Spore

 PC
User Score
5.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2110 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 885 out of 2110
  2. Mixed: 446 out of 2110
  3. Negative: 779 out of 2110
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  1. PeteS.
    Sep 10, 2008
    1
    I installed it on my new vista computer, but it wouldn't run, thinking it was a configuration error of my box I tried it on my brother's computer and it didn't work there either. Luckily I have an old XP comp that my mom uses for email and surfing the web so I checked it on that one, and there it worked (kind of, it crashed because of the old old drivers on there, and the I installed it on my new vista computer, but it wouldn't run, thinking it was a configuration error of my box I tried it on my brother's computer and it didn't work there either. Luckily I have an old XP comp that my mom uses for email and surfing the web so I checked it on that one, and there it worked (kind of, it crashed because of the old old drivers on there, and the gfx card isn't up to the job really) So, anyway I got some help to fix my computer, seems I had to replace my motherboard as it was destroying the memory sticks (same for my bro), I'm not going to mention any brands but I'm never going to buy one from those guys again! Anyway, so now I was going to install the game and play finally, and it won't run! Says something about max installs and verification and whatnot. I went back to the store and they wouldn't switch it for another copy because I "had used all my installs"! What?… Expand
  2. MikeS.
    Sep 12, 2008
    0
    DRM, SecuROM, Rootkits, these things and more can be yours. 3 Installs, which are deducted when a change in hardware such as a video card or mobo occur. Forget being able to play this puppy 15 years from now, you think EA will keep the authentication server up after you can't find any boxed copies of the game anymore? That costs money. Pirates have already cracked it...so the only DRM, SecuROM, Rootkits, these things and more can be yours. 3 Installs, which are deducted when a change in hardware such as a video card or mobo occur. Forget being able to play this puppy 15 years from now, you think EA will keep the authentication server up after you can't find any boxed copies of the game anymore? That costs money. Pirates have already cracked it...so the only people this hurts is the legitimate customer. EA/Maxis...you have failed...… Expand
  3. CJS
    Sep 12, 2008
    0
    Was hoping for some much more, extremely let down by the DRM (I don't really own the game, I'm just renting it from EA), and you can get through the whole game in practically one sitting. I can't believe all those "professional" reviewers did not take those factors into account. Also buggy as could be. With over half a decade of development time, you would think this game Was hoping for some much more, extremely let down by the DRM (I don't really own the game, I'm just renting it from EA), and you can get through the whole game in practically one sitting. I can't believe all those "professional" reviewers did not take those factors into account. Also buggy as could be. With over half a decade of development time, you would think this game would run a little smoother on all systems.… Expand
  4. allane.
    Sep 10, 2008
    1
    Because of the DRM this game will not make it to my pc, which is a real shame because i think as a game it would be really lots of fun but I refuse to support any product that has DRM software attached. If someone can code a hax to remove the DRM then I would love to try it.
  5. JohnJ.
    Sep 10, 2008
    0
    Game kinda totally disappoints, and i don't mean the DRM. I'll let that completely aside. There is no "evolution" in this game. Not one tiny bit. Spore is a combination from 5 minigames, whithout any deeper gameplay, but hold together via a nice Creature-/Vehicle-/Building-Editor. And while the Space Stage is your big sandbox endgame, itself maybe disappoints the most. It is a Game kinda totally disappoints, and i don't mean the DRM. I'll let that completely aside. There is no "evolution" in this game. Not one tiny bit. Spore is a combination from 5 minigames, whithout any deeper gameplay, but hold together via a nice Creature-/Vehicle-/Building-Editor. And while the Space Stage is your big sandbox endgame, itself maybe disappoints the most. It is a extremly watered down, ultralight, lowcarb version of 4X Space games like Galactic Civillization. With the additon of some planetary editing, sims style. The fact that you have only one spaceship, and need to be present at any planet where you want to even look up something, is the worst idea ever brought up by a game developer. Add to that, that you constatly have pirate raids and bio-ecological desasters, you actually have no time to explore and/or sandbox/edit your planets. It ends with you scrolling your mousewheel in and out of stars/planets, flying your spaceship with extremely crappy controls (and especially aiming), and constantly fighting off pirates and eco disasters. No depth evolved anywhere. This game is not casual-friendly, this game is a joke. If you bought the Creature Editor, you alreday got the funpart, the rest is just a fraud to get the other 50 bucks outta your pocket. And that is the result of a seven year developement? I'm sorry, but you failed, Mr. Wright. Reading all the hype and previews, i thought this will be a game about you creating creatures, and looking how they evolve, and if they will even survive. But Spore is far, far away from that. Spore is something else. And i don't like that. I have to admit, i played it the first few hours, and felt fun. But all that time, i kinda was waiting for the "evolution" thing. And after getting from phase to phase, i started to realize, that there is none. It doesn't even matter how you design your creature. You can give it 10 legs and one arm behind the head, without ears and a nose, and in spite of all that it will still reach space stage. Too bad. As a Sim City enthusiast, i really had hopes in Will Wrigth's new game. I really looked forward for something (r)evolutionary. But what came out, is some kind of kids game, even worse then The Sims.… Expand
  6. BrianA.
    Sep 14, 2008
    1
    Rating a 1 based on DRM. The DRM ruined this game for me, so I dont even play it anymore. I'm removing it from my PC and eating the $50 loss. I've learned my lesson. I'm no longer buying games as soon as they come out. I will wait to see how unfair the DRM is first.
  7. AnonAnon
    Sep 14, 2008
    0
    DRM has ruined this game, but that is not the only problem. EA and Will Wright have willingly admitted to dumbing down te game experience to the extreme just for good sales. Will, you have lost my respect.
  8. FrankN.
    Sep 14, 2008
    1
    I don't see what all the excitement is over this game. I was expecting it to be at least fun lol. Pretty boring, feels like 5 unrelated games none of which are fun at all, and omg the controls suck! And you can't change them. What a pos.
  9. LeoK.
    Sep 15, 2008
    1
    My Spore Review Or
  10. BrandonS
    Sep 15, 2008
    1
    I'm not a crook, so don't treat me like a crook, this is not the way to treat your customers EA.
  11. LoBiN.
    Sep 10, 2008
    1
    Who wants to have to com with authentication server everytime you want to play and once the drm gets hacked how many legit users will get locked out because the authentication servers cant really tell it just goes on errors (any errors!).
  12. JohnL
    Sep 15, 2008
    9
    Pros: Ability for creativity is nearly unlimited. Creators/Editors are fantastic. What you do in all the stages before Space stage drastically effect how you play the Space stage. Cons: UI is a bit oversimplified. Tribe and Civ stage are a tad boring - not enough room for creativity. Not quite what we were all hoping for. Summary: Worth $50, but not much more.
  13. JimC.
    Sep 10, 2008
    1
    After purchasing the garbage I learned that I had 3 installs. I installed it at work, then installed it at home. My home installation failed so I went to install again, and the activation servers failed it.. I had to call in, work my way through 20 minutes of prompts and hold times just to be told that I couldn't install it anymore. They literally told me I couldn't have another After purchasing the garbage I learned that I had 3 installs. I installed it at work, then installed it at home. My home installation failed so I went to install again, and the activation servers failed it.. I had to call in, work my way through 20 minutes of prompts and hold times just to be told that I couldn't install it anymore. They literally told me I couldn't have another activation. DO NOT BUY!… Expand
