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Konami’s Unique PS5 Action Game Out Today on PS Store
Konami's new action game, Darwin's Paradox!, is now available on the PlayStation Store for PlayStation 5. Developed by ZDT Studio, the game follows an octopus named Darwin who must navigate an industrial complex to return to the sea, uncovering a conspiracy along the way. The title, which blends platformer, adventure, and puzzle elements, has received an average score of 75 on Metacritic.
Darwin’s Paradox! Review
Darwin's Paradox! is a cinematic puzzle-platformer where players control Darwin, an adaptable octopus on a journey home after being captured by the Ufood Corporation. The game features responsive controls, fluid animations, and a story told entirely through visuals, drawing comparisons to games like Inside and Oddworld. While praised for its art style and engaging gameplay, the review notes that the ending feels abrupt and the spaced-out checkpoints can lead to tedious retries.
Nintendo Download: 2nd April (North America)
The latest Nintendo Download update for North America brings a variety of new games to the eShop. Titles include Super Meat Boy 3D, Darwin's Paradox!, Content Warning, Haste, and People of Note, alongside several game bundles and other individual releases across multiple genres.
Darwin’s Paradox! – A Tentacled Twist On Adventure
Darwin's Paradox! is a new platforming adventure game where players control an octopus navigating an industrial world. Developed by ZDT Studio and published by KONAMI, it is available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, and PC for £19.99. The game combines platforming, puzzle-solving, and storytelling with unique octopus abilities like swimming, climbing, and camouflage.
The US Patent Office have rejected a Nintendo Pokemon patent for summoning subcharacters
The US Patent Office has rejected a Nintendo patent related to summoning subcharacters for battle, citing prior art from Nintendo, Konami, and Bandai Namco. While Nintendo can appeal, the rejection is seen as positive news for game developers facing potential patent disputes. The article criticizes the concept of patenting gameplay mechanics.
Silent Hill f Steam Giveaway Ends Tomorrow – Here’s How to Enter
A giveaway for a free Steam copy of the upcoming horror game Silent Hill f is ending tomorrow, April 2nd. Hosted on social media, the promotion has generated significant engagement, highlighting fan anticipation for the Silent Hill franchise's revival. The game, developed by NeoBards Entertainment and published by Konami, features a unique Japanese setting.
USPTO Has Rejected Nintendo’s “Summon-and-Battle” Patent For Being Too “Obvious”
The US Patent and Trademark Office has revoked a patent granted to Nintendo and The Pokémon Company concerning "summon-and-battle" mechanics, deeming it "obvious." This decision is non-final, allowing Nintendo two months to appeal or modify the application. The USPTO's re-examination cited prior art, including patents from Nintendo itself, Konami, and Bandai Namco, and is part of Nintendo's broader legal strategy, particularly concerning Palworld.
The 15 Best Games Like Hollow Knight To Get Lost In
This guide highlights 15 games similar to Hollow Knight, focusing on the metroidvania genre's blend of soulslike combat and deep exploration. It features titles like Nine Sols, Animal Well, Blasphemous 2, Elden Ring, and the highly anticipated Hollow Knight: Silksong, detailing their unique mechanics and platforms.
US Patent Office revokes Nintendo's controversial Pokémon battling patent in nonfinal decision
The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a nonfinal decision to revoke Nintendo's controversial US patent 12,403,397, which described a system for battling summoned characters. This decision follows an ex parte reexamination ordered by the USPTO Director, citing similarities to prior art. Nintendo has the opportunity to appeal this ruling.
Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 appears to earn an estimated $30 thousand on Steam per negative review
GameDiscoverCo has released an unconventional analysis of Steam sales data, highlighting metrics like revenue per negative review. Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 reportedly earns an estimated $30,000 for every negative review, indicating significant revenue despite player dissatisfaction. The analysis also touches on player sentiment, game abandonment, and the impact of multiplayer and free-to-play models on reviews.
