Patrick Elliot
Shaun InguanzoSpore Review - PC
September 3rd 2008 13:16
DESPITE the hype surrounding Spore in the lead up to its release, I really had no idea what to expect.
From what I was read, this game was a universe creating online exploration vehicle, and it sounded downright confusing.
Imagine my relief then, when I installed Spore and discovered a revolutionary game, full of exciting never-before-seen features and thousands of items, things and tidbits to keep your mind endlessly fuelled.
Right now, my Spore window is minimized, and I'm tapping out this hands-on impression while a video of my creature, named 'Nelgsta', is being uploaded to YouTube.
That's right, the game has inbuilt YouTube connectivity, meaning you can share your unique Spore creature with the rest of the world.
Check out Nelgsta getting his freak on:
Nelgsta, a happy-go-lucky herbivore, began his life as a microbe, a mere cell in a tide pool of DNA and genes. To grow and develop, I swam him around, eating fruit and plants to fuel his development as a being.
The more food he ate, the more points I amassed. With enough points in the kitty to 'upgrade', Nelgsta called out for a mate, and a new generation of my creature was born.
On the upgrade screen, I added spikes to protect Nelgsta from front-on predators; I also added extra tails for faster swimming and another eye to increase his visibility.
In no time at all, Nelgsta was king of the gene pool. It was then time to grow some legs, evolve to a land-based creature and start all over again.
The creature stage is much harder, I enrolled on 'normal' difficulty and this is tough. Your creature starts the stage with a pea-size brain and slowly learns and acquires DNA to become smarter.
You'll meet countless new species of creatures, some friendly, some not. Befriend the nice guys and they'll accompany you on missions to extinct the bad guys.
At the same time, you need to keep eating, keep upgrading your creature and learn the keyboard commands.
I suspect right now, the learning curve is at its steepest descent. But I'm having a blast, and that's what counts.
Every screen I click, I discover something new. Photo mode, take a screenshot and send a postcard to a mate, customise your creature with new colours, log on to the Sporepedia and search the online content.
This is an amazing game. The hype was worth it and you'll be talking about this for years to come.
Maxis has progressed in leaps and bounds since The Sims. Spore is truly next-generation.
Buy it now.
I haven't played it enough to offer a score, but my early impressions suggest this game is near-perfect.
Review and more details to come.
From what I was read, this game was a universe creating online exploration vehicle, and it sounded downright confusing.
Imagine my relief then, when I installed Spore and discovered a revolutionary game, full of exciting never-before-seen features and thousands of items, things and tidbits to keep your mind endlessly fuelled.
My first Spore postcode, uploaded in seconds
That's right, the game has inbuilt YouTube connectivity, meaning you can share your unique Spore creature with the rest of the world.
Check out Nelgsta getting his freak on:
Nelgsta, a happy-go-lucky herbivore, began his life as a microbe, a mere cell in a tide pool of DNA and genes. To grow and develop, I swam him around, eating fruit and plants to fuel his development as a being.
The more food he ate, the more points I amassed. With enough points in the kitty to 'upgrade', Nelgsta called out for a mate, and a new generation of my creature was born.
On the upgrade screen, I added spikes to protect Nelgsta from front-on predators; I also added extra tails for faster swimming and another eye to increase his visibility.
In no time at all, Nelgsta was king of the gene pool. It was then time to grow some legs, evolve to a land-based creature and start all over again.
The creature stage is much harder, I enrolled on 'normal' difficulty and this is tough. Your creature starts the stage with a pea-size brain and slowly learns and acquires DNA to become smarter.
You'll meet countless new species of creatures, some friendly, some not. Befriend the nice guys and they'll accompany you on missions to extinct the bad guys.
At the same time, you need to keep eating, keep upgrading your creature and learn the keyboard commands.
I suspect right now, the learning curve is at its steepest descent. But I'm having a blast, and that's what counts.
Every screen I click, I discover something new. Photo mode, take a screenshot and send a postcard to a mate, customise your creature with new colours, log on to the Sporepedia and search the online content.
This is an amazing game. The hype was worth it and you'll be talking about this for years to come.
Maxis has progressed in leaps and bounds since The Sims. Spore is truly next-generation.
Buy it now.
I haven't played it enough to offer a score, but my early impressions suggest this game is near-perfect.
Review and more details to come.
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