The cinematic platformer was popularized by the 2010 Xbox Live Arcade game, Limbo (though its roots extend from 1991’s Another World), and as a result, the genre has primarily offered dark and moody experiences with thoughtful, but opaque stories. Darwin’s Paradox sets itself apart in the genre by being colorful, silly, and narratively transparent – think Pixar animated short as opposed to Brothers Quay animated short. The goofy angle and unexpected production values help Darwin feel different, but frequent design annoyances and over reliance on bland stealth gameplay prevent it from rising to the top.
Darwin’s Paradox follows the exploits of a smart but clumsy octopus who gets caught up in a life-threatening adventure when they get pulled into a seafood factory that would love to sell more tentacles. Escaping the factory, as well as the hungry seagulls outside, feels like an elaborate cartoon that only gets weirder and weirder as you go along. A lot has been packed into a game that only takes a few hours to complete.
The wordless story goes in unexpected directions, and the animation is great across the board. The titular Darwin moves with impressive finesse; the frequent pre-rendered cutscenes showcase animation that wouldn’t feel out of place in a popular summer animated family movie. A handful of visually impressive moments also dot the game, like outrunning a horde of rats and crossing a heavily trafficked street during a rainy night.
Gameplay relies primarily on stealth, with Darwin avoiding spotlights and sightlines, using his natural camouflage abilities to stay out of would-be predators’ gazes. The act of hiding vacillates between annoying and boring. There are frustrating instances of walking into a room, for example, and before the camera can catch up to show me what to be prepared for, a guard has already seen me. But the other stealth moments, where things go well, and you recognize the appropriate patterns and activate your blending ability at the right moment, are just drab. Waiting for a spotlight to pass or a guard to turn their back is a passive experience, and the light tone (which I do like) means there is little reason to feel truly nervous. This is a Konami-published game, and as a result, Metal Gear sound effects play in certain scenarios when guards catch you, but calling out a reference to a different beloved video game franchise as a highlight of stealth gameplay is damning praise.
The platforming, thankfully, fares much better. Darwin can adhere to most surfaces, and though he can be a little too sticky sometimes, making small environments like pipes and air vents a little tricky, he is fun to control. I much preferred the not-too-challenging platforming gauntlets over the stealth sequences. I feel similarly about the puzzles, as well. I much prefer them over stealth, even if they are all fairly simple. It’s unlikely you will ever get stuck in Darwin’s Paradox, which helps keep the pace moving along. It’s the stealth that slows things down.
I am a big fan of cinematic platformers. I appreciate this attempt at taking the mechanics and presentational focus of the genre and applying them to a fun cartoon. That part of the game, alongside the platforming and puzzles, works well and is attractive. Unfortunately, the frequent sneaking slows the game down and is a barrier instead of a fun series of challenges to overcome.
