75 out of 98(77%)reviewers recommend this product.
Product Reviews
Overall rating
5/ 5
Gameplay
5/ 5
Graphics
4/ 5
Sound
5/ 5
Rooney5
Amazing Game! Unleash your inner creativity!
PostedSeptember 8, 2008
For those out there pondering from the mis-mash of reviews out there, this game is great! The caveat for most people will be if they had assumptions that each phase was going to be a game masterpiece in itself (ie an amazing RTS, etc...)... that it is not and that isn't the point of the game. The Spore team's primary focus was on user created content, and flexibility and they have created a game that is unlike any other game out there. The near infinite choices in customization during each phase simply makes this an amazing game. The graphics are great and I love the stylistic semi-cartoon feel of the the creatures. The music and sound effects are also top notch, and the overall mood of the game is set to really feel each moment come across clear and concise. Controls are spot on, with clear and understandable directions given for each phase. Moments of humor play throughout all stages and each creature has a unique "persona" that really gives you an attachment as your species progresses. A word of warning as I mentioned above, if you are looking for an in depth RTS, "SimCity type" game, Civilization builder, etc... look elsewhere. This is not what Spore was designed or developed as, and it does not play as such. Instead it wraps outstanding sandbox tools with gaming elements from all avenues of gaming, so the user truly gets a chance to watch and feel his or her species evolve. Overall if I was to give this game a summary score it would be a 9.7 out of 10.
1 of 1 found this review helpful.
Overall rating
5/ 5
Gameplay
5/ 5
Graphics
5/ 5
Sound
4/ 5
EAkid
Game of the year
PostedSeptember 8, 2008
This game is great. It is like civilization, the Sims, and Monsters combined. Get this game now. First of all, it's Tribal Stage is highly enjoyable. The idea of super-attacks created by the chieftans is good, as well as coustomizable tribe members. It gets even more advanced when you can build factories, vehicles, and entertainment buildings in the civilization stage. In the space stage, the idea of "Limitless" really comes alive. You decorate planets, then put things that you kidnapped from other planets. Say you kidnapped a creature named Leggie, you could make a planet with a leg shaped design, and have it populated with legs. Heck, you could just beam away major cities too. Diplomacy plays a important part in this game. From the creature stage to the Space stage, you will have to make friends if you want acess to trade. Just a tip: Control Spice Gysers as soon as you start a Civilization stage!
Overall rating
5/ 5
Gameplay
4/ 5
Graphics
4/ 5
Sound
5/ 5
Sh0velman
Whoa!
PostedSeptember 7, 2008
This game is simply amazing. There are elements from games that we've all played in the past, adapted, smoothed out and combined into what makes for a particularly tasty goulash. As a single-cell organism, you may be thinking "what a silly game I've bought for myself" but as you evolve to creature, you encounter RPG-Like traits that you balance for best result, and to meet the goals you've set for your species. As you cross into Tribal, Civilization and Space, the game takes on a lot more RTS feel, culminating in the Space Age where you leave the planet you were formed on and explore, conquer and trade with other worlds. The level of customization is HUGE. There are a few complaints, like the fact the Starship engines won't align properly in the creator, for some reason. Or the fact that in the default setup there is no way to rotate the camera about your space ship while on a planet. The most grievous flaw I've encountered thus far is the utter lack of an auto-save feature. While this isn't such a big deal in previous phases, in the Space age, it can be very frustrating to have a program crash (twice for me the last 24hrs and twice for my wife) set you back 2-3 hours of conquering and trading. My rankings: Realism - Frankly, there is none; and that is JUST FINE! Controls - They're unconventional unless you play a lot of "The Sims" (I don't) and there are a few issues with camera rotation for the Space age. Graphics - Cartoony and cute in early phases make it easy for non-gamer types to get in to the game. As phases progress they get more down to business; the space navigation screens are very similar in spirit to that of Homeworld 1 and 2. Interface - In early stages it is simple and to the point, the learning curve is gradual. In later stages (Space) it lacks some of the intuitiveness that modern games (MMORPGs, for example) have. Also, I'd note, the Tutorial system is simply the best I've ever encountered! Sound - Superb. I don't have a fancy sound setup, just stereo speakers, but I have been very impressed with the sound. Some of the voice effects get old but you get used to it. Overall, this is an awesome game and I applaud the developers. Can't wait to play more next weekend!
Overall rating
5/ 5
Gameplay
4/ 5
Graphics
5/ 5
Sound
4/ 5
AndySquire
A response to some of the criticism.
PostedSeptember 7, 2008
If some of you have read reviews of Spore, you may see a trend that says the game is great to look at and has a lot of deep features, but the game-play is simplistic. I feel a lot of this comes from relating Spore to other games in similar categories, and that it's a bit unfair to judge the game as such. First of all, Spore IS an immersive game that takes you through five main stages. While it's true that some of these phases don't last too long (although they can last for as long as you want), they have their charm and are delivered in satisfying dosages. How many games can you play as a cell struggling for survival? I can't think of any. The game thrives on creativity, and for a game based around creation and evolution, it's highly successful in that regard. You can make your cells, creatures and just about anything you control look the way you want it to. Animations are excellent and fit the customization of your creations. As for simplicity, I'd say the game is accessible over simple. If the game had added complexities and conditions that needed to be met, it'd start to get frustrating. There's a lot in here to enjoy, more than in The Sims games, and it's certainly done something no game as done before. Take it for what it is and stop comparing it to games like Halo (which, by the way, are very repetitive. I own all three, and I've got to say, how many times can they sell me the same game with a slightly more confusing storyline?) And embrace the wonder that is Spore. And for Mac users, this is a game you'll want to pick up, given the limited library of PC games with Mac compatibility.
