Darkspore

 PC
User Score
6.0

Mixed or average reviews- based on 138 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 59 out of 138
  2. Mixed: 33 out of 138
  3. Negative: 46 out of 138

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  1. SuperSebbles
    Apr 26, 2011
    8
    In the same way people enjoyed Torchlight as a "Diablo 2 LITE" experience. So can you enjoy Darkspore. Don't expect it to be and incredible world-shifting experience. But it is solid RPG fun and with co-op to boot! Recommended to those looking for casual RPG fun.
  2. Gankatron
    Apr 27, 2011
    8
    The user ratings for this game will vary greatly depending upon the play style of players; micromanagers who like to try different permutations in combat will be very pleased, whereas those who want to just jump in and point and shoot will likely find it tedious. There are many different combinations of heroes, squad compositions, items, and tactics that can keep one busy experimenting forThe user ratings for this game will vary greatly depending upon the play style of players; micromanagers who like to try different permutations in combat will be very pleased, whereas those who want to just jump in and point and shoot will likely find it tedious. There are many different combinations of heroes, squad compositions, items, and tactics that can keep one busy experimenting for quite a while; even figuring out the best hero switching combinations are important. This is more of a technical type of game where you figure out the best type of game mechanics for a scenario, as opposed to a story driven game. It would likely appeal to the crowd that likes the Mechwarrior, build your bot squad types such as myself. I havenâ… Expand
  3. ttocs
    Apr 27, 2011
    9
    Don't let the name fool you. This is not some spore game wrapped around an action RPG. There is little resemblance here to Spore other than the editor that is found in the game. That's a good thing too, since the editor was one of the defining features of the mostly forgettable Spore game. What you will find in Darkspore is an action RPG that scratches your dungeon crawling itch whileDon't let the name fool you. This is not some spore game wrapped around an action RPG. There is little resemblance here to Spore other than the editor that is found in the game. That's a good thing too, since the editor was one of the defining features of the mostly forgettable Spore game. What you will find in Darkspore is an action RPG that scratches your dungeon crawling itch while scratching the collecting enthusiast and artist in you. You'll spend hours building up your team, grinding away for body parts and equipment, and tag teaming bosses with either friends or random people. I rarely play co-op in games and when I do, it's usually after a couple days or after the campaign. I found myself playing the co-op on the first day though due to the ease of matchmaking and the fun to be had. Don't let the negative reviews scare you, this is a great game for dungeon crawling fans and Pokemon like collector fans alike.… Expand
  4. Xiphus200
    Jun 16, 2011
    9
    Maxis delivers a surprisingly well polished Hack & Slash game with a Sci-Fi hook. The depth of the "hero" roster is impressive as is the level of avatar customization. While it might not revolutionize the genre Darkspore is a fun enough game that offers 4 player co-op and 2v2 pvp. If you want some good mindless fun that has multiplayer Darkspore delivers.
  5. VentXekart
    Aug 6, 2011
    9
    This game has a lot of customization when it comes to heroes, however the problem is that critics tend to think that this game is pretty much like Spore. Don't let the name fool you, this game can be exciting when it comes to fighting enemies in singleplayer or multiplayer.
  6. Dotter
    Jun 15, 2011
    8
    I've read a lot of negative stuff about this game, but I must say that I actually enjoy it, especially when playing with friends. It is not a mind blowing and game breaking addition to the RPG genre, but sometimes it isn't that necessary to be groundbreaking and original. It is a great game for spending some time, without having to think too much and furthermore the customization of yourI've read a lot of negative stuff about this game, but I must say that I actually enjoy it, especially when playing with friends. It is not a mind blowing and game breaking addition to the RPG genre, but sometimes it isn't that necessary to be groundbreaking and original. It is a great game for spending some time, without having to think too much and furthermore the customization of your heroes/champions is nice and it's cool that you have many different champions and more than one squad to pick from. This game is about 8-9 if I should rate it, but I ended on 8, since it lacks some RPG stuff that I really like, as for example improving your champion by leveling up, not only by the items you have. Furthermore it is cooler to have to choose a way to go with your spells, so there are more tactical aspects to the game. But still a good game and worth the 30 euros I spend on it on Steam.… Expand
  7. JmacisI7
    Jun 21, 2011
    1
    Like most of the Sim and Spore fans out there, I had hoped that Maxis in their infinite wisdom would create a follow up to Spore, the fun simulation game where you design, evolve, and personalize your own creature, and help them take over as well as expand into the universe, encountering (as well as negotiating and declaring war upon) other worlds, empires, etc. Darkspore, sadly, isLike most of the Sim and Spore fans out there, I had hoped that Maxis in their infinite wisdom would create a follow up to Spore, the fun simulation game where you design, evolve, and personalize your own creature, and help them take over as well as expand into the universe, encountering (as well as negotiating and declaring war upon) other worlds, empires, etc. Darkspore, sadly, is declared the sequel to the fun little world simulation. Darkspore is similiar in a very small aspect to spore. As much as we may hate to admit it, lets face the music and admit Darkspore has pretty much a pointless plot, and it is no different than any other arcade game today. Spore offered the chance to create and live out the dream with a being of your own imagination along with its neighbors, allies, planet(s), cars, anything you can think of. Darkspore is nothing like that, and is a huge dissapointment.… Expand
  8. Todayshero
    Nov 24, 2012
    3
    I was really hoping for something new here, I was also hoping that the game itself would be more like the game it leads you to believe it's like, Spore. Though Spore was mostly forgettable the ability to create and customize was fun and I wanted to be able to do what I wanted to do with this dark spore game. I'd rather of been able to create my own character and gain new parts than toI was really hoping for something new here, I was also hoping that the game itself would be more like the game it leads you to believe it's like, Spore. Though Spore was mostly forgettable the ability to create and customize was fun and I wanted to be able to do what I wanted to do with this dark spore game. I'd rather of been able to create my own character and gain new parts than to unlock new characters as I go.

