Darwin’s Paradox is making a splash on PS5 later this year

One of the more surprising announcements from the PlayStation State of Play presentation was Darwin’s Paradox, an upcoming PS5 exclusive where you play as an adventurous blue octopus who must makes his way back home after being taken from the ocean. The game makes extensive use of the PS5 DualSense controller’s unique features to make for the most immersive octopus platforming experience ever made.

As shown in the reveal trailer for Darwin’s Paradox, you play as a carefree blue octopus named Darwin as he lives peacefully in the ocean. Unfortunately, he is Finding Nemo’d without warning and taken out of the sea. Finding himself in a mysterious food factory, Darwin must survive in a dangerous world where everything is out to get him. Fortunately, Darwin is resourceful, flexible and able to blend in with his surroundings and fire ink at predators. The tentacled hero must use these tools to escape captivity and make his way home while uncovering a mysterious conspiracy.

In a post on the PlayStation Blog, Konami Digital Entertainment Inc. Senior Producer John Garcia-Shelton goes into detail how the PS5’s unique hardware features enhance the experience of Darwin’s Paradox. The controller’s haptic feedback reacts to Darwin’s movements, letting players feel how he slides and zips across the environment. The DualSense controller speakers also alert the player for sounds of potential threats, like squeaking rats or alarms. In addition, the player can press on the PS5 controller touchpad to bring up clues to help Darwin solve puzzles and keep the game flowing when he gets stuck.

Darwin’s Paradox is currently available to wishlist on the PlayStation Store and is set to release in 2025. For those looking forward to more octopus action, Konami has confirmed that more information, including a firm release date, is set to be revealed later this year.