  14. LeifP.
    Sep 10, 2008
    2
    This got to be the biggest pile of poo long seen, it feels like its designed and made for 5 -10 year olds.. i made it all the way into space and i lost interest.. not something for a 31 year old guy.
  15. JS
    Sep 3, 2008
    0
    The draconian DRM makes this game unpurchasable- The best you can manage is to rent it for a little while, before your copy becomes unplayable. That said, I would dearly love to purchase this game, if EA ever takes their head out of the sand.
  16. Chuck
    Sep 30, 2008
    2
    I bought the game because it was supposed to be a fun exploration of evolution and then turn into a civ game. This game has nothing to do with evolution, unless you're a creationist, and the civ part of the game is not as good as already existing civ games. I tried to force myself to play it and couldn't because it's so boring. I suppose it might be fun for children under I bought the game because it was supposed to be a fun exploration of evolution and then turn into a civ game. This game has nothing to do with evolution, unless you're a creationist, and the civ part of the game is not as good as already existing civ games. I tried to force myself to play it and couldn't because it's so boring. I suppose it might be fun for children under 10, but as an edu-tainment package it falls short in edu and tainment.… Expand
  17. [Anonymous]
    Sep 6, 2008
    10
    Spore simply put, is an amazing game. It cannot be judge by any single stage. It's five separate games smashed into one, and meant to be played in sequence. There are only three problems with this game: 1) You have to collect spice manually to make money in space. 2) The Grox are unbeatable. 3) You have to unlock bodyparts every time you play the game. Other than those three Spore simply put, is an amazing game. It cannot be judge by any single stage. It's five separate games smashed into one, and meant to be played in sequence. There are only three problems with this game: 1) You have to collect spice manually to make money in space. 2) The Grox are unbeatable. 3) You have to unlock bodyparts every time you play the game. Other than those three problems, the game is pretty much flawless.… Expand
  18. RanbirC.
    Sep 6, 2008
    10
    Phenomenal. Take your time, enjoy the procedurally generated world. Relish in the thousands of unique creations that continue to populate your universe and dynamically change the very fabric of it.
  19. ZennyX
    Sep 6, 2008
    9
    Perfect, if it wasen't for the SECURE-ROM being shipped with it thise would be the god game.
  20. BobW.
    Sep 7, 2008
    10
    This game is soo fun. I like that you can play your creatures. I also enjoyed that you have to try and survive!
  21. MP.
    Sep 8, 2008
    8
    In first 5 hrs I made it to Tribal stage. Cell stage was cute but a tad boring. Creature stage was a hoot and fun to design my "evolving creature." I'm anxious to get through the remainder of the game and have so far really enjoying the customization and "free will" concept of the game. I think this is a good investment for young & old, and novice and hard-core gamers alike. :)
  22. SteveM.
    Oct 18, 2008
    2
    The creature creator is the only interesting part of this game. The gameplay itself is incredibly bland, unbelievably easy and there is absolutely no replay value whatsoever.
  23. coopw.
    Sep 4, 2008
    9
    In space stage now and it took less than 10 hours. Like all the critics say it is very abstract and interesting. A fun hybrid game yet I'm not sure how much time I'll actually put into it.
  24. JoshK.
    Sep 5, 2008
    10
    This game is great fun! Sure, it doesnt have the complexity of a great RTS in Tribal or Civ stages, nor is it very deep in the 3rd person combat of Creature stage. But the variation on each stage, and the ability to make anything almost *exactly* like you want is great fun!
  25. LiamG.
    Sep 6, 2008
    8
    The game peaks in the middle with the tribal and civilisation definitely taking the best parts of the game, in my opinion. Space age is repetitive and a touch boring, but all around it is a great game, and if only they'd made the first 4 stages an extra hour longer each, they game would have a lot more meat to it.
  26. KayD.
    Sep 7, 2008
    9
    I'm only into the beginning of the Space phase, but so far it's been a blast. I'm not giving it 10 because: 1) SecuROM; 2) It took a while and some forum reading to get it to install and run properly; 3) There are definitely more than a few bugs and deficits. Still, that's nothing that can't be fixed with a change of policy and a patch. I'm optimistic. I'm only into the beginning of the Space phase, but so far it's been a blast. I'm not giving it 10 because: 1) SecuROM; 2) It took a while and some forum reading to get it to install and run properly; 3) There are definitely more than a few bugs and deficits. Still, that's nothing that can't be fixed with a change of policy and a patch. I'm optimistic. It's been worth the wait.… Expand
  27. TreborL
    Feb 18, 2009
    10
    I'm in a bit of disbelief. DRM sucks, yes, however, that is not enough to justify ever giving a good simulator/game a bad rating. Over 2.7million people have purchased Spore. Something has been done correctly given those numbers. It is unfair to rate spore as a normal game. Firstly, it does not cater towards the Strategy or First Person Shooter crowds, or the group known (and I'm in a bit of disbelief. DRM sucks, yes, however, that is not enough to justify ever giving a good simulator/game a bad rating. Over 2.7million people have purchased Spore. Something has been done correctly given those numbers. It is unfair to rate spore as a normal game. Firstly, it does not cater towards the Strategy or First Person Shooter crowds, or the group known (and mislabled as) 'core gamers'. If anyone remembers the Sims, it took years for it to become recognized as a game itself. It faced almost exactly the same reviews and complaints. Folks, Spore is NOT a game. It is a simulator that has game like elements put into it. spore itself is quite refreshing to play once you understand this core fact. It is intended as a playground for social and economic experiments. I personally took off from spore for about a month before I got back into it. I had gone into the game originally with a few wants to get out of it but, the fact that I now understand that it is a simulator just like SimCity and the Sims allows me to get a new level of enjoyment from creating in Spore. The game elements are incredibly simple because if you made each and every stage a fully fledged game, you'd have something too complex that goes out of the demographic they wanted to hit (Females, Children, and in general Simulation lovers). It is a creators paradise and it is a joy to see all the stuff one has created in action. THAT is why the games exist. The entertainment is in creating and seeing what happens. I will concede that a few elements can be a bit repetitive (pirate attacks occur frequently in the space stage and the uber-turret simply isnt enough to deal with the problem in many cases) however, that does not interfere with the playground aspect. Spore knows exactly what it is and what it isnt thankfully. It is simple, its always good to return to, and in no other game are you going to be able to see something you've created come to life (even if it is simulated).… Expand
  28. SJT-Ruler*
    Feb 2, 2009
    10
