Metareview - Spore (PC)

by Justin McElroy { Sep 4th 2008 at 9:00AM }

The review embargo lifted on Spore today, and the critics wasted no time weighing in on Will Wright's oft-delayed opus. The general consensus seems to be that an amazing level of quality is there, but depth may not be, which is really the last complaint we ever expected anyone to level at Spore. Go figure.

PC Gamer UK (91/100): "Spore falls a little short of its promise at every stage, but bear in mind that its concept is as close as we've come to a game incarnation of the Lord our God."
IGN (88/100): "In fact, Spore is essentially five distinct games woven together. And here, Maxis demonstrates a weakness, as a number of these games come off as lightweight or limited. However, Spore is a prime example of something that is much more than the sum of its many parts.
Gamespot (80/100): "Taken on their own, its pieces are nothing special. As parts of a singular ambitious vision, they work far better. Throw in the best customization tools seen in years and an enthusiastic community brimming with creativity, and you have a legitimately great game that will deliver hours of quality entertainment. "

Gallery: Spore

Tags: ea, maxis, metareview, spore, will-wright

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

phobic99 @ Sep 4th 2008 9:07AM

Hmm, I'm currently on the fence with buying this game. A few people on other boards I read say the game is way too easy and simply boring after a short time.

Hot$auce_Magik @ Sep 4th 2008 9:26AM

Well If you can take a single cell to outer space in a few hours, I would have to say yes its s bit too easy. I can see people taking many many creatures from one stage to another, but It seems that eventually there will be nothing new to see, thus boredom sets in. Even the creature creator got stale after a few days and a few hundred penis monsters later.

JonFitt @ Sep 4th 2008 11:31AM

There is no question about whether or not to buy Spore. Everyone must buy it.

It's one of those games which you must experience in order to discuss (creative/god) games going forward. Your experience will be incomplete without it.

Only indications that it was a complete let-down that did not fulfil any of its promises could change that, and that is not the case here.

Will I buy the obligatory EA expansion packs? Maybe not; but I must buy this game.

Spakkenkhrist @ Sep 5th 2008 8:23AM

Do you know my dad?

Faptor @ Sep 4th 2008 9:09AM

If I am able to invade a planet full of Dongmonsters, I will be giving it a 100.

Namarrgon @ Sep 5th 2008 5:28AM

Easy. Just build the one thing that subdues any dongmonster. :-)

So far I've fought off or tamed herds of toilets, disembodied hearts and Marge Simpsons, but thankfully nothing I'd have to explain carefully to my kids.

Top Cat @ Sep 4th 2008 9:14AM

Been looking forward to this game since development began but the final piece of the puzzle required was a good review from PC Gamer UK.

Time to see how the stocks of the Galactic Edition are!

Deeznuts420 @ Sep 4th 2008 9:14AM

right now im at the civilization stage, and unless there's way more after that stage, then i have to say it was pretty quick and easy to get there (id say around 6 hours?) i hope im not halfway done with the game in such a small amount of time....

TheAzureKnight @ Sep 4th 2008 9:18AM

Is this coming to consoles or not?

Maybe I missed something but for some reason I could have sworn that they said at some point it would definitely hit consoles.

But I may be wrong. I know my laptop can handle the game but I'd much more prefer to play it on my 360 than on my PC.

Snowblind @ Sep 4th 2008 9:23AM

There's nothing announced, but it'll almost definitely happen eventually.

TheAzureKnight @ Sep 4th 2008 9:25AM

Thanks snowblind....

Glad to see it's getting good scores.

Foetoid @ Sep 4th 2008 9:50AM

http://kotaku.com/gaming/confirmed/its-official-spore-coming-to-the-wii-315961.php

Console port confirmed.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Sep 4th 2008 9:51AM

I'm pretty sure it's coming to the Wii.

Einhanderkiller @ Sep 4th 2008 6:41PM

Spore is coming to the consoles, but I believe Will Wright said something about them changing it to "fit the audience." So expect a somewhat different game.

Jeremy White @ Sep 4th 2008 9:25AM

I agree that the game is rather easy but i'm also on easy mode. Otherwise when viewed in total i think the game concept is amazing and wish that Spore Creature Creator would work with like MMOs. but each stage does seem slightly lacking.