Nintendo's 'Summon Character To Fight' Patent Rejected By US Patent Office
The US Patent Office has rejected Nintendo's patent for a 'summon character to fight' mechanic, a move that could impact its legal disputes with Palworld. The patent was revoked based on prior art, including patents from Konami and Bandai Namco, though Nintendo has a chance to respond. This decision comes after a rare re-examination order from the USPTO director.
Nintendo's legal fight with Palworld suffers a reversal as the USPTO reject their patent on character-summoning battle mechanics
The United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued a non-final rejection of Nintendo's patent for character-summoning battle mechanics, a decision that could impact the ongoing legal dispute with Palworld developer Pocketpair. While Nintendo has two months to respond, this ruling suggests the patent may not be as strong as initially believed, potentially affecting other games that utilize similar mechanics.
Game developers react to 12 tonnes of stolen KitKats with wave of April Fools jokes
Game developers and companies participated in April Fools' Day jokes, many of which were inspired by a real-world theft of 12 tonnes of KitKat bars. Developers like Chucklefish, Ubisoft, Running With Scissors, and publishers like Activision and Konami created humorous content referencing the chocolate heist.
Silent Hill 2 James Body Pillow Pre Orders Open as Limited Time Item
Konami has opened pre-orders for a limited-time, $69.99 James body pillow from Silent Hill 2, made of ultra-soft baby velvet. The Silent Hill 2 Remake features modern graphics, an over-the-shoulder camera, and ray tracing, and is available on PlayStation 5 and PC. The original Silent Hill 2 has sold five million units.
The 14 most exciting new video game releases of April 2026
April 2026 is set to be a busy month for new video game releases, with at least 14 titles catching the eye of critics. Notable releases include Darwin's Paradox, a Starfield PlayStation 5 port, Pokémon Champions, and the highly anticipated Saros. The month also features new entries in various genres, from stealth platformers and roguelikes to party games and fighting games, across multiple platforms including PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Review: Marvel MaXimum Collection (PS5) - A Retro Comic Book Beat-'Em-Up Bonanza
Marvel MaXimum Collection is a retro compilation featuring several comic book beat-'em-up titles, headlined by Konami's excellent X-Men: The Arcade Game. While not every game is a standout, the collection offers a compelling mix of superhero brawlers with excellent quality-of-life features like rollback netcode, rewind, and save states.
Get The Complete Castlevania Anime Series On Blu-ray For 26% Off
The complete Castlevania anime series, based on Konami's gothic horror game franchise, is available as a limited edition Blu-ray box set for $115, a 26% discount from its original price of $155. The set includes all four seasons, digital art galleries, storyboards, trailers, production animatics, voice actor interviews, an art booklet, window clings, a tarot card set, and an Ouija board. The deal is part of Amazon's Big Spring Sale.
Konami Will Raise Salary For Employees
Konami is increasing base salaries for new employees in Japan by 29 percent and giving all employees a ¥5,000 monthly raise. The company aims to provide competitive compensation and foster an environment for talented individuals to thrive. Separately, Silent Hill series producer Motoi Okamoto expressed a goal to release at least one new Silent Hill game annually starting in 2026.
This week in PC games: an RTS inspired by Majesty, a flying city RPG from former Mass Effect writers, and one Metal Gear-affiliated octopus
This week's PC game releases include a variety of genres such as RPGs, real-time strategy, and horror. Notable titles include Aether & Iron, a narrative RPG from former Mass Effect writers, and Darwin's Paradox, a side-scroller featuring a Metal Gear Solid-affiliated octopus. Several games are launching in early access, including Endalor and Bloodletter.
Darwin's Paradox review: "This octopus adventure feels gleefully XBLA-core, which is both a strength and a weakness"
Darwin's Paradox is a charming puzzle-platformer where players control an octopus to thwart an alien invasion. While it features unique octopus abilities like sticky-jumping and camouflage, the game struggles to innovate within its genre and offers a simplistic experience that lasts only about three hours. The review highlights fun platforming challenges but criticizes the basic stealth mechanics and a particularly dire mech section.