    To begin with, there's been MUCH hate towards Spore and EA, which is partly fair since the original Spore looked much better and contained much more, the old version may have well been one of the best games ever. Other than that, the "new" Spore somehow changed completely and was dumbed down while the community that asked for the return of all the promised parts of the game is still To begin with, there's been MUCH hate towards Spore and EA, which is partly fair since the original Spore looked much better and contained much more, the old version may have well been one of the best games ever. Other than that, the "new" Spore somehow changed completely and was dumbed down while the community that asked for the return of all the promised parts of the game is still being ignored as of today. That being said, it's sad but true, a good game is getting SERIOUSLY milked by their creators. HOWEVER, please realise, that this is not something were you should rate a game down for, look at the average user review here, like 4.5? Even if the game is dumbed down, stop comparing it with older Spore versions and rate Spore for what it is now, if you are a gamer at least use the intelligence to do that. What game already allows you to be SO creative? What game already allows you to conquer 5 million planets? If I'd conquer about 20 planets an hour and be online for 24/7, I'd still take 27 years to finish the game COMPLETELY. Trust me, I don't even take 20 planets an hour nor I am 24/7 online. With this being said, Spore is perhaps less than the Spore that was promised, but it is still one of the most user-friendly and biggest games that will ever exist, this is not an opinion but a fact.… Expand
  29. ClaireStire
    Apr 1, 2009
    10
    There is so much to love about Spore; creating, sharing, battling, eating, befriending, and so much more that I can't name it all. With the ability to create a creture, evolve it, and controll it, there's no end to the different paths you can choose from! A must-have for the creative mind.
  30. ThaHat[NONE]
    Dec 10, 2009
    10
    Its pretty cool. Here's practically how I see it: You start as a little cell in the water, survive larger cells about 5 to 10 times bigger than you, and then you move to land, like a snake or snail, raptor or rat, epic either way you make your creature! And then you begin to live in a tribe like the Indian Ojibwa, or African Zulu, etc, etc, etc. Then you move to the stage humans are Its pretty cool. Here's practically how I see it: You start as a little cell in the water, survive larger cells about 5 to 10 times bigger than you, and then you move to land, like a snake or snail, raptor or rat, epic either way you make your creature! And then you begin to live in a tribe like the Indian Ojibwa, or African Zulu, etc, etc, etc. Then you move to the stage humans are in now *maybe a bit more advanced* and make a small civilization, fighting or allying with your own speicies. When you dominate your own planet, you go intergalactic, like starwars, or startrek..or...you get the idea. You can go around destroying other speices and taking their planet, or allying with spieces to make your way through the galaxy. But watch out for Grox! Mischivious empire like 16 solar systems big, in the middle of the galaxy, and not so nice! In space, work your way from Universal pawn to king of the universe, earning badges!… Expand
  31. BrianT
    Jan 24, 2009
    8
    Ignore the dumb 0-votes below me; this game is very nice and gets you thinking, too. The creators are innovative, the stages all have good gameplay, and the Space stage lets you mess around with random planets. :D But, the game was WAYY too overhyped, and the stages are a bit too simple, but I don't know why everyone's rating 0 just because of the DRM. Like, come on, there IS a Ignore the dumb 0-votes below me; this game is very nice and gets you thinking, too. The creators are innovative, the stages all have good gameplay, and the Space stage lets you mess around with random planets. :D But, the game was WAYY too overhyped, and the stages are a bit too simple, but I don't know why everyone's rating 0 just because of the DRM. Like, come on, there IS a de-authorization-or-whatever-you-call-it tool, you know!… Expand
  32. PatQ
    Mar 15, 2009
    7
    Spore had a huge hype going for it before its release, however the game clearly did not live up to this hype. The creation part of the game is the only reason the game was not struck down completely. The game starts out very fun and interesting, but dwindles down with each phase. The Cell Phase was simple, enjoyable, and immersive, but too short. The Creature Phase was very original but Spore had a huge hype going for it before its release, however the game clearly did not live up to this hype. The creation part of the game is the only reason the game was not struck down completely. The game starts out very fun and interesting, but dwindles down with each phase. The Cell Phase was simple, enjoyable, and immersive, but too short. The Creature Phase was very original but very repetative; the only objective was to conquer or befriend other herds and packs of creatures. It did have the best creation system in the game, though. The Tribal Phase was just plain unecessary. It was unpolished and boring, and there was nothing to do but ally with or destroy other tribes. The Civilization Phase was a poor excuse for an attempt at a RTS game; although the vehicle and building creators were very well made. Too end it terribly, the Space Phase was not thought out well enough and simply put another scar on the face of Spore. It was not fun to constantly be attacked by a hugely unrealistic amount of space-faring civilizations. Playing the Space Phase went completely out-of-control when more than three or four other systems were colonized. Overall, Spore's actual gameplay was well below par. The only thing that brought my rating up was the creators: They were almost flawless and gave much freedom. If only the developers worked some more on the five phases of the games.… Expand
  33. FeralFork
    Apr 26, 2009
    10
    Easily the best game made by EA. It's blend of creative gameplay and online community create a truly awesome experience. It is one of my very favorite games and has tons of potential. It is completely unique and boasts the most room for creativity I have seen in any game.
  34. Mollington
    Dec 29, 2008
    10
    See now, disagree with everyone else who has given spore a low rating. I think it is extremely well done. You get to design your game, you choose the difficlty level and the way you interact with it. You can go for power hungry domination and blow away all other life than yourself to smitherenes or be peacefull and set up trade and make alies with your fellow planets. excellent game, hoursSee now, disagree with everyone else who has given spore a low rating. I think it is extremely well done. You get to design your game, you choose the difficlty level and the way you interact with it. You can go for power hungry domination and blow away all other life than yourself to smitherenes or be peacefull and set up trade and make alies with your fellow planets. excellent game, hours of entertainment in the creature creator itself. Major Kudos.… Expand
  35. RMW_Critic
    Oct 11, 2010
    3
    Not really a favorite. Had no mind to it, it really wasn't any fun creating something like this to a wide majority of people. I found the free version inside The Daily Telegraph more fun, in reality. This game should really have only been made for the people who sit down for hours creating something and watching it do stuff, not a huge majority of people. Will Wright, nice try mate, butNot really a favorite. Had no mind to it, it really wasn't any fun creating something like this to a wide majority of people. I found the free version inside The Daily Telegraph more fun, in reality. This game should really have only been made for the people who sit down for hours creating something and watching it do stuff, not a huge majority of people. Will Wright, nice try mate, but not enough.… Expand
  36. yosh
    Feb 17, 2011
    8
    The evolution is too fast, in my opinion, it would have been great to go deeper into every step of it. Graphics could have been better too, but it is ok, if you like that style they used. The creature creator is complex and with a wide variety, but you get used to it pretty fast. I never really unterstood the galaxy-related part, which is the last and longest part of the game, but as farThe evolution is too fast, in my opinion, it would have been great to go deeper into every step of it. Graphics could have been better too, but it is ok, if you like that style they used. The creature creator is complex and with a wide variety, but you get used to it pretty fast. I never really unterstood the galaxy-related part, which is the last and longest part of the game, but as far as I can rate it, it seems quite good.