Hot$auce_Magik @ Sep 4th 2008 9:32AM

I think it really would be great to turn the later stages of the game into an MMO. Say once you establish a planet and start movning into space, rather than find planets with creatures other people have created, you find planets that are colonized by other players live. Maybe I can't directly control my creatures a la an rts but i can give them general strats. Give me the option to do a hostile take over, a peaceful coexistance, or maybe for an alliance to grow in military strength and eventually take over large planets.

Each player would start in an colonized part of space, so as not to get taken over the day they reach their first planet.

It would be like EvE online, except fun.

dark_inchworm @ Sep 4th 2008 9:27AM

Still waiting for...

"80??? phail and waist of time amirite"

rv @ Sep 4th 2008 10:10AM

With inflated game review scores, anything below 70 is absolute shit, 70-79 mediocre, 80-89 ok/good, and 90-100 good/amazing. Metacritic right now is giving it an 88, which probably means its good, but not amazing. However, hyped up games usually get another boost of inflation (see gta4), so I estimate, from others reviews(not the best way to estimate truthfully) that its an ok game.

Haggard @ Sep 4th 2008 11:06AM

Exactly. A game rated 60 is often only a tiny bit better than one rated 20-30.

Wah-hah-ha! @ Sep 4th 2008 12:33PM

Its a school-style scale for the most part, like games "start" with a perfect score, and then slide down the scale with deductions

Which is why we should encourage more media outlets to switch to their own arbitrary systems, to totally fuck up Metacritic and GameRankings scores

Namarrgon @ Sep 5th 2008 5:56AM

Bah. Counter-Strike got 88. Starcraft and Diablo II got 88. Halo, UT3, Doom II & 3, Psychonauts, Dungeon Siege and many other excellent games all got *less* than 88.

All Spore is suffering from is hype backlash. It could never meet such impossibly high expectations, so this is just the normal dip after the peak.

I've been playing it for ~7 hours so far, I'm nowhere near finished (the space stage is a truly huge sandbox), and I don't regret my purchase for an instant.

Blazur @ Sep 4th 2008 9:47AM

Some of these reviews are rather disenchanting, with a general statement the game lacks depth and challenge. But I'm still quite excited about it after having watched several gameplay videos. The space stage seems like it'll make it all worthwhile, with a rumored sixth stage where you play god.

I'm looking forward to farking with the world.

jhrf89 @ Sep 4th 2008 9:48AM

Got to the space stage and felt slightly empty.

This game is great if you enjoy building space ships. But there is only so much of that one can do.

Just feels like there isn't that much in the way of depth.

Linkdead @ Sep 4th 2008 9:54AM

This game isn't anything special. It's way too easy to get to the end. Sure it's fun, but only like 5-10 hours of fun. I would say replay value is almost non-existent. You can go back and do all the stages again as a different "type" of creature, however your doing all the same stuff over again only with different body parts.

I give spore a 5 out of 5 during the first 5 hours and a 1 out of 5 after that.

Namarrgon @ Sep 5th 2008 6:00AM

... You haven't actually played it yet, have you?

aristokrat @ Sep 9th 2008 12:41PM

Did SimCity ever really offer anything different as you kept playing it? Did the Sims ever really change as your game went on? It's not like this was going to be a huge departure from the progress your society/household gameplay.

Massmass @ Sep 4th 2008 9:56AM

So far, this game has left me feeling shallow and empty. It's not really great at anything in particular and it just seriously feels like one of those "casual" games that have internet only releases, just more polished. I don't know... I actually enjoyed playing EVO on SNES more than this, so far (I know they're not exactly the same thing, but still).

My opinion is open for change though.

Yourself @ Sep 4th 2008 10:11AM

Wow, EVO, really? I tried to struggle with that game because I thought the concept was cool, but the combat... so terrible.

I'm also probably the only person I know who finished the game without evolving into a human. You can't even imagine the look on my face when the credits rolled and I realized I was still some llama with horns.

rockintom @ Sep 4th 2008 11:19AM

Hah, I finished Evo as a triceratops. Probably a stupid thing to do... but I spent so much time upgrading that damned thing, I didn't want to start out a new age weak again :(

rv @ Sep 4th 2008 10:04AM

Sounds like the game is short. disappointing.

Yourself @ Sep 4th 2008 10:09AM

So to those that have played the space stage of the game - what do you do with other planets? Are the all uncivilized just waiting to be terraformed and colonized, or can they have varying levels of civilization? What happens when you attack them? I know you control a single ship, but is it RTS-like combat, Civ-like combat, or choosing a menu item and then watching? All the reviews say that space is sort of the 'meat' of the gameplay, but then go on not to describe at all what you do.

