscene transforms into a peculiar mini-game, almost as if the game itself is resisting your efforts. Fail too many of these quirky challenges, and you won’t even unlock this epic, drawn-out consequence – or perhaps, ultimate payoff – for your relentless scene-skipping.
[A video showcasing the official launch trailer for Baby Steps would typically be embedded here.]
This infamous scene unfolds when Nate meets Moose at a cabin towards the game’s conclusion. If you’ve been a diligent cutscene skipper throughout your playthrough but decide to watch this particular final interaction, the game takes a meta turn. Nate breaks the fourth wall, informing Moose about the player’s skipping habits and admitting he’s not quite in the mood for the big finale. What follows is a spontaneous, unscripted chat between the voice actors, Cuzzillo and Foddy, discussing everything from the mundane (broccoli sandwiches) to the absurd (their characters’ inability to raise a single eyebrow). They even touch on relatable struggles like recording audio under a flight path, the awkwardness of trying to nap, and the existential dread of mold. Throughout this extended dialogue, they humorously scold the player for their skipping tendencies, expressing mock frustration that this specific cutscene wasn’t skipped, forcing them to continue their ad-libbed conversation.
This delightfully inane discussion stretches on for nearly half an hour before the “actors” finally decide it’s time for the credits – prompted by a timely meow from a cat, seemingly eager to move things along. It’s a truly unique and hilarious moment!
For those curious to witness this extended sequence without earning it through diligent cutscene skipping, you can experience the entire 28-minute spectacle. It’s up to each player to decide if this bizarre, lengthy interaction is a clever reward or a playful punishment for their in-game choices.
Our official review for Baby Steps lauded it with a 9/10, describing it as “an infuriating ordeal of intentionally awkward physics that’s brutal, unbelievably stupid, and downright awesome.”