    Darkspore does have some of the familiar feelings of Spore in it's editor but it also limits you. The game is mediocre at best, same old action hack and slash, boring story, nothing new here.    … Expand
  9. Subject134127
    Jan 8, 2012
    9
    This game isn't spore, it's diablo with a spore editor in space with tons of loot and customization being awesome. give it a try people!

    Also, this review is fairly long, if you don't have enough time, read the most helpful reviews, like the one from ttocs, and Gankatron, who can explain it a lot more compact than I why this is such a good game. This game is probably as good Diablo-like    This game isn't spore, it's diablo with a spore editor in space with tons of loot and customization being awesome. give it a try people!

    Also, this review is fairly long, if you don't have enough time, read the most helpful reviews, like the one from ttocs, and Gankatron, who can explain it a lot more compact than I why this is such a good game.

    This game is probably as good Diablo-like ARPG's get, in a futuristic setting, with an incredible amount of customization. There are a few problems however, as with any game, most notably the lack of an immersive story. However, the story doesn't impact the gameplay, as we have seen with Diablo 2. I cared very little for the story when I played it, but damn, I wasted so much hours on that game. It's the same here. I think I've already wasted well over 30 hours, and I'm only at 8-1 of all the 18-4 levels, and then there are even more difficulty levels. Of course, personal experiences may differ, some may not be immersed in the game as I have been, but I'll say it again, this is a very good ARPG.

    This game has 25 heroes, each with their own unique ability, attack, a variant ability shared among the hero genesis, unique passive effect, unique squad ability, and with those 25 heroes you can create a total 13800 different squad combinations PER PLAYER!: there are MANY play styles that you can go for. This obliterates the amount of possible builds found in any ARPG, even diablo. Besides that there is TONS of loot, though the generic item stats might be found duplicated, their visuals won't match. The really good loot that you will be using after several hours will never be found twice though.

    Apart from the vast variability in the game, the mechanics of having a squad are really well-executed, and make both solo-ing and co-op enjoyable experiences. People say sp tends to get boring, but actually I didn't think that at all. it just gets even better with co-op due to the easiest matchmaking and playing ever ;)

    In the beginning you'll hack and slash your way through hordes of enemies, If you get the right heroes and randomly get the right scenarios (every time you play a stage it has different enemies, and you should have squads for any occasion) you can easily solo to 6-4, however, as the game progresses it will get harder and you will need better loot, more skill and sometimes simply more players to continue. This guarantees a lot of fun and a lot of time spent. When replaying a stage it also won't always be the same, but the map will be randomly chosen, as well as the enemy types. The amount of maps lacks, but it's hard to make a well generated map with 3D and good graphics such as with darkspore so I forgive them that as long as they'll make a few new ones with a patch once in a while.

    Some points maxis could improve with some future patches are a slight randomization to the item stats, it tends to get boring to find another +57 power +66 mind white item even for fans of the series like me. Besides that, some more interactivity with catalysts, like being able to upgrade items with their stats, instead of being picked up during a chain and lost after, you could use the power of all catalysts to imbue an item with one. Thirdly, there need to be more enemies. There are quite a lot of them already, each with interesting abilities, but not enough for the amount of time your spend on this game. This has potential to be one of the best value games of 2011, If maxis releases a few more patches, and people don't judge a game by it's cover or family.    … Expand
  10. GameReviews3388
    Apr 18, 2013
    2
    I played this in the massive boom after release. It was fine for a while. I genuinely enjoyed the concept. Nice worlds, decent *enough* combat system, which was a hashed out Spore creature phase.

    The flaw is repetitive nature and the ramping of difficulty. Whoever's behind it has absolutely no understanding of RPG hack and slash genre. I read with my own eyes people asking for account    I played this in the massive boom after release. It was fine for a while. I genuinely enjoyed the concept. Nice worlds, decent *enough* combat system, which was a hashed out Spore creature phase.

    The flaw is repetitive nature and the ramping of difficulty. Whoever's behind it has absolutely no understanding of RPG hack and slash genre. I read with my own eyes people asking for account resets in forums so they could start over.