I didn't care about this game til about a week ago (I avoid hype until about a month before a game comes out) and now I'm really on the fence, as something like Galactic Civilizations would be awesome, but too simple, and it would be a bore. Oh and - I'm the kind of person who frowns and shakes his head at penis monsters, so that's definitely not selling me.

frags @ Sep 4th 2008 10:51AM

That is exactly the point. The simplicity on each phase(The first 4) are just like a tutorial that teaches you the simple rulesets that govern life in the Spore universe. The simplicity adds up to create thhis complex web of evolution.

The space stage is where its at as you get to see the entire dynamic you went through happening everywhere in the universe...well in the habitable planets. You can help speed it up or just destroy them. The game has a goal oreinted mission in it(the center of the galaxy thing) but what makes it shine is it is more like a sandbox for you to experiment...

Some might say its more like a toy model. And thats what Will Wright games are all about.

Phillip @ Sep 4th 2008 10:57AM

There is alot of customization but that customization is all visual; you might as well make everything a giant sphere for the effect it has on the game. each mini game is pretty weak on it's own; together they make a decent game, but as the reviewers say pretty shallow overall. I wish the tribe and civ stages were more more complicated, as it stands they are way to simple.

Jfk Aok @ Sep 4th 2008 11:57AM

The concept is unbelievable, you have to admire the scope, but then again i think the scope is what killed the game. Will Wright should have concentrated his genius on 1 "stage" of evolution and defined and perfected that.

Duke @ Sep 4th 2008 12:44PM

I dont think the game was killed at all. Its getting solid reviews and has a lot of nice buzz out there still.

SonofSeth @ Sep 4th 2008 12:20PM

I never expected from this game to be chalenging, hard or lond or any of that linear crap, all I ask is freedom to create horrid creatures from depths of my imagination in cutesy graphics.

Ranelar @ Sep 4th 2008 12:29PM

I'd give it a personal score of 7/10. I was disappointed in how fast you move from one stage to another (I thought there would be more to do in the first ocean stage in particular). Shrug... More for the casual gamer? And no, I didn't have high expectations that got crushed, I took it for what it was: An EA game from the developer that brought you the Sims.

343 Guilty Fart @ Sep 4th 2008 12:56PM

I've never understood the appeal of games like the Sims. I tried playing the Sims a few years ago and after a few hours got incredibly bored with it. Great, I get to play a game where I go to work, eat dinner, go to sleep, and get up and do it all again? That's my real life, why would I want that in game form? Besides the creature creator this game just does not appeal to me.

ellipsis @ Sep 4th 2008 1:29PM

"you have a legitimately great game that will deliver hours of quality entertainment."

Specifically, 5.

Red Leader @ Sep 4th 2008 1:41PM

Glad to hear that at least one game this past couple of months doesn't suck. It was a bit of a let down yesterday when I slipped in Mercenaries 2 for the first time only to laugh my way back to the store to make a return. That game is just awful.

mr mobius @ Sep 4th 2008 1:51PM

The great thing about these sandbox games is spending loads of time just fiddling and perfecting but if I have to more up a level every time I reach a certain time in a stage, then what is the point? I'd probably be least excited about the space stage than any other stage, with the 2nd and 3rd stages being the most interesting.

Zenador @ Sep 8th 2008 7:38PM

You dont "have" to move up each time you complete the goals for a stage... you can stay in there as long as you want, just dont click the "move up" button

Roto13 @ Sep 4th 2008 2:15PM

You know, a game that covers life from the primordial ooze way up through leaving your world and exploring others, well, that game should probably be the deepest thing anyone has ever played.

ZildjianKX @ Sep 4th 2008 8:29PM

I think I'll buy it if they ever remove the 3 install activation limit. I'm not cool with wasting my time calling a 1-800 number and pleading with a phone rep to get a game I paid for to install. Maybe they will remove it like they did for BioShock after 10 months...

mismajor99 @ Sep 4th 2008 7:54PM

I can't believe some people are on the fence with the scores, they're great! On PC, the reviewers never give out 10's, in fact you'd be hard pressed to find any respected PC publication that gave a PC game a 10. It's just a different mindset in the way reviews work for some reason or another. An 8+ is a definite buy, heck, a 7 would be a buy with this type of game due to the sheer amount of customization there is, not to mention the whole community aspect which we've yet to see.