    I see the best use of this game on a LAN-party with several others and play it in a competition, like a speed run. ;)    … Expand
  37. kowalski
    Aug 28, 2011
    0
    This game is what the WTF was made for.
    As a computer-biological experiment, it's interesting.
    As an actual game, it's beyond boring. Perhaps it's because the hype was so huge, the game couldn't stand a chance living up to it.
  38. EmperorAlphonse
    Feb 29, 2012
    8
    If you were to take it for what it is, a casual, semi-friendly, game. If you realize that, this is a absolutely brilliant, revolutionary, mind blowing, and all around fun game. For me, a avid gamer, i found it a bit childish, but that is what the goal was. It takes you through 5 stages: the cell stage, creature stage, tribal stage, civilization stage, and the space stage. Each offering funIf you were to take it for what it is, a casual, semi-friendly, game. If you realize that, this is a absolutely brilliant, revolutionary, mind blowing, and all around fun game. For me, a avid gamer, i found it a bit childish, but that is what the goal was. It takes you through 5 stages: the cell stage, creature stage, tribal stage, civilization stage, and the space stage. Each offering fun game play for whomever may be playing. the first stage plays more like a arcade game, the second stage plays more like a FPS, and the final stage being more like a, well, flight simulator, but to tell you the truth it is a RUBBISH RTS. For a hardcore RTS player like my self, this game offered no mental capability, or challenge... In ANY aspect. But once again we are straying from the point. it is a childish game, aimed at a strong community, and a kid friendly game. This game, at least for me, offered a fun replay value, and a release from more serious games. But be warned, if you are a hardcore gamer, that likes fast pace games that take MENTAL thought, please stay away. 8/10 - for being different and fun, with amazing aspects.… Expand
  39. ChoicestGames
    Mar 3, 2012
    7
    If you're looking for a capable and creative tool to share your own creations with the rest of the world, or you want a fun way to educate your kids in the theory of evolution, Spore is definitely recommended in that regard. If you're looking for an exciting and challenging game which will test your skills (and not your patience), Spore might not be it - but then again, a lot of MaxisIf you're looking for a capable and creative tool to share your own creations with the rest of the world, or you want a fun way to educate your kids in the theory of evolution, Spore is definitely recommended in that regard. If you're looking for an exciting and challenging game which will test your skills (and not your patience), Spore might not be it - but then again, a lot of Maxis games aren't nowadays.… Expand
  40. BoltzmannBaby
    Mar 9, 2012
    7
    Spore is the first game i bought after reading a review, and the first one to make me feel sorry for that. It is a great experience, but not what it could've been. It doesn't have the replayability that it should, it feels inconsistent, with some chapters being too easy and shallow (tribe and civilisation stages), and it gets repetitive like hell, especially in the Space stage. This gameSpore is the first game i bought after reading a review, and the first one to make me feel sorry for that. It is a great experience, but not what it could've been. It doesn't have the replayability that it should, it feels inconsistent, with some chapters being too easy and shallow (tribe and civilisation stages), and it gets repetitive like hell, especially in the Space stage. This game is a lot of stress to finish without mods not as much because of the difficulty, but because of the repeatability and the slow progression trough the space stage. Other than that it deserves it's praise for some innovations like the way it generates the content and how it populates the "game world". trough Sporepedia. Creating stuff, from cells to spaceships, is fun and lucrative, but if that's all you're after then you can stick with the Creature Creator.… Expand
  41. Quinzal
    Jul 17, 2012
    8
    In my honest, full fledged opinion, SPORE is one of my favorite games. The main 'story' of it is fun, especially when you get to the last stage of evolution. The creation side of it is the best where you can make anything from a small bug thing to a dinosaur or something. You can make stuff from cells to cars, and everything in between. However, the DRM made the game worse, and it was overIn my honest, full fledged opinion, SPORE is one of my favorite games. The main 'story' of it is fun, especially when you get to the last stage of evolution. The creation side of it is the best where you can make anything from a small bug thing to a dinosaur or something. You can make stuff from cells to cars, and everything in between. However, the DRM made the game worse, and it was over hyped when it was released. Plus, when I first read all the reviews on this page, I almost cried. Despite the DRM and the other **** the game turned out really good, and merely does not deserve the hate its getting. Sure it has its flaws but so does every game.