    There is no 'winning' in this game. If you think simulators don't have win scenarios, fine. But this game literally can't be completed. You play as far as you're able to and then that's it. Let's say you walk to the grocery store every day. One day, the sidewalk is slippery from ice. The next day, the ice and then a fireball is flying across the sky. Then combine that with sirens going off. Eventually you're literally flaring your nostrils trying to take in more air to relax you while the 7th chain of enemies is coming in, praying to Jesus and Muhammed that nothing else will appear so you can finally complete the level. Then you retry the level and get a spawn so easy that makes you think you're playing dozens of levels below your difficulty.

    Your real life friends will get bored with this in a few hours, and then you're in trouble. There is no making friends in this game. You do everything you can and you don't know why levels can't be completed. You will always think it's the other person's fault if you're playing CO-OP. You can't logically comprehend a game being so impossible. Then when you try the level alone after that person disconnects, you're only able to keep your interest for so long before you decide you won't be returning to the game.

    If you want RPG/ hack and slash meets Spore, play a hack and slash and then play Spore. You will get nothing from this game. It would be neat to try for a few levels if it were free, but I can't in good faith recommend this game to anybody. I would feel like I deserve to get punched in the face, which is just about the same feeling you're going to have while playing.    … Expand
  11. ACMELtd
    Apr 27, 2011
    9
    on singleplayer the game is medicore. i would give it a 6-7 on singleplayer only (because alone in singleplayer it can get boring quite fast), BUT on multiplayer (4-player coop) the game really rocks. i played at least 20 hours in the closed and open beta and enjoyed the coop experience greatly. in coop the game deserves a 9 to 10 (really, give the game a chance. when you get into it andon singleplayer the game is medicore. i would give it a 6-7 on singleplayer only (because alone in singleplayer it can get boring quite fast), BUT on multiplayer (4-player coop) the game really rocks. i played at least 20 hours in the closed and open beta and enjoyed the coop experience greatly. in coop the game deserves a 9 to 10 (really, give the game a chance. when you get into it and when you get to the later stages you will lern to love it. the first stages are rocks only and seem a bit boring but later there will be a fantastic tropical world, a stylisch ice world, unbelievable desert and industry worlds.

    people.. really give the game a chance. its never a 75 as now on metacritic. a 85 avg. would be fair.. after serveral hours of game experience (90% coop played) i want to give the game a fair 9 (because the game is designed from scratch on to be played on 4 player coop! they should have dropped the singleplayer. 8 player arena pvp battles (4x4) would be much more funny than the 2x2 pvp now.they shoudl have implemented this instead of the singleplayer) :)    … Expand
  12. l3reak
    Apr 27, 2011
    9
    This is a game meant for co-op. 4 player is a enemy-stomping action-packed blast, but solo is a bore. The loot system is fantastic. The great pieces of gear you get for level rewards are great at directly stimulating the "phat lewt" center of my brain. The catalyst system is another great tweak on the format, adding something almost like a puzzle mini-game to the otherwise straight-forwardThis is a game meant for co-op. 4 player is a enemy-stomping action-packed blast, but solo is a bore. The loot system is fantastic. The great pieces of gear you get for level rewards are great at directly stimulating the "phat lewt" center of my brain. The catalyst system is another great tweak on the format, adding something almost like a puzzle mini-game to the otherwise straight-forward levels. The huge variety of beautifully rendered Heroes, enemies, abilities and environments help keep the game fresh and exciting, since no two enemies behave the same.

    In the end, this game is as boring as you let it be. If you choose to only play one Hero, switching as little as possible, and never use any abilities, then yes, that's boring. You also won't get very far in the game. But if you make full use of your abilities and constantly switch in new and different Heroes, the potential for exciting gameplay is endless.

    However, PvP needs a lot of work, the game lacks a really in-depth trading system, and the plot is very basic and sometimes even confusing.    … Expand
  13. toyfactory
    Apr 27, 2011
    10
    I'm really glad that this game has no subscription and it's online kinda like guild wars. The amount of characters, enemies and environments are pretty astounding. My hope is that they will eventually make 3v3 pvp. Overall nice work Maxis for really putting a nice twist on the hack and slash genre.
  14. Drages
    Apr 27, 2011
    9
    People are being harsh on this one. If you like Diablo style ARPG games, you'll likely enjoy Darkspore. No, there isn't anything shockingly innovative about the combat (though the squad system is unique,) the game plays well and looks pretty. The customization comes from the fact that you equip your items in basically any way you want, you move them around your character and place themPeople are being harsh on this one. If you like Diablo style ARPG games, you'll likely enjoy Darkspore. No, there isn't anything shockingly innovative about the combat (though the squad system is unique,) the game plays well and looks pretty. The customization comes from the fact that you equip your items in basically any way you want, you move them around your character and place them however you wish, changing the size and dimensions of them. The game IS repetitive, but isn't that the nature of ARPGS? Don't play for 3+ hours a day then.

    The only real gripe I have is about the story, its pretty terrible. I never really know what is going on. BUT, I play this for the online co-op and PVP. Its not like we get new ARPG games often. If you're looking for a solid one and are not content waiting the 11+ months for Diablo 3 to come out, Darkspore is a good choice.    … Expand
  15. SweetSweetback
    Apr 28, 2011
    7
    Not bad!

