Have you ever wanted to just pounce and slither across the screen as an octopus? Despite the constant evolution of technology and its possibilities for video games, the 2D scroller is very much alive and well. Hollow Knight Silksong practically held the world of gaming at ransom for six years, while even the biggest IPs (Prince of Persia, God of War) have recently dabbled in what has become an indie staple genre. Konami is on a roll lately, and their latest release is Darwin’s Paradox! – in summary, you play as a blue octopus navigating seas and lands to escape those that are trying to cook you for a meal to the simpletons. Said octopus can do many octopus things, such as shoot out ink and camouflage to avoid the human or non-human or alien monstrosities across its game world. While you can only move forward and back, the art style is a simulated 3D world that creates the illusion of greater capacity. This is an adventure across 5 hours of unique environments, gimmicky gameplay and moving cut-scenes that reminded me of a lighter Little Nightmares. So, with many games mentioned already, how does it compare?
First of all, let’s get the title out of the way. Yes, the octopus is named Darwin. But Darwin’s Paradox! also refers to how productive and diverse ecosystems like coral reefs thrive in the ocean with few nutrients. The answer is sponges or something. This means nothing to us in the gaming sense, but the story opens with a monologue about Darwin’s Paradox as a theory and also cites the intelligence of the octopus as a species compared to humans and all other creatures. We are then quickly thrown into the sea, practicing Darwin’s moves to ensure success during his adventure.
In terms of story, my earlier comparison to Little Nightmares (especially the first game in that series) holds true. This is no horror, but the themes from the point of view of an octopus could very well be. You’re being chased by rats, you’re dodging machinery and military vans, there are knives and cooks and countless opportunities to be erased into pulp. The set-up to the game is that octopus are the new ‘it’ thing on the menu. You and your red buddy are captured after the tutorial (turns out there are bigger fish than the biggest fish) and Darwin finds himself soon navigating dumps, depths and more to escape the stove. As this is a fairly short game meant as a cinematic experience, that’s all I will say on story. It connects well with gameplay and ensures you’re invested in this little blue guy.
Playing the game can be somewhat deceptive. You are introduced to the camouflage and ink move-sets within the first 5-10 minutes – and they are fantastic, lore-strong abilities that can work so well. But these moves can only be used when you’re in a situation that allows them, as they won’t pop up again for an hour or so. When being chased by red-eyed rats, I had to use the glowing goo gimmick to escape rather than the two moves that were demonstrated earlier. This can feel somewhat limiting, as you’ll spend most of the game trying to work out what the game wants you to do rather than what you conjure up creatively with a tool set. The general approach is to escape situations that often feel impossible at first look. Once you start to realise that most walls can be climbed and every situation is meant to see you scrape through by the skin of your tentacle (I’m not sure THAT metaphor is scientifically correct) the movement between biomes becomes quite fluid and enjoyable.
Darwin usually feels great to move both on land and sea. The slaps of his many arms and the scurrying away from enemies is endearing, making this creature a great choice in protagonist. The main challenge, which I also have with the Little Nightmares series, is insta-death. There are times when you’ll have a couple of lives, like when navigating hot pipes and burning yourself. But anything with an enemy will see an instant fail if caught. Now, once killed/caught you then restart from a place not too far away. If stuck at one particular challenge, it can be hard to know what the game wants from you as there is little time to assess. Still, these games are built on challenge and overcoming visually-stunning obstacles. And let me tell you, this game has visuals in spades. Many of my deaths were due to a distraction in the background.
The 2D sidescroller with 3D backdrops is not new, but Darwin’s Paradox! seems to elevate the vibrancy of the world. The initial moments in the sea are jaw-droppingly beautiful, likewise when breaking out onto the surface to see incredible mounds of trash. There’s always something happening on screen that can catch your eye. The graphics and sound design are highlights (whenever killed, Darwin pops – it is a sound that is cheerful yet breaks your heart over and over again). The game plays with a range of features in attempt to elevate it amongst peers. Does it do so?
Darwin’s Paradox! is an excellent ‘over the weekend’ game. There are some secrets to find for replayability, though most maps are fairly A to B. Being priced higher than a 2D platformer such as Silksong, which is really a 60-hour game, is not the fault of the octopus nor the style of the game. Which is why I recommend this to anyone who recently enjoyed Reanimal. The biggest strengths of this game are the movement of the protagonist and the atmosphere/environments. The story is also clearer than Little Nightmares and its colleagues, providing a tale that actually supports the style well. It is not meant to be an action-packed fight through hordes, as all your moves are about disguise and sneaking through. There are plenty of moments that cause you to sit up and take it on, even if there are frustrations in getting through certain check points. There is a market for Darwin and the quality is here. And on the PlayStation 5 it looks and feels so natural. In a time of bloated mechanics and play lengths, Darwin likes to keep it confined to the aspects he really needs.
Darwin’s Paradox! is a neat 5-hour package full of adventure and hope, led by an endearing character well suited to 2D platforming. The game balances cute and challenging very well, with the difficulty ramping up later in the game. Some may see frustration, but ultimately there needs to be obstacles in a shorter package. I can see Darwin getting a bigger game (think Astro Bot) if this foray is successful. Seeing Darwin in a longer, fully 3D world with the flexibility of the octopus excites me as a gamer. All IPs need their lift-off moment, and Darwin’s Paradox! may just have enough tentacles to do so.
Pros
- Visually stunning on the PS5
- Makes the octopus a great character to play with
- Doesn’t overstay welcome
- Story has charm
Cons
- Not being able to use moves outside of certain areas feels limiting
- Insta-death
