New Issue: “Darwin’s Paradox!” – a platformer with character and tentacles, review

System Requirements

Parameter Minimum Recommended Processor 4‑core Intel/AMD — 2.5 GHz 6‑core Intel/AMD — 3.5 GHz Memory 8 GB RAM 16 GB RAM Graphics DirectX 12, 6 GB VRAM (NVIDIA RTX 2060 / AMD RX 5600 XT) DirectX 12, 8 GB VRAM (NVIDIA RTX 3060 / AMD RX 6600 XT) Hard Drive 10 GB free space – Platforms

- PC

- PlayStation 5

- Xbox Series X/S

- Nintendo Switch 2

> *We tested the game on Xbox Series S.*

What is Darwin’s Paradox!?
The game was released by French studio ZDT Games, which is debuting in the industry. Its development involved:

* Romuald Capron – former head of Arkane Lyon (creators of *Dishonored*, *Deathloop*);
* Cedric Lagarrig – former president of Focus Entertainment.

A major publisher became Konami, which itself sounds paradoxical given the company’s reputation in recent years.

Plot
The protagonist is an octopus named Darwin. Together with a friend he lives deep in the ocean and learns to survive. One day a spaceship arrives, and aliens decide to turn Earth into their planet.

* UFOOD – the name of their company (an abbreviation of UFO + food). They have long since settled on the planet and produce seafood.
* The arrival of the aliens leads to Darwin being attempted to be chopped up with a kitchen knife and sold in a can. He resists, but the cook throws him onto a huge landfill.

Darwin does not give up: he returns to the factory to stop the alien business.

Graphics and Atmosphere
* Locations are rich in detail; wall signs are full of jokes and references.
* The main character is animated in a Pixar‑like cartoon style.
* Story videos are slide shows; interludes are short and often cut off at the moment when the player starts losing interest.

Criticism
1. Incomplete story

* Why is Darwin thrown out instead of killed?
* How does he suddenly forget his abilities?
* Why does he return to the factory – to save a friend or the entire underwater world?

2. Gameplay issues

* Movement often reduces to simple “left‑right” without clear goals.
* It’s not always obvious where to go and which buttons to press.

3. Item collection

* Collectible objects (newspapers, flyers) help understand the story but are rare – only 20 items, of which only a few can be picked up.

Conclusion
*Darwin’s Paradox!* promises an interesting platformer with bright graphics and an unusual hero. However, plot gaps and unclear character decisions leave a sense of incompletion. If you enjoy visually appealing games but are ready for some narrative surprises, it’s worth trying this game on Xbox Series S.*