    After playing it for just a short while, any doubt I had about this purchase was quickly washed away. My friends all had a blast playing it together and I can see us becoming quite addicted to it. I'm excited to play it again tonight! As you progress through the game, you will increase in levels. Your levels don't actually dictate the strengths of your heroes, but rather how many    Not bad!

    After playing it for just a short while, any doubt I had about this purchase was quickly washed away. My friends all had a blast playing it together and I can see us becoming quite addicted to it. I'm excited to play it again tonight! As you progress through the game, you will increase in levels. Your levels don't actually dictate the strengths of your heroes, but rather how many heroes you can unlock. As you might've already heard, there's 100 heroes. As you increase in levels, you are given access to more heroes but you can only unlock a few. (For example, a few levels into the game will give you access to more than 10 heroes but you may only be able to unlock 4 of them.) There's only a few genuinely different hero characters, then the heroes begin to repeat previous iterations but have different stats and abilities. The hero editor is nowhere near as indepth as Spore's creature editor was, but still proves plenty of options. All heroes have preset appearances and you can add chunks of gear you find onto them to change their appearances. Not only that, but you can move or remove certain appendages and details from a heroes body as well as change their colors and color patterns. The end result is that you and a friend can have 2 of the exact same hero and end up looking completely different from each other. .

    The concept of Darkspore is simple (a bit too simple) You are set loose upon a level, and you kill your way through to the end. Just how "simple" this actually is in terms of difficulty varies, since the enemies on the map are random every time. The maps themselves are not. Which is disappointing given the already linear nature of some of the levels. Other levels are a tad different from "kill-your-way-to-the-end" and require some exploration to complete. The story is unfortunately quite meaningless. You can literally write up your own insane lines to accompany every nigh-pointless cutscenes and it wouldn't make any more or less sense. Levels are visually pleasing, and the soundtrack is amazing.

    Fighting enemies is a lot of fun. Every enemy of different types have unique traits to them, from the massive juggernaut enemies to small grunts, they all have something special to them. In large groups, these enemies combine their strengths and weaknesses and can be a pretty stiff obstacle even if approached with caution. Just as your group of heroes attempt to use squad tactics, the enemies will too. Upon reaching the final areas of the level, you'll encounter a Horde of enemies which can put your group through it's paces, until finally a boss enemy spawns. The bosses are quite tough, are flanked by minions, and definitely require teamwork to bring down. The end chapter bosses are pretty insane too.

    Combining abilities amongst your friend's heroes is a lot of fun as well. The game is marketed as having a lot of "ability combinations" and "squad tactics". I was worried that this would be a load of baloney and just boil down to mindless murdering everything. To a certain extent, it is. But I was quite surprised that these terms turned out to be truer than I thought. Especially when you get attacked by groups of powerful enemies. For those of you who enjoy teamwork with your friends, you'll love combining hero abilities together, and sometimes are even essential to the survival of your team. The large selection of heroes makes squad tactics very interesting, with attacks that cripple enemies, slow them down, and debuff them, as well as supporting abilities that heal your team or provide them with powerful buffs. You can have a squad of 3 heroes active at a time when you enter a level. You can switch between these heroes whenever you want, however upon switching, a long cooldown is imposed to prevent you from switching constantly without any constraint. Switching itself also poses a problem as it leaves you temporarily frozen in place and vulnerable to attack. With a group of friends each with completely different heroes, you can switch "roles" on the fly keeping gameplay constantly fresh throughout the level and never leaving you pigeonholed into one spot. It's a clever system.