    However, the Galactic Adventures expansion pack costing $29.99 is freaking CHEAP.    … Expand
  42. Sneetches
    Mar 6, 2013
    2
    TL;DR You're playing the remains of Will Wrights hopes and dreams.

    Oh what a disappointment...i'll just keep this short, Spore fell short of the hype and Will Wright has a tombstone somewhere right next to Squidward's, i'm sure. The problems are the dumbed down editor, relatively short pre-Space modes, and just the fact that every stage except for the Space stage feels like a minigame,    TL;DR You're playing the remains of Will Wrights hopes and dreams.

    Oh what a disappointment...i'll just keep this short, Spore fell short of the hype and Will Wright has a tombstone somewhere right next to Squidward's, i'm sure. The problems are the dumbed down editor, relatively short pre-Space modes, and just the fact that every stage except for the Space stage feels like a minigame, not seperate parts within the game itself. It introduced some new concepts, of course, but it simply did not make the game as interesting or as fun as it was imagined. The fact that EA then later charged for DLC packs was like spitting on Will's grave as EA just walked on by. Overall, it was a game with a lot of promise that simply fell very short and ended up being a "play a bunch of minigames before the final mode which is just as repetitive" type game with a very simple creature designer tacked on.    … Expand
  43. wordy_actions
    Jul 17, 2011
    3
    THE GOOD: The first stage. THE BAD: Pretty much all the other stages. Each one is far too simple and repetitive. THE UGLY: Seriously, who thought grinding for money in the space stage was a good idea?
  44. Discord
    May 19, 2012
    2
    It had an incredible amount of potential, but fell flat on its face. The game would have been better if if didn't look like it was designed for children. It could have been a revolutionary game if not for the mindbogglingly idiotic AI. The entire idea has been trivialized and simplified to the point where the only good thing about it is the Cell and Space Stages and that's it. The gameIt had an incredible amount of potential, but fell flat on its face. The game would have been better if if didn't look like it was designed for children. It could have been a revolutionary game if not for the mindbogglingly idiotic AI. The entire idea has been trivialized and simplified to the point where the only good thing about it is the Cell and Space Stages and that's it. The game that Will Wright showed in 2005 was slaughtered by the bastards at EA and turned into a game for children.… Expand
  45. AnonymousMC
    Jun 7, 2009
    3
    Loses steam fast, goes nowhere quickly, doesn't expand enough on the individual concepts.
    EA brought a shotgun into a hungry mob, pretty soon they'll be whishing they'd taken the RPG.
    it would be fine if the individual stages were GOOD! but they aren't. It would be fine if they made expansions that made each stage better one at a time so you could get more of your    Loses steam fast, goes nowhere quickly, doesn't expand enough on the individual concepts.
    EA brought a shotgun into a hungry mob, pretty soon they'll be whishing they'd taken the RPG.
    it would be fine if the individual stages were GOOD! but they aren't. It would be fine if they made expansions that made each stage better one at a time so you could get more of your favourite but they haven't. Instead they shoved securom down our throats. EA, get some friends.    … Expand
  46. Forak.
    Sep 10, 2008
    3
    Boring, dumbed down experience from what we were promised many years ago. None of the phases are interesting enough to play it for more then an hour, big disappointment. The DRM rentware doesn't help one bit either.
  47. Pnothy
    Sep 22, 2008
    3
    It started out with a bit of promise, but when I realized that your actions don't really correspond to your evolution (you may spend points to whatever you like) and to get these points you have to repeat simple repetitive actions endlessly, the fun slipped away quickly. Compared to the Sims, the user interface is way less intuitive, so one (at least I) can miss certain essentialIt started out with a bit of promise, but when I realized that your actions don't really correspond to your evolution (you may spend points to whatever you like) and to get these points you have to repeat simple repetitive actions endlessly, the fun slipped away quickly. Compared to the Sims, the user interface is way less intuitive, so one (at least I) can miss certain essential elements of gameplay easily. For example, I upgraded my creature with a ranged attack ability, only to find out it was ranged after a friend told me. During my game, I had no clue as to why it wouldn't work in battles. Maybe I am too stupid for modern games... ;)

    The creature editor is quite fun to play, but the rest is, in my opinion, a bad implementation of an innovative game idea. Just get the creature editor and don't burden yourself with the repetitive DNA-point scraping to finally get to build the same character in a slower way!    … Expand
  48. GuyT
    Jun 30, 2009
    9
    I think most people here were expecting way too much out of spore. There was no way it could stand up to all that hype. Come on, if you're so pissed that everything you wanted wasn't in there, than get a job at EA and show them how it's done! I'll be here laughing at you. Stop whining about how EA ripped you and actually do something besides making it look like a I think most people here were expecting way too much out of spore. There was no way it could stand up to all that hype. Come on, if you're so pissed that everything you wanted wasn't in there, than get a job at EA and show them how it's done! I'll be here laughing at you. Stop whining about how EA ripped you and actually do something besides making it look like a terrible game. Sure, some of the fan-made content is going to be mediocre, but surely if you have time to whine on these comment areas, than you most definitely could be using that time finding Spore's good areas and suggesting fixes to the problems instead. Seriously though. I liked Spore a lot. I never bothered paying attention to all that hype because it was so obvious that most of it was not going to happen. I agree that the stages are a little short for my liking, but come on! is that really a massive problem? In all, Spore is a bit rough, but if you look at it's bright spots, then you get a great experience.… Expand
  49. NoobP
    Jun 21, 2009
    9
    I am a "hadcore" gamer and I loved this game. I have both a 360 and a ps3, and this is one of my favorite games. I spend probably about 50 or 60 hours a week gaming, and maybe 10 of those hours are Spore. I'm a strategy and FPS fan, too, so I love hardcore games. But this was just an amazing game. Good buy. Player-made content is awesome. Best part by far is space stage.
  50. Dragonzaid6
    May 16, 2012
    10
    ok lets get this strait. You guys have to stop rating this game basing it on other versions. simonli2575 would have given an 8 but he saw a different version. Another thing: if there was no complexity bar it would be stupid and make the game too easy!!!!! You guys are also leaving out one of the main features of the game, THE CREATION MODE!!!! This is one of the best features of the gameok lets get this strait. You guys have to stop rating this game basing it on other versions. simonli2575 would have given an 8 but he saw a different version. Another thing: if there was no complexity bar it would be stupid and make the game too easy!!!!! You guys are also leaving out one of the main features of the game, THE CREATION MODE!!!! This is one of the best features of the game and everyone is acting like it doesnt exist. Now that thats settled, my review. The game is fun, creative, and has endless possibilities, that is if you have a good imagination. it has good graphics and is super fun. It would be cool if the earlier stages were longer like cell, creature, and tribal. Awesome game, been playing it for years havent gotten bored since. 10 out of 10… Expand
  51. TheShewolf
    Oct 11, 2013
    10
    This game is what it is. people complain its too simple, others complain its too complex and they hate RTS games. which one is it? and the complains of "it doesn't deliver" are just plain invalid. if a game doesn't met your hyped expectation doesn't make it a bad game. this game is what it is and that's a very entertaining, cute life simulator where later on you need to manage theThis game is what it is. people complain its too simple, others complain its too complex and they hate RTS games. which one is it? and the complains of "it doesn't deliver" are just plain invalid. if a game doesn't met your hyped expectation doesn't make it a bad game. this game is what it is and that's a very entertaining, cute life simulator where later on you need to manage the massiveness you've spawned. no game can live up to the hype people or the game made of it, this game suffered a lot form it critically. awesome game to past the time, and awesome for the kiddies too.… Expand
  52. hugamuga
    Nov 2, 2011
    7
    Spore was an interesting experience for me, i received it as a gift and not knowing much about it i played through it, the game is divided in to 5 games really which deserve a short review each...

    Cell Stage (9/10) : personally this is my favorite part of the game, although depressingly simple in the amount of options you get, and pathetically short. it is always the stage i go back too,    Spore was an interesting experience for me, i received it as a gift and not knowing much about it i played through it, the game is divided in to 5 games really which deserve a short review each...

    Cell Stage (9/10) : personally this is my favorite part of the game, although depressingly simple in the amount of options you get, and pathetically short. it is always the stage i go back too, the graphics in this stage are perfect, and the gameplay is actually fun, the satisfaction you get as a herbivore when you find a huge plant or when you take out a massive enemy, its a pity there was so little variety because it could have amazing.

    Creature Stage (6/10) : when it comes to creature stage, you finally have some real options to advance your creature, plenty of parts and customization, unfortunately at the same time the gameplay takes a huge hit, its just no fun going up to random creatures and eating/friending them, which is practically all you do for one agonizing hour+ depending on the difficulty.

    Tribal Stage (4/10) : tribal stage is basically an extremely simplified strategy game, its neither fun nor challenging, but fortunately it only takes 20 minutes.

