The narrative of Darwin’s Paradox! is as charming as it is absurd. You play as Darwin, a remarkably clever blue octopus who is plucked from the serenity of the ocean and thrust into the heart of a grimy, mysterious industrial complex run by UFOOD INC. While the corporation claims to be a simple food canning factory, the patrolling “human” guards are clearly something far more than they appear.
This story strikes a nostalgic balance between the environmental dread of Inside and the quirky, cinematic character building found in early 2000s platformers with animals being the lead character. Darwin himself is surprisingly expressive, and the mystery of why an octopus is the key to stopping a global conspiracy provides a compelling hook that keeps you pushing toward the next sector. While the story has very little in the way of dialogue, it’s easy to understand and well written.
At its core, Darwin’s Paradox! is a “Tactical Octopus Action” game that leans heavily into stealth platforming and environmental puzzles that the publisher Konami is known for, namely the Metal Gear Solid franchise.
Using Darwin’s natural cephalopod abilities like suction-cupped arms for scaling walls and an ink shooter to blind robotic sentries feels intuitive and creative. The level design brilliantly alternates between claustrophobic vent-crawling with stealth sections and expansive underwater sections that allow for more vertical freedom. Speaking of the Metal Gear series, the game is Darwin tunes into his Snake side with the ability to hide under cardboard boxes, use his camouflage to blend into the environment, and even can dress up as Snake; complete with his signature bandanna! While the controls can occasionally feel “squishy” due to Darwin’s physics-based movement, the puzzles are smart and reward players who take the time to observe guard patterns rather than rushing in.
On the Xbox Series X, the game takes full advantage of Unreal Engine 5 to create a world that is vibrant yet grimy. The lighting is the standout feature, especially how it interacts with rays of sun coming into the water in the open water areas, Darwin’s translucent skin; and his adaptive camouflage. The game offers two primary modes: “Beauty,” which targets a native 4K with impressive ray-traced reflections and enhanced depth of field, and “Performance,” which prioritizes a fluid 60fps.
The game features a mixture of realistic environments with cartoonish characters and both look great regardless of which mode you play the game in. Though I will say that performance mode is really where it’s best played, as when playing in quality mode the game moves at a much slower pace and can be a bit sluggish at times. So while the quality mode looks really good, for the best experience playing on the Xbox Series X, I would suggest playing it in performance mode.
The audio design is a masterclass in homage and atmosphere. The soundtrack is heavily inspired by the “sneaking” themes of the 32-bit era, featuring an orchestral score that feels both groovy and tense. It shifts dynamically based on the alert status; if Darwin is spotted, the music swells with brassy, Metal Gear style urgency.
The sound effects are equally clever, featuring the iconic “!” alert sound from the Metal Gear Solid games, and the wet, squelching slap of Darwin’s tentacles on various surfaces. Even the ambient factory hum and the distant clank of machinery work together to build a sense of scale and isolation. The game sounds great when traversing the factory, sewers, or the open waters of the ocean of which Darwin starts his journey.
Darwin’s Paradox! is one of the best platformers I’ve played this year and the best one based on animals in the last decade! Darwin’s Paradox! manages to feel like a modern evolution of the “animal with an attitude” genre of games that saw a surge in the 16-bit era of gaming. The cool thing about Darwin is that he was able to learn from those that came before him.
While the game injects legitimate stealth mechanics and other tropes of animal games, these mechanics feel more than just a gimmick. Darwin’s Paradox! has heart, humor, and polished presentation make it a standout platformer! It’s a bold, creative move from Konami and ZDT Studio that proves you don’t need a super soldier to save the world; sometimes, you just need eight arms and a cardboard box!
Disclaimer: A review key was provided
In addition to writing articles, Ryan Byers also creates content for his YouTube channel called "Obscure Games and Consoles", collects video games, and dabbles in video game development.