Super hard, not for the faint of heart, but a good kind of tough.
Disclosure: Midwest Games provided the game for review.
I’m going to spoil it right now: Duck Paradox is really, really good. We met the folks at Midwest Games at their booth at PAX East 2024, and this bouncing-bullet platformer from developer Magic Games has become a daily routine for me. Let’s call it what it is. Super hard, not for the faint of heart, but a good kind of tough.
Watch the video review
Duck Paradox Early Access Review: You’ll Never Look at a Duck the Same WayStory
A game like this isn’t about the story. The story gives you the reason you’re doing what you’re doing. You play scientist Dr. Paraducks, searching the multiverse for her pet duck after a malfunctioning time machine loses it in space-time, while battling corrupted versions of her beloved pet. That’s enough to pull you in, and within about three minutes you love this duck and you need to save him. You’ll never look at a duck the same way after this game.
Gameplay
The gameplay does not disappoint. I’m not usually someone who wants to test my patience by dying over and over, but this game never feels unfair or like it’s cheating. You always feel like you could do better. When you die, you start all the way over no matter how far you got. If the game weren’t this good, you wouldn’t come back, but you do. Taking out a boss is a rush. I died to one more times than I can count before figuring out I needed to get in front of him instead of behind him, and finally beating him felt amazing.
The levels come in random order, so your second level in one run might be your fifth in the next, and it feels like a new experience every time you start it up. After each round, you pick a randomly drawn perk, and you can stack ones you’ve already chosen. But choose wisely. Every missed shot ricochets until it hits something, including you, so I once picked faster bullets and learned the hard way that a faster bullet comes back to get you faster. Combinations that sound good on paper can become a nightmare, like huge, super-fast, doubled-up bullets where a couple of misses ends your run. Finding the hidden eggs earns you an extra perk, which lets you stack quickly. I leaned on slow-motion perks, making slowdown last longer and run slower, and they became a lifesaver that got me deeper into the game.
My one wish: on some later maps, you can’t see where the duck is right away, so on top of surviving, you have to hunt for him. With a game this hard already, that’s a pain on your initial run through a level. Maybe show you where the duck is on that visit.
Visuals
The art style strikes a perfect balance between retro and modern. You know it’s a retro-style game, but a game like this couldn’t have existed back then. It gave me an old-school Mario Bros. vibe, and it has a unique identity you recognize the moment you see it.
Sound
The sound nails that retro feel, and the best compliment I can give is that I rarely thought about it. It never bothered or annoyed me, the soundtrack sounds great and the sound effects are spot on, right down to the little jetpack noise.
Verdict
Duck Paradox has been an absolute joy. This isn’t a game you play once or twice and decide you get the idea. If you’re into any kind of challenge, it’s right up your alley. I grab it for a few minutes whenever I have time, and I don’t see that changing. This review covers the Early Access build, and with a foundation this strong, I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next.
Image: Magic Games / Midwest Games
More on OnPoint: Tokyo Xtreme Racer Early Access Review: Flash Your Lights, Hunt Your Rivals and Gears of War: E-Day Review: The Coalition Built a Showpiece With a Heart.
The verdict: Amazing (Early Access Review)
Super hard, not for the faint of heart, but a good kind of tough.
Pros
- Tough but always fair
- Randomized levels keep every run fresh
- Risky, stackable perk choices
- Bouncing-bullet shooting with real consequences
- Retro-meets-modern art style and great sound
Cons
- Finding the duck on later maps adds frustration on your initial run through a level
Platform played: PC (Steam Early Access)