    However, for all the positives I mentioned, there is one crucial thing that you must know, this is a coop multiplayer experience and is best played with at least 2-3 friends. Me and my friends are always on the lookout for games like this, and this proved to be up to par with us and gives us a lot of fun. If you plan on buying the game for yourself, then I won't be surprised if you are turned off by this game. That fact alone prevents me from giving it more than a 7 because of the multiplayer "requirement". The price will also turn many people off, as it did with me as well. But seeing how much fun we are having, I have no doubt at all that we will get many hours of enjoyment out of it. And to us, that makes it worth it!    … Expand
  16. GarySpeaksTruth
    Apr 29, 2011
    10
    Don't let the bad reviews fool you! This game is very fun and has a lot of levels and game modes to keep you playing over and over. There is pvp, coop campaign,a and just pure solo campaign. This game offers replayability and unique items as well as customization! I recommend this game to every fan of rpg and spore!
  17. Benholio
    Apr 29, 2011
    10
    Great little action RPG: Tons of cool abilities. Lots of depth to squad configuration and synergies between heroes. Really nice seamless matchmaking for grab-and-go multi-player. The most fun I've had on a co-op game in ages. Recommended for any action RPG fans, but like others said, don't come looking for a 'Spore' game, as the gameplay isn't related.
  18. Funkmonk62
    Apr 27, 2011
    8
    A pretty solid action RPG. Darkspore does away with the talent / spell trees that are normally found in action RPGs and instead allows you to form a squad of three heroes from a plethora selection that they offer. While it might not be the purist's cup of tea, it is a nice change and it is executed very well. Where as most action RPGs have mediocre multiplayer at best (minus a few gems)A pretty solid action RPG. Darkspore does away with the talent / spell trees that are normally found in action RPGs and instead allows you to form a squad of three heroes from a plethora selection that they offer. While it might not be the purist's cup of tea, it is a nice change and it is executed very well. Where as most action RPGs have mediocre multiplayer at best (minus a few gems) this is the area where Darkspore excels most in. Playing co-op through the levels is a blast with three other people, especially friends. If you're looking for a solely single player experience, the price tag is a bit hefty, but it's well worth the price if you're looking for a multiplayer ARPG fix.… Expand
  19. flyingfuuu
    Apr 27, 2011
    10
    This game is definitely a breath of fresh air in ARPGs. It's also one of the the few that's online co-op. I can't even imagine many of the others not having co-op. That should be a requirement. The story is only so-so, but who cares, it's an action RPG. If you want a deep story, go play Mass Effect or Dragon Age. This is all about the click fest and the loot gathering. Not perfect, it'sThis game is definitely a breath of fresh air in ARPGs. It's also one of the the few that's online co-op. I can't even imagine many of the others not having co-op. That should be a requirement. The story is only so-so, but who cares, it's an action RPG. If you want a deep story, go play Mass Effect or Dragon Age. This is all about the click fest and the loot gathering. Not perfect, it's still the best thing since Diablo 2.… Expand
  20. trooper15
    Apr 27, 2011
    10
    Obviously seeing some Spore hate here with some users giving this game a 0. Fortunately, this game really is as far from Spore as you can imagine (other than using the best thing from Spore which is the Editors). Players always want new and innovative games, but when a dev like Maxis gives them something new and interesting (really uniquet from other action rpgs), it's clear that they wantObviously seeing some Spore hate here with some users giving this game a 0. Fortunately, this game really is as far from Spore as you can imagine (other than using the best thing from Spore which is the Editors). Players always want new and innovative games, but when a dev like Maxis gives them something new and interesting (really uniquet from other action rpgs), it's clear that they want more of the same. This is an awesome game for mindless click fest action that you can play with your friends. Haven't had something like this since Borderlands (though this is much easier to pick up and play).… Expand
  21. Darius2301
    Apr 29, 2011
    9
    I can say that this game has exceeded my expectations in every way. There is a lot more depth to this game that I initially realized.

    The squad system is quite deep. Basically your squad is your "character." Do you make a balanced character or create a dedicated healing or tanking team? You can have up to three squads, so you can choose to build specific squads that support other    I can say that this game has exceeded my expectations in every way. There is a lot more depth to this game that I initially realized.

    The squad system is quite deep. Basically your squad is your "character." Do you make a balanced character or create a dedicated healing or tanking team? You can have up to three squads, so you can choose to build specific squads that support other players, or a balanced squad and go it alone. Squad choice is also dictated by the "classification system." Meaning that each hero has an origin (or a type if you will) an enemies of the same type do double damage to those heroes. This forces players to strategize and create mixed teams to succeed.

    They've done a great job with the reward system. You have so many heroes to equip, the game can constantly throws new items at you and those new items are more often than not very useful. Rare items seem to come at just the right pace to make everything exciting. Getting your first "purple" is just as much fun as ever!

    There are actually more customization options for each individual hero than I realized at first as well. I've spend hours so far creating unique looks for my heroes. Also, if you find a piece of loot that you visually like, but need to replace for better stats, you can turn that piece of loot into a "detail item" that you place on your hero purely for aesthetics.

    The multi-player is seamlessly integrated and works great. I think this game is best enjoyed in a multi-player group. The matchmaking makes it very easy to group with random players. Also, if you want to play with friends, the game makes every effort to make the experience about the fun. For example, if you have a much lower level friend, you can play with them and the game scales your character down so that you both have a fun experience, but you still get XP and loot as if you were playing with someone at your own level. I think that the somewhat negative reviews are undeserved and seem to stem from the reviewer(s) having incorrect expectations about the game. Perhaps EA/Maxis didn't do a good job of setting proper expectations from the start. A lot of folks seem upset that you cannot create a new hero from scratch, but that's just not what the game is about; and once you get past that you can begin to see the amazing amount of fun an depth that is here.

    The game is not perfect - two of my complaints are that inventory can get a little unwieldy, and I'd like to be able to expand the mini-map to see places that I have not been. But I can whole-heartedly recommend this title to any Action RPG fan!    … Expand
  22. Iconik
    Apr 29, 2011
    8
    Deep. Action packed. Piles and piles of loot. An insane amount of customization. This is an ARPG that isn't quite like any of the other cut and paste ARPGs on the market. My only real gripe is that there is almost TOO much to do. Thing is, I can't wait for them to add more in future DLC packs. This is an extremely solid action RPG and absolutely SHOULD not be missed by ANY fan of theDeep. Action packed. Piles and piles of loot. An insane amount of customization. This is an ARPG that isn't quite like any of the other cut and paste ARPGs on the market. My only real gripe is that there is almost TOO much to do. Thing is, I can't wait for them to add more in future DLC packs. This is an extremely solid action RPG and absolutely SHOULD not be missed by ANY fan of the genre. You'd only be doing yourself a a disservice.

