Darwin's Paradox Review: Destructoid's Take on the Ingenious Octopus

Darwin's Paradox is a 2.5D platformer that slips us into the skin of a mischievous octopus, armed only with sarcasm and humor, abducted by aliens to escape the prodigious machine of the agri-food industry and thwart an invasion by said aliens. Inspired by games such as Limbo or Inside, the game boasts a shimmering aesthetic and a humorous tone reminiscent of Ratchet & Clank, all while offering varied dioramas, ranging from murky oceans with the most outlandish factories, to parodies of open-plan offices. Let's see what Destructoid thinks in this summary of its review.

Does the Gameplay Deliver?

The gameplay revolves around cleverly designed puzzles focused on the octopus's mechanics: swimming skillfully, pushing/pulling objects, spitting ink to obscure enemies' vision, camouflaging against a wall, or even creating devastating globs of spit. The relatively short adventure (4 to 5 hours) is heightened by a pace calibrated down to the millimeter. Visually, it's very beautiful: the octopus's animations are very fluid, the scenery highly detailed and packed with pop culture references, all set in an enchanting 2.5D. The jazzy 1950s music boosts the retro-futuristic touch, even featuring upbeat themes for the more tense sequences.

What About the Technical Side?

On the technical front, the controls seem practical but could be improved: frustrating slides and imprecisions hamper the fun, especially on Switch 2. The game doesn't suffer from any major visible bugs; the issues lie more with framerate drops in the more crowded areas.

The lifespan of Darwin's Paradox is modest, but there's replayability for those wanting more. At €25, it's a clever and refreshing indie title that, despite a few flaws, should satisfy more than one player!