There’s something incredibly charming about Darwin’s Paradox. It’s one of those platformers that keeps pulling you back in. Maybe it’s the gorgeous visuals akin to prime Pixar or DreamWorks. Maybe it’s the compelling gameplay that continuously drops new ideas at your tentacles. There’re many things that make it enjoyable to play. Despite it not being as long as I would have liked, Darwin and the perilous world he finds himself in kept me hooked until the very end.
After being plucked from his home by a UFO and dropped into the industrial complex of a suspect food company, Darwin must do whatever he can to find his way back to the ocean. There’re multiple sections that never outstay their welcome. Sometimes they can be a little tougher than they need to be, and a bit more guidance would be appreciated, yet I was always ready to keep on pushing to the next area. It goes without saying that Darwin’s Paradox is a gorgeous game. The detail in every part of the environment is stunning.
While the animations are fantastic, it is the detail in what’s going on behind you that never failed to impress me. So much attention has been put into what’s happening in the background that you’re compelled to stop and appreciate how ZDT Studio has put in so much effort to make it feel like a living, breathing world. Sure, a sinister corporation surrounded by chemical waste, mountains of trash, and evil workers might not be an ideal world, but it still feels alive. There’s plenty of variety in the different sections, though, always with something interesting happening.
There’s a real feeling that Abe’s Oddysee and RuptureFarms inspired Darwin’s Paradox. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but the humour and story gives off Mudokon vibes. The general tone and wonder of each puzzle and environment is such fun, and there were seldom parts I didn’t enjoy. Perhaps the most frustrating for me was making my way across boiling hot pipes, riotous flames, and crushing pistons. Even then, I still persisted and looked for ways to get through the grim factories belong to the Ufood Corporation.
Darwin has a range of abilities to use throughout Darwin’s Paradox. On land, he can cling to walls to reach higher locations and avoid pitfalls. There are sections where he can fling himself across large gaps and pull levers, as well as camouflage to blend into his surroundings. In water, he can also fire ink to mask himself to avoid detection from a whole range of aquatic threats. On top of all of these, some areas add other abilities on top of the familiar ones to keep things fresh. Most puzzles follow a similar formula, with slight twists to stop them getting repetitive.
It’s been while since gaming has received a mascot-type platformer. The market is flooded with Metroidvanias. As someone who gets far too tired with seeing that genre appear in a synopsis, is was a breath of fresh air to experience a game with similar ideas to titles like Limbo or Little Nightmares. Darwin’s Paradox feels like its own game, and Darwin is such a loveable protagonist. It would be great to see more of him in years to come, and I would definitely play a sequel if it ever came to fruition.
With cinematic visuals and excellent platforming sections, Darwin’s Paradox is one of the finest platformers in recent times. The level of detail is incredible, and the humour always hits the mark. Some sections go on a little too long, and checkpoints after death could be more forgiving, however, the good far outweighs the not so good. If you miss that nostalgic feeling of mascots leading the charge in fun, colourful, and engaging platformers, this is definitely the game for you.
