“With Spore, Will Wright intends to make you an Intergalactic Galactic ruler who begins life as a bottom-feeding primordial soup dweller. When I first saw the game back in early 2006, I wondered if Wright and his team over at Maxis be able to pull this off? I didn’t mean “pull it off” in the technical sense, but in the gaming sense of making it fun. I’ve waited a long time to see if Wright succeeded, and when my review copy arrived in the mail recently, I found out the answer,” Mark DeSanto reports for Ars Technica.
“Spore is certainly an interesting experience overall, the first time through. It presents a very wide range of gameplay types, unique features in the form of the Sporepedia and Sporecasts, and a final phase that is diverse in its challenges and wide in its scope. Unfortunately, the game has something of a clinical feel; the fun factor might not be there for a large audience. There’s definitely some enjoyment to be had in the building-block game-play of the first phases, but I’m not sure it can really keep everyone’s interest long enough for them to get to the meat of the experience—the Space phase,” DeSanto reports.
“Perhaps the whole concept of Spore is just too high, when all is said and done. I honestly had more fun with the rather middlebrow The Sims series,” DeSanto reports.
Full, comprehensive review – recommended – here.
So in other words is not for everybody?
Still waiting for the iPhone version…anyone seen it yet?
May be like some movies that are not meant for everyone. They are good, but not every one will understand it. Some other like so much even that they are crap.
I’ve been eagerly awaiting this game for quite some time – I even went to purchase it this morning on Amazon until I noticed that it had already garnered over 600 reviews, most of them negative. It seems this release is encumbered by some rather draconian DRM, which only allows it to be installed and activated on 3 occasions. After that, you’re left having to call a toll number to seek a 4th activation. This, in tandem with the less than stellar review from Ars, is enough to make me vote with my wallet and not bother with it.
the problem with most games, imo, is that they are built for everyone, the lowest common denominator.
Won’t work on my Macbook: screw it. Was looking forward to it, too…
“Still waiting for the iPhone version…anyone seen it yet?”
Only a couple of screenshots and you can bet the iPhone app won’t be cheap.
Its now available on the US and UK App Stores, but not in Hong Kong’s one yet… dunno why. It’s priced at US$9.99 or 6GBP. Abit disappointed to read somewhere it can’t transfer your creature to the desktop versions, or go beyond Cell phase, but may still be a fun diversion while on the bus. I think.