Poor Darwin. The cartoony octopus escapes a food processing factory, only to get caught up in a strange alien conspiracy. Luckily for him, he’s one of the smartest animals on the planet, using stealth and puzzles to find his way to freedom. As a Konami-published game, I had high expectations going in. The question is whether it delivers, time to jump in!
A Solid presentation
Before I jump into the gameplay mechanics and loop, I want to talk about the game’s presentation first, because it’s extraordinary. As a story-driven platformer, we’ve seen a lot of great worlds and characters over the years, but Darwin can easily be added to that list. The octopus is designed in a way that could easily fit into the Pixar universe. The expressions are all there, and the cutscenes suck you into this gorgeously created world in seconds. It’s a story without dialogue, but the expressions say it all.
Underwater, the game truly shines with its colorful environments, but even in the darker factory settings, it just oozes atmosphere, making it a joy to play. Combine this with a stellar soundtrack, often echoing soundbites you might recognize from the Metal Gear Solid franchise, and it’s clear the team really nailed the presentation. I tested it on PC, and even though it’s Steam Deck-verified, I ran into quite a few visual glitches on that platform, so you might want to stick to PC or console for the best experience. That’s worth pointing out, especially since so much of the game’s appeal comes from its presentation, and because it’s a relatively short game, that really matters here.
Sneak your way to freedom
Gameplay-wise, the game combines story-driven platforming with stealth and puzzle solving, so there’s a lot to unpack here. As said before, it’s not a long game and can be finished in around four hours, but those hours really are jam-packed with ideas and gameplay mechanics. The platforming segments are probably my favorite ones, since controlling an octopus comes with some added bonuses. Darwin doesn’t just swim or run around; he can also stick to ceilings and make some rather impressive jumps. It’s a fun character to control, and the controls are responsive enough to guide you through some of the more demanding sections. It’s nice to see how playful the team went with it. If platforming isn’t your favorite thing to do, the game throws something different at you in the next level to keep things interesting and high-paced.
Probably the main attraction here is the stealth sections, where Darwin has to stay out of sight of predators or aliens. One of the tricks he can use to pull that off is camouflage. As an octopus, Darwin can blend into the environment to stay hidden. Combine this with controlled platforming, and you’re in for a thrilling ride. These segments feel the closest to Konami’s Metal Gear Solid franchise, but they lack the finesse and tightness to truly be on par with Solid Snake. Where the game suffers from time to time is in how the camera handles things. It happened more than once that I got spotted by an enemy I couldn’t see on my screen, and by the time the camera zoomed out, it was already too late. In a game where stealth plays a crucial role, those moments don’t feel fair and often end with me having to restart in frustration.
Even though I ran into some frustrating levels, that frustration never lasted long thanks to the way the game keeps throwing new things at you. Where I felt like turning off my PC after being spotted by the same enemy over and over again, the next level would introduce another cartoony cutscene, followed by a slower-paced puzzle to reset the tone. The puzzle sections sit somewhere in between the platforming and stealth, but they never really take center stage. Most of them are straightforward and rely on timing or using Darwin’s abilities in the right way, rather than truly making you think. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as it keeps the pace of the game intact, but it also means they’re not particularly memorable.
The way the game handles all of these elements and turns them into an enjoyable experience is pretty remarkable. Sure, it’s definitely rough around the edges, but the variation and emotional depth in the animations still push you forward. It’s impressive how the developers manage to pull you back in again and again, even though, mechanically, there are stronger games out there. That being said, in terms of difficulty, the game can be a bit inconsistent. Some sections feel very manageable, while others, especially the stealth-heavy ones, can suddenly become frustrating due to how the camera behaves or how quickly enemies react. Thankfully, checkpoints are placed generously enough to keep things moving, and combined with the short overall runtime, it never feels like the game overstays its welcome.
Conclusion:
Darwin’s Paradox! doesn’t always get the basics right, but it makes up for it with creativity and character. It’s rough in places, yet hard to put down once it gets going. A flawed but enjoyable game.