    Iconik -Providing Metacritic with honest, non-pretentious, short and to the point reviews    … Expand
  23. yumtum
    Apr 27, 2011
    10
    Most addicting hack and slash I've played in years. I'm already 10 hours into it and I'm only at 3-4 (the end game is apparently 18-4). I wish it didn't have Spore in the title because it's so misleading but this is a very solid game. You can spend countless hours editing your heroes and making squad combinations. My hope is that maxis keeps adding more maps, modes and heroes.
  24. Ohingerdill
    May 1, 2011
    9
    Darkspore is fun. I keep thinking it could be more but then I end up playing it for hours and having a good time editing my creatures. Looks great and the NPC's are really diverse. I think I keep underestimating it or having expectations of other stuff but I'm semi-addicted to it right now:)

    MULTIPLAYER IS A MUST - single player is hard and takes away a lot of the coop abilities.
  25. Dream_Chaser
    May 15, 2011
    10
    I've updated my review to point out that you should be careful of whom you trust in regards to reviews of this game. Many people clearly didn't get very far at all, this game was just too much for them, and I can prove it. Read on if you're interested! Identical levels? Nonsense, there are a bunch of alien worlds, all of which are vividly different and amazingly creative. Sometimes youI've updated my review to point out that you should be careful of whom you trust in regards to reviews of this game. Many people clearly didn't get very far at all, this game was just too much for them, and I can prove it. Read on if you're interested! Identical levels? Nonsense, there are a bunch of alien worlds, all of which are vividly different and amazingly creative. Sometimes you visit old worlds again but they have new visual identities and new content to explore. Characters only have three abilities? This is only true within the first hour (yes, hour, as in one) of the game. You do get a party of three, so there's 9 abilities right there, and you get three more on top of that. So there you have 12 abilities, all of which you have to use in the field to be successful. Less selection than other ARPGs? I think not, as you can now hopefully see. And this isn't even going into the stat depth of how aside from your equipped items you also get the catalyst grid which upgrades you in certain ways on the field and can be chained together to create even more powerful teams. The character creation system is a glorified inventory screen? No, it isn't. If you have any imagination whatsoever then there are tools provided to hugely customise your heroes beyond the equipment you can give to them. You can turn stat items you find into detail items for greater customisation. Obviously those complaining didn't play the game for long enough to discover the detail system. You have to regrind the earlier levels a lot? Not really, no. You only have to if you're amazingly awful at handling tactical combat scenarios (and there is strategy involved in this game, which becomes more noticeable as time goes on). Using the right team and the correct approach as to how you should attack your foes will determine your victory far more than how you grind. Grinding is tossed in as an option for those who're really horrible at combat tactics and think every scenario can be solved with click-rushing in. You might be able to do that in Diablo but this isn't Diablo, it's a more cerebral experience than that. And some people are likely just trying the rush-in approach, completely failing (of course), and then blaming the game. Typical. Diablo II has clever level design? Uh... seriously? Most of the time Diablo II was jut a big old box with randomly generated crap inside of it, it wasn't intelligent level design at all. All the worlds in this game are hand-crafted and worth seeing, and offer some interesting opportunities for intelligent tactical play, which is something that Diablo II never did. Diablo II was click, click, click. You were never offered support or hindrance by your environment in Diablo II, but you are in Darkspore. In Darkspore there are wonderful ways to approach fights tactically, getting the drop on your opponents before they realise what's hit them, and you have environmental obstacles that slow you down and/or empower your foes. Not to mention the marvellous ambush areas. Tell me how Diablo II has more intelligent level design again? And there's combat in a combat-oriented game? Gasp! Who could have imagined /that/? What a disaster! A game actually does what it's supposed to do, what it says on the tin, oh, the horror. Did someone pick this up expecting the Sims 3? Seriously? Clearly, you need to be wary of whom you trust. This is a great game but some people just aren't... equipped well enough to handle it. The question is... are you?… Expand
  26. IceMidget
    Jul 6, 2011
    10
    I am plan and simply writing this review to tell all you people giving this game a 0, just don't. No game deserves a zero unless it is bad too the point where it is just plain broken, and unplayable. I'm giving this game a ten because it's user score deserves to be higher, but all you retards who give zeroes hold it back. This is why you aren't nearly as good as hired critics, analyzeI am plan and simply writing this review to tell all you people giving this game a 0, just don't. No game deserves a zero unless it is bad too the point where it is just plain broken, and unplayable. I'm giving this game a ten because it's user score deserves to be higher, but all you retards who give zeroes hold it back. This is why you aren't nearly as good as hired critics, analyze everything the game has to offer, think about how others would enjoy the game and not yourself.… Expand
  27. Renevent
    Apr 27, 2011
    10
    The basic setup of the game is you go from level to level chaining them together to receive better bonus percent for new items. Each level has a nice visual theme, and while the level layout is static, the enemies, loot altar locations, and other events are random and change each time. It's a loot driven game and does a great job of balancing risk vs reward...the more levels you chain theThe basic setup of the game is you go from level to level chaining them together to receive better bonus percent for new items. Each level has a nice visual theme, and while the level layout is static, the enemies, loot altar locations, and other events are random and change each time. It's a loot driven game and does a great job of balancing risk vs reward...the more levels you chain the more difficult each new level is. If you die you loose all the loot (at the end of the chain) you would have gotten...it's a lot like a game show where you are asked "do you keep the $100,000 or are you going to go for the cool million???". I think this is a really interesting and unique setup...but most importantly it works.