Lurker28 @ Sep 5th 2008 3:37AM

I have been playing the game for 12 hours. Love it, for those who are hardcore gamers and want a decent challenge there is no other option but hard mode. It makes the game more difficult for those family with gaming. However, if you are trying to play spore like it is some linear game like God of War, FF12, etc. then you are going to be disappointed.

Spore is about experimenting, dicking around, creating life and seeing what happens. It is a massive game, but since the GDC 05 video I always new it was going this massive breathe of a game with a medium amount of depth (can you blame them, it is such a HUGE game).

Overall, spore is an amazing gaming accomplishment and even more so it is a great simulation game. It lays down the ground work for future expansions to build upon what this game has.

Spore was worth ever penny that I put towards the 80 dollar collectors edition. And I do hope Spore sells extremely well. To show publishers like UBISoft, EA, and Activision that gamers aren't just going to spend money on the same unoriginal squeals year after year (GTA, GoW2, God of War 2/3, FF13, Resident Evil 4, and Fallout 3), but want more original IP's that go far beyond the typical. Spore is that game.

Thranx @ Sep 10th 2008 12:29AM

I just lost about 3 hours of space time to a crash. *shakes fist* I think I had setup 7 colonies and advanced 4-5 times. Grrrrr... I'm going to have to put this on the shelf until they patch the damn thing.

AlizarinCrimson @ Sep 10th 2008 2:02AM

I've now played two creatures to tribe and one to civ stage.

And all I can say is, "Hey, where'd spore go. And what's the depthless, short, unimpressive, crappy version civ, warcraft, and a few dozen other conquest games?"

Where's the this Spore: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8372603330420559198 ??

Now, I admit, I haven't reached the space stage - maybe it's a lot more fun. But I still feel like the game we got is just a quirky super-civ that's not nearly as polished.

I'd give it maybe a six out ten if I were generous.

Daniel @ Nov 11th 2008 10:29PM

I got this game thinking that it would be the coolest and most in-depth game ever, wow was I dissapointed. I'll do all my complaints:

1. NOT VISTA FRIENDLY!!!!! I had to install a custom nvidia driver to get the f-ing video to stop freezing and me having to do ctrl-alt-delete whenever the game refreshed the screen or brought up an info box or changing menus and the game is extremly prone to crashing randomly in space and between stages.

2. TOO EASY! I found this game incredibly easy for an EA game unlike Sim City 4 in which you just build your ity to the city limits. I beat the first 4 stages in under 5 hours of play. I ACTUALLY GOT AN AWARD FOR BEATING THE CIVILAZTION STAGE IN UNDER AN HOUR! The space stage is EXTREMLY OVER HYPED, which I shall explain in my next complaint

3. Space is a big big big place that goes on infinately right? so how do you expect to be given a mission that says "go to planet gahblahblah and come back in 3 minutes when you can't even jump but more than 2.5 parsecs at once. The space stage was a huge letdown, and one you begin you already have these idiot horrid creatures basically telling you to f off because you "have intruded". You havnt even done anything to piss those beasts off! Also in the beginning you lack the ability to defend your self in space, you have to be in an atmosphere while the enemy outnumbers you and can shoot at you in space while you are left defenceless. thats bull if you ask me. also the game will crash at random because of vistas retarded "data execution program" which i will someday find out how to completly disable it. And one last thing is that if you are used to easily conquering the other numbskulls on your homeplanet with extreme ease in creature tribal and civilation, you are going to die guarenteed in space because you cant even carry over your goddamn money you made in the civilization stage, its the same f-ing currency am i right? this game is sooo jacked up
And finally ...

4. HYPE!!!!!!! I will admit that i swore to get this game when it first came out and i did, now let me remind you that this game was announced like three years ago creating excitment that no pc game would ever be able to fill, Will really made a mistake.

So if you want to spend 50 bucks (10 dollars an hour) on an over hyped, glitchy, and shallow game im not gonna stop you but really, you could get other games for 50 dollars that will satisfy your every want and desire (gta 3)

SO given the choice i would have still gotten the game seeing as it was a gift, but i would be thinking twice if it was my money, but hey who dosn't like creating these horrid beasts that lumber around and "need" you to help them, but at least these spore beasts are self sufficiant and can carry out most simple tasks (defense, food gathering, etc) by themselves un like the sims with their meaningless bable, babayyah? which usually means that they actually need you to command them to take a shower, go to work, take a crap, really a poor simulation of what humans are, now that would be cool, a simulation of a human being, life sex love friendship death, that game (with real f-ing lanquage) so dont get this game please