    Civilization Stage (5/10) : civilization stage is a mixed bag, although designing buildings and vehicles is fun, the game its self is pretty limited, and basically involves building as many cars as you can afford and pointing them at other cities, this can take under 15 minutes depending on the difficulty

    Space Stage (7/10) : probably the stage i spent the least amount of time in, not because there's not a lot to do, in fact its by far the largest stage but because everything you do in it is boring. flying from planet to planet trading, colonizing and conquering sounds fun on premise but when it comes actually time to doing it, it becomes rather repetitive.    … Expand
  53. Rewe
    Aug 18, 2011
    8
    I can't say I understand WHY people think this is a bad game. It may not have been what most people expected it to be, but it was still a great game. There are only three notable downsides: the controls are sometimes a bid wobbly (though this doesn't affect the game much), the physics (especially on jumping and climbing) can get pretty wonky at times (again, nothing game-breaking) and theI can't say I understand WHY people think this is a bad game. It may not have been what most people expected it to be, but it was still a great game. There are only three notable downsides: the controls are sometimes a bid wobbly (though this doesn't affect the game much), the physics (especially on jumping and climbing) can get pretty wonky at times (again, nothing game-breaking) and the tribal stage's extreme difficulty when trying to kill other tribes instead of befriending them. Other than those things, the game is great, especially with both its expansions. The creators are very fun, and you will notice improvement in your creations over time. You can also pick up some techniques and ideas from other users via Spore's built-in sharing system, the Sporepedia. When you download someone else's creature, they can appear in your game as an NPC. If you choose not to download any creations, Maxis has a ton of built in creatures, buildings and vehicles as well. As for the individual stages, they are all very fun and provide something different each time. Although you CAN skip directly to a later stage, you are at a disadvantage, as you won't be able to get certain archetypes (which give you special abilities) or any other perks obtainable only in earlier stages. This is a bit of an incentive to maximize gameplay time, although it's much more rewarding when you actually get these abilities. To wrap up my review, I would just like to point out that the majority of negative reviews are probably the result of disappointment at a game that seemed like it would be much different. Although I can sympathise with these people, I still feel it's no reason to rate a great game so poorly. If you don't own this game and happen to stumble upon my review, I say check it out and don't be fooled by its low user ratings.… Expand
  54. iloveFFC
    Aug 14, 2012
    10
    absolutly the best game of all time and my personal favorite game as well, its just so fun! its also very creative and let me bring to life all my favorite ideas into a game! theres such a massive amount of things to do that it keeps me playing all day, and the next day and the next day! the best game i've ever spent my money on! i only have a few complaints, one is that it crashes alotabsolutly the best game of all time and my personal favorite game as well, its just so fun! its also very creative and let me bring to life all my favorite ideas into a game! theres such a massive amount of things to do that it keeps me playing all day, and the next day and the next day! the best game i've ever spent my money on! i only have a few complaints, one is that it crashes alot and moves slowly sometimes in the heat of combat, and it doesnt always send my creations to the sporepedia website, but other than those faults, i say get this game immedietly! :DDDDD… Expand
  55. awesomekid06
    Dec 8, 2012
    7
    Actually quite good, but I agree with the other players that the final is a lot worse than the trailers at 2005-2007. As of now, the reason I know of is because of too much space taken, but if it was true they obviously would have told us they would save it to later, and as such, I give it from a 9 to 7, as its still OK.
  56. EastonReviews
    Jul 7, 2011
    7
    It won't change your life, and it won't bring your money back. But it's fun and stays to be so. It has a impressive performance, pretty lame graphics, but it's reliable, and original. It's an Average to Positive game. Buy it if your interested. Just don't cry if it's not as good as you thought it was.
  57. guest91111
    Jan 5, 2014
    0
    Even though this isn't a review of the game itself, the DRM, which just kills computers, is not fun! The game looks like fun, but I can't enjoy it if my computer is on fire, can I?
  58. WeezV
    Sep 18, 2008
    9
    What a breath of fresh air - no more need for downloading custom content - every tool is there, in the game, the options are mindboggling. Still needs a bit of work, but overall, just plain fun and entertainment. It's The Sims x Warcraft/Starcraft x Settlers x Pacman x Dune...wicked.
  59. JaneB.
    Sep 3, 2008
    3
    Suffers from extremely bland, unintuitive, repetitive gameplay. All the custom creatures we've been hearing about amount to nothing in this game, does your creature have 4 arms or 2 arms? It literally doesn't change anything in the game. But maybe some people enjoy that? The gameplay is atrocious, if you want to make creatures, no point in getting this over the creature creator.
  60. AnonymousMC
    Sep 5, 2008
    2
    A "game" centered around a creature editor. A "game" that is a collection of watered down mini games. A "game" that manages to even screw up those mini games. Good if you like creating creatures but don't think for a moment that a cleverly designed creature will have any impact on the game. It's all bells & whistles and no content.
  61. NicoD.
    Sep 7, 2008
    4
    You cannot buy this game, only rent it due to serious DRM issues. They made the evolution part too simple, too much Sims, too little real gameplay. Great concept, bad execution.
  62. BotzM.
    Sep 7, 2008
    4
    Way too shallow and tedious. Every stage until space feels tacked on and contains at least one poorly implemented gimmick from a well done popular game that already exists. It feels like a cash in from ea due to the overly long dev time and obvious money that has been dumped into it. Just because it has a gigantic scope means nothing. The only thing that has panned out from the initial Way too shallow and tedious. Every stage until space feels tacked on and contains at least one poorly implemented gimmick from a well done popular game that already exists. It feels like a cash in from ea due to the overly long dev time and obvious money that has been dumped into it. Just because it has a gigantic scope means nothing. The only thing that has panned out from the initial hype is the creator programs and those are rendered worthless since nothing you make in them has any bearing on how you actually play the game. Maybe with the 20 expansions they are sure to release it will turn out to be something special but will wright should be ashamed releasing something like this considering the record of quality he had achieved with maxis.… Expand
  63. customernotbuying
    Sep 8, 2008
    1
    The DRM scheme of the sofware industry is promoting piracy and punishing buyers. Get it out please. P.S Metacritic not displaying user reviews drops them way down in my opinion, can hardly believe the amount of sites not allowing negative reviews.
  64. bobw.
    Sep 8, 2008
    2
    Invasive DRM and an unbelievably dumbed down gameplay experience make this one a miss. Do yourself a big favor and spend the money on a cheap hooker to kick you a bunch of times in the crotch instead.
  65. IvanC.
    Sep 9, 2008
    0
    This game is broken, The copy-protection prevents thousands of users from logging on. I've sent my copy back to Amazon for a full refund.
  66. JonttuP.
    Sep 9, 2008
    3
    Most boring game ever! Makers spent too much of their time by making stupid editors. That's why the game itself is really boring and has no good content. Dont buy this one!
  67. JonG.
    Sep 9, 2008
    1
    Fun game. Doesn't go deep enough into any of the modes to be that involving. You'll probably play it once and be done. Awful DRM takes a pretty decent game and makes it a sure fire don't buy.