    One of the things that originally concerned me about the game was there was no leveling, no skill trees, nothing. After a while I started to see the beauty of the system though. There's two elements that take the place of this...one is the item system and the other is the squad system. There's a great random item system with tons of stats and varying quality levels. This is how you increase the power of your heroes. When you equip more and better items you increase their stats (and abilities) and the total counts toward their hero level. The other aspect is the squad system. Each squad has three spots...from which you can fill from a pool of 100 different heroes. In reality there's 25 heroes with 4 variants each, but this still offers TONS of options.

    Each hero has 2 active skills, a main attack, a passive, and a squad skill. You can access all of your heroes squad skills no matter which hero is selected, and you can switch heroes in level on the fly. Mix and matching the different heroes and skills really opens up a lot of customization. I do think it takes some time to really get this though, but once I really starting looking at way to maximize and compliment my squad/heroes the beauty of the system became more apparent.

    Controls are fluid and work well. Left mouse moves and attacks, right mouse is locational attack, and you can use number keys to activate skills. Skills are easy to use and there's tons of different kinds from buffs, AoE, heals, pets, targeted, crowd control, and even really unique stuff like dimensional warping. Skills have nice graphical effects and feel powerful.

    There are tons of enemies in the game, and many of them have unique abilities. I think the game really shines in the department, and I have played TONS of ARPG's. Enemies charge you, knock you down, put you to sleep, teleport you, debuff you. There's enemies that are "squad leaders" in a sense that buff their allies. There's even enemies that turn normal Dark Spore into their champion variants making them high priority targets. It's also very satisfying to kill the Dark Spore. Enemies explode into clouds of blood, hits have a lot of oomph behind them...the combat is very satisfying.

    Everything from the animations, level objects, enemies, skills all look great. I think the best comparison is kinda like the world in Avatar. Lot's of contrasting colors, bioluminesence, and light sources. One complaint I do have is the level design itself sometimes is too sparse and can be visually repetitive and uneven. Things look good, but I think a more coherent design and more set unique set pieces would have benefited the game a lot.

    Music is very sci-fi and fits the game perfectly. It has a very ambient quality. Sounds effects are great as well. Enemies have their own sound effects, so do each of the heroes. Hitting an enemy has the appropriate weighty feel and gives the right amount of feedback. Lot's of nice effects for all the skills as well.

    Story is an area I really don't care much about (especially for ARPG's), but so far the story is just ok. It definitely takes a back seat to gameplay (which I like) and is told mostly through cut-scenes narrated by the ships computer between missions. There's also some pretty cool narration in levels when you pass specific points or objects...like in the first level you pass a super nova and the ship's computer tells you about it. Pretty nice idea, maybe there could have been some cooler uses for this though. I do find myself wanting to progress in the game more and more to find out what's going on with the story, but it's not very deep...feels more like a history lesson that unfolds over the course of the game.

    As far as ARPG's go, this has the best multiplayer system aside from Diablo 2 (battle.net). One of the few games in the genre with closed server architecture. Matchmaking works great as far as time it takes to find a public team, though I wish you could specify some parameters when using it (like minimum level you want to do, ect). There's stat tracking for all players so you can see everyone's in game progress, friends list, chat channels, and rankings. There's also 1v1 and 2v2 PvP arenas which are fun.    … Expand
  28. Jimbob2k666
    May 4, 2011
    9
    I really don't get why these so called journalists are trying to hate this game, and even some users are giving it really low scores for reasons unfair to the title. It seems that every hack'n'slash title released since Diablo 2 (except for Titan Quest) has absolutely no chance of recieving any critical success and it's unjustified. Darkspore does what it sets out to do, albeit a shallowI really don't get why these so called journalists are trying to hate this game, and even some users are giving it really low scores for reasons unfair to the title. It seems that every hack'n'slash title released since Diablo 2 (except for Titan Quest) has absolutely no chance of recieving any critical success and it's unjustified. Darkspore does what it sets out to do, albeit a shallow storyline (who cares in a hack'n'slash) it has a very easy learning curve, but can catch some people off-guard when later on in the game they suddenly have to carefully think about their squad composition when starting each mission. Some of the end game boss fights can be tough, but none are like "hitting a brick wall" in difficulty as all it takes is to learn how each of the bosses, lieutenants and elite mobs operate and come up with an on-the-fly strategy to beat them in order to not lose a hero (usually one of the mission objectives). The game comes to life through it's multiplayer co-op, although PvP is very hit and miss as it needs balancing. The co-op however is really very good. At the end of each successful mission you are given the option to "chain" missions by forfeiting your end-game rewards in the hope of completing the next mission, which will then offer you +1 more item, a higher level item, and a higher percentage chance of recieving a rarified item which will have great stats on them. Rolling a 99-100 will get you a purified item, but I've never managed one of those through rolling, but have looted 3 of them in open play.........You may not have as deep an experience in the hero editor as you would in the original Spore, but there is an endless amount of loot to add to them for stats as well as items to add for detail. You can also buy upgraded weapons in the in-game store which you pay for using the in game DNA you collect through looting and selling stuff you don't need. There are a huge amount of upgrades to buy in the game which unlock as you progress........As you play each mission you can find items called Catalysts. This is where the game can get interesting as you try to find better ones, and if you can find 3 of the same type (Offence, defense, utility, prismatic etc) and align them in your interface each one will then recieve bonus stats to your heros. This can make you more powerful and help a lot when trying to take down elite mobs and bosses........In summary, on the surface the game seems difficult when you start to reach level 15 and over. Carefully selecting your squads so that your 3 character attacks mix together (each hero provides 1 attack that each of them can use) so that you can unleash amazing combos helps to create a better game.....Darkspore is nothing more than a dungeon crawler with a great system for building characters. If you take it for what it is, it is an incureable itch which will pull you in. I have many games I play, but this has seen me invest over 25 hours in-game in just 6 days. In that time I've amassed 3 squads that are all around level 50, and I haven't even finished the first run of campaigns. I have dozens of heros that I haven't unlocked yet. If you have the patience to spend 50% of your time in the game at the editor loading up your new loot items and configuring the right gene pools for each one, then you will have a good time. Those who prefer the "jump in and play instantly" approach won't find what they are looking for here. You cannot pick up loot and instantly equip it like most of these types of games do, you have to wait until you have left the missions and then do it at the game editor.… Expand
  29. DonFawful
    Apr 30, 2011
    8
    Enjoyable, rewarding and refreshing this ARPG is what a lot of diablo fans have been waiting for. Not exactly the same in content, Darkspore does what a lot of games aren't bothering to do anymore, bringing an enjoyable multiplayer experience that's easy to pick up and play. This is in both PVE and PVP.

    Story: This is the only bad part of the game, it's not there to be honest. Sound:    Enjoyable, rewarding and refreshing this ARPG is what a lot of diablo fans have been waiting for. Not exactly the same in content, Darkspore does what a lot of games aren't bothering to do anymore, bringing an enjoyable multiplayer experience that's easy to pick up and play. This is in both PVE and PVP.

    Story: This is the only bad part of the game, it's not there to be honest.

    Sound: Very enjoyable space music, nothing memorable but it will leave you craving for more. The creatures are very well done in the that regard.

    Environments: Space stations and comets mixed up with lush jungles and damp caverns. Cant get better then that.

    Gameplay: This game is best described as a mix between Diablo and Pokémon you create a squad of 3 heroes each with their own abilities and you customize these heroes any way you want. You sadly cant create your own but thanks to the spore editor it's really easy to spend hours just editing your heroes. There are 100 heroes to unlock so it's not like you'll be done any time soon.

    The levels vary from short to extremely long and this gets even longer with the addition of more players. It's clear that this is a multiplayer game and not meant for singleplayer.

    All in all i'd give this game a 9/10 I am really enjoying it so far and if you have a couple of friends to play with you'll be going back wanting more.    … Expand
  30. PhusionDev
    May 4, 2011
    10
    I've noticed that this game is taking a lot of flak from reviewers whether they be from the press or simply users so I feel as though I need to give another opinion or other players will pass this game by: First of all if you are a fan of action-rpgs, this is not a game you should pass by. At its core Darkspore does a lot of things right with the play style that ARPG fans have come toI've noticed that this game is taking a lot of flak from reviewers whether they be from the press or simply users so I feel as though I need to give another opinion or other players will pass this game by: First of all if you are a fan of action-rpgs, this is not a game you should pass by. At its core Darkspore does a lot of things right with the play style that ARPG fans have come to enjoy. If you like Gauntlet, Diablo, Torchlight, Borderlands then you will love the action and loot systems in this game. The character customization isn't necessarily my cup of tea per say but it's there, and it's rather in depth and it works. The squad system which allows you to combine 3 heroes that share certain abilities with your group leads to many tactical decisions while playing.

    Overall this game is a lot of fun but it can get repetitive after all it is an action RPG (wow these kind of games aren't supposed to be repetitive?).

    The online play is solid and characters are all stored server-side which is something I really love and kept me from buying borderlands is the fact that in borderlands your online/offline characters could easily be hacked and didn't offer any online longevity.

    My friends and I have been enjoying this game, and I really think more people need to give it a chance: even with the mediocre reviews out I still gave in and bought it and was glad I did.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

76
#76 Most Discussed PC Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
65

Mixed or average reviews - based on 52 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 52
  2. Mixed: 38 out of 52
  3. Negative: 1 out of 52
  1. games(TM)
    Jul 3, 2011
    70
    Just don't believe everything you read on the box. [Issue#110, p.130]
  2. CD-Action
    Jul 1, 2011
    70
    If you treat yourself to the PvE campaign – especially in co-op mode – in small portions, it's a good recipe for a couple of relaxing game sessions. In the beginning at least, because over time watching the experience bar grow simply gets boring. [June 2011, p. 62]
  3. PC PowerPlay
    Jun 9, 2011
    60
    Solid enough, if not a candidate for natural selection. [July 2011, p.68]
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