  68. John
    Sep 9, 2008
    1
    There was no warning of any rootkit DRM during installation. Only after installing the game and looking on the internet for any fansites did i find out about these "features". Trust me that next time i wont be so quickly to buy games when they are firstly released. You can better wait untill the first reviews come in to see whether the game will wreck your pc or not ... Why couldn't There was no warning of any rootkit DRM during installation. Only after installing the game and looking on the internet for any fansites did i find out about these "features". Trust me that next time i wont be so quickly to buy games when they are firstly released. You can better wait untill the first reviews come in to see whether the game will wreck your pc or not ... Why couldn't they just use the (valve) steam system for activation instead of illegal privacy invading rootkits.… Expand
  69. spores.
    Sep 9, 2008
    1
    This game could be ok, but i don't want to install another copy protection driver that will mess with my computer, i am sick of reinstalls.
  70. JaquierJ.
    Sep 9, 2008
    0
    Clearly EA just doesn't get it. A perfectly good game can be absolutely destroyed if they use an out of date, and completely useless, not to mention often unstable and harmful DRM. Get with the picture. This had the potential to be a brilliant game, but EA got greedy and decided to screw the honest consumer.
  71. tristanp
    Oct 3, 2009
    3
    spore was a great game at first but its lack of specific jobs and missions leave you kind of wondering "why am i playng this, its exactly the same every time?"
  72. KS
    Jan 5, 2009
    1
    1) Simplified beyond belief. 2) Overhyped to the extent of extreme disappointment. 3) Digital Rights Management and EA Customer support has prevented me from using this game's online content (Access to other people's creatures) despite my legal version. It's very bad form to release a game like this and treat customers so poorly. I wish I could still return this one.
  73. PeteW.
    Oct 1, 2008
    1
    Desoite the DRM. The game is boring within 3 days. I waited a year to buy it. Save your money. Only an 8 year old would enjoy this simplistic game.
  74. Dabi
    Oct 11, 2008
    2
    If your looking for a action packed game to fight for survival, your at the wrong game, all you do is play arcade-games, i mean sure you get to kill, but that doesn't help you survive. This game is for kids, not people looking for a serious time like me, to bad you don't get refunds. 2: 10 For kids, -2 for adults = 8.
  75. LeviK.
    Oct 15, 2008
    2
    Mildly entertaining for a few hours, Spore quickly becomes a chore to play. The fabulous creature editor turns out be a gimmick basically. All that really matters is what parts you put on it. And it doesn't even matter how many of a particular part you use. Two legs, three, four, it doesn't make any difference if you use the same ones. Same thing goes for mouths. I thought it Mildly entertaining for a few hours, Spore quickly becomes a chore to play. The fabulous creature editor turns out be a gimmick basically. All that really matters is what parts you put on it. And it doesn't even matter how many of a particular part you use. Two legs, three, four, it doesn't make any difference if you use the same ones. Same thing goes for mouths. I thought it would be amazingly powerful to have 3 mouths on my creature but it turns out those 3 have the same effect as just using one. Everything has been oversimplified. I'm sure kids will have fun playing it, but if you are looking for a deep complicated game that will make you think, Spore is not what you are looking for.… Expand
  76. J.S.
    Oct 17, 2008
    3
    Spore is a big let down. As others have said it comes across as being a series of extremely simple mini-games centered around the best part of the game - the creature creator. This, combined with technical issues for a lot of people, slow patching, and the immediate release (no surprise, but still...) of an expansion pack when the game feels so incomplete leaves me with the feeling of Spore is a big let down. As others have said it comes across as being a series of extremely simple mini-games centered around the best part of the game - the creature creator. This, combined with technical issues for a lot of people, slow patching, and the immediate release (no surprise, but still...) of an expansion pack when the game feels so incomplete leaves me with the feeling of being ripped off and mildly insulted. They relaxed a little bit on the horrible DRM, but it still remains a limited install system.… Expand
  77. Kyle
    Dec 15, 2008
    3
    The creature creator was fantastically done. The game however was short and the gameplay can be outdone by some online flash games I've played. Over hyped and underperformed. Not worth the money. If you really want to get the most out of your cash simply pay the 10 bucks for the creature creator. I ended up paying 10 for the creature creator and then 50 for the game which also came The creature creator was fantastically done. The game however was short and the gameplay can be outdone by some online flash games I've played. Over hyped and underperformed. Not worth the money. If you really want to get the most out of your cash simply pay the 10 bucks for the creature creator. I ended up paying 10 for the creature creator and then 50 for the game which also came with the creature creator. I definitely feel ripped off by that. I played the game solidly for about 5 days before getting bored and I havent played it for months now. Outstanding concept, but very very poorly done with regards to gameplay and replay value. You can only make so many interesting creatures before you realize you cant do anything fun with them.… Expand
  78. DevinO.
    Oct 23, 2008
    0
    Invasive DRM, completely fails to live up to the hype, incredibly annoying mandatory 'escortlike' missions, very few options to control creature content, expan$ion released a month after launch.... a perfect no hitter. AVOID.
  79. LouieA
    Oct 30, 2008
    4
    A combination of 4 poorly made games, in fact the best thing about this game is probably the cell stage, then it becomes just plain stupid, i mean who ever heard of a pack or zebras trying to charm a pack lions by dancing, singing or posing what was that all about? the civ stage, is very bad rts game, that you could beat in about 10 mins, and the space stage, woulda been nice if it A combination of 4 poorly made games, in fact the best thing about this game is probably the cell stage, then it becomes just plain stupid, i mean who ever heard of a pack or zebras trying to charm a pack lions by dancing, singing or posing what was that all about? the civ stage, is very bad rts game, that you could beat in about 10 mins, and the space stage, woulda been nice if it wasn't for the fact that you can't explore since you get attacked every 30 secs by pirates or enemy's, and im not even gonna mention the whole DRM, thing, the game does shine on the creature or vehicle editors, those are amazing, that;s why I gave it a 4, other than that, well its very dissapointing, and just a bad game.… Expand
  80. HamishB.
    Oct 4, 2008
    2
    Iv been waiting for this game for four years so i finally get it and just wtf i mean really were is the gore a realism i was promised in the original alpha stage trailer, i loved the look of it in the alpha stage the cells dint have giant eyes. the only reason i gave it 2 is because of the building which u can play for at lease half-hour. only play this game if your under 10 and think Iv been waiting for this game for four years so i finally get it and just wtf i mean really were is the gore a realism i was promised in the original alpha stage trailer, i loved the look of it in the alpha stage the cells dint have giant eyes. the only reason i gave it 2 is because of the building which u can play for at lease half-hour. only play this game if your under 10 and think watching stupid monsters kill each other with over sized clubs.… Expand
  81. AnonymousMC
    Oct 7, 2008
    3
    I, like so many other people have been waiting for spore for a long, long time. I remember saying at one point that I was going to become a hermit for a few months and liviing off tinned food while just absorbing everything the game promised.

    Well, thank god for my health that it turned out to be an undeniably charming, but ultimately shallow and uninteresting title. You will have    I, like so many other people have been waiting for spore for a long, long time. I remember saying at one point that I was going to become a hermit for a few months and liviing off tinned food while just absorbing everything the game promised.

    Well, thank god for my health that it turned out to be an undeniably charming, but ultimately shallow and uninteresting title.

    You will have the most fun in the first 20 minutes of the game with your cell, and the first hour or two of the space stage. The stages inbetween are poor attempts at tried and tested genre's, but lets cover every stage. Too start you have the cell stage, which is simple fun personified. You use your mouse to swim your little cell around, avoid things bigger and strong then you that will try to eat you, while either eating other smaller, weaker creatures or plant matter. There is not much more to it then that, but it feels very vibrant and alive and I atleast found it the most fun aspect of the entire experience. Next comes the creature phase, and if you've played any MMO's you've played this. Except there is no social aspect of chatting innanely to your friends to relieve tedium, there are no fun abilities and it's generally just incredibly dull. The games most vaunted feature, the creature creator, is stunted by the need to complete repetitive tasks for pieces and the need to equip certain bits so that you can survive and succeed easily and get the drudgery over as soon as you can. Next is the tribal phase, which is a simplistic RTS with a lousey outfit creator, and 'diplomacy' and 'combat' that requires no different playstyles from one another and is thankfully over before you feel the need to inject aresnic into your eyesockets. Up next is the civilization phase, which is very similar to the tribal phase, and is only made slightly more interesting by the vehicle and building designers, which are not stunted by dull seeking mechanics and are genuinely powerful and entertaining distractions from the complete lack of gameplay.

    But the developers have said the core of the game is really the space stage which is vast and expansive and fun to explore.
    Yes.
    Yes.
    No.
    For a couple of hours I enjoyed it, flying about trading multi coloured dust, abudticing things, shooting things with lasers...but it quickly grew repetitive. Planet terraforming and populating is uninteresting and really, very very linear. You can unbalance a planet by removing a species, but you can't by adding them, you can't move unadvanced civilisations to an enemies planet to see what happens, ultimate there are infinetly more you can'ts then, you cans and you'll get bored with your limited options. I wanted to like this game. In the end i played to the space stage once, then uninstalled it. Don't waste your money.    … Expand
  82. AnonymousMC
    Sep 11, 2008
    1
    I have no problem with the gameplay itself. If it were playable it would be fun. This game is so full of bugs and glitches that the message boards and forums are full of irate customersmyself included, complaining about how they can't even play the game because it crashes so frequently.
  83. AnonymousMC
    Sep 11, 2008
    4
    This game has tremendous scope, and I tried really hard to like it because of that. Unfortunately this game is like three or four really bad games strung together with some neat editors. It has no substance at best and is totally unbalanced to the point of being unplayable at worst.
  84. BrianK
    Sep 11, 2008
    4
    Whilst enjoyable for a short while, not unlike the many flash games that populate the internet, Spore ultimately suffers from similar flaws. The first 4 stages honestly feel like a series of mini-games that are added on for the purpose of adding more than just the space stage. The cell stage is fantastic.... for the 30 minutes it will take you to have done and seen everything it has to Whilst enjoyable for a short while, not unlike the many flash games that populate the internet, Spore ultimately suffers from similar flaws. The first 4 stages honestly feel like a series of mini-games that are added on for the purpose of adding more than just the space stage. The cell stage is fantastic.... for the 30 minutes it will take you to have done and seen everything it has to offer, after which you are essentially "done" there. Creature mode fares a bit better, lasting a bit longer.... but ultimately you soon learn that you've done all there really is to do in the first 5 minutes, which is to say meet another tribe, befriend or extinct them, then make a new version of your creature. Get ready to repeat that about 20 times. Tribal mode has the depth and richness traditionally associated with mini-games in other games, and really offers nothing not done far better in other games. Civilisation is really the same : done better elsewhere. Space, which if we're being honest the real game, is curious. It more or less totally voids the creative actions of the previous stages, as the only time your species is seen is on the communication screen when you talk to them, or as tiny dots in your colonies. The tanks, boats and planes from the civ stage, that you probably spent more time designing than playing the actual stage, are essentially wasted as you'll only see the old ones hanging around on your home planet, which you will almost never visit. The learning curve takes a suddeny spike here, with the game going from ridiculously easy to suddenly incomprehensible, but somehow Will Wright manages a kind of dark alchemy and achieves the seemingly impossible task of going from mouse-smashingly hard when you start to pathetically easy once you know what's going on. Ultimately your urge to make random things will soon burn itself out and you will be left profoundly unsatisfied.… Expand
  85. StevenW.
    Sep 10, 2008
    4
    This game, switches from a sidescroller, to a 3rd person MMO type game, then to a RTS type game. The problem is that the gameplay is like that of a pretty bad game in each of the genres.
  86. CraigH
    Sep 11, 2008
    0
    3 Installs are you kidding me? The game isn't good. This DRM is worse then what Bioshock's WAS, they fixed that. This better get patched. Oh and while patching. Incorporate some good plot points and fun game play. What a rip off. Truly Angry.
  87. WL.
    Sep 10, 2008
    2
    Crappy Mac support, Let down in the evolution department (4 arms still only hold 1 tool; heck, I have 2 arms and I can hold 2 tools). Install problems have already used of 2 of my 3 Limited Installs.
  88. RandyC.
    Sep 10, 2008
    1
    I was convinced to try this based on the reviews. After 2 failed installs I looked up the user reviews and now I see that it's probably a SECURom issue. Great, another company calling me a thief after taking my non-refundable money. Class action lawsuit?
  89. WillW.
    Sep 10, 2008
    1
    WTF is up with a game released in 2008 without an invert mouse option? Am I missing something here?
  90. JamieJ
    Sep 11, 2008
    3
    Interesting when you first play through it, for about 6-7hrs... But then you get to the space stage, and after all the reviews and comments think "this is where the game will get really fun"... But nope, after 5-6 hours of playing, you realise that you're doing the same thing over and over. Your planets are all being attacked at the same time, so you're rushing around to defend Interesting when you first play through it, for about 6-7hrs... But then you get to the space stage, and after all the reviews and comments think "this is where the game will get really fun"... But nope, after 5-6 hours of playing, you realise that you're doing the same thing over and over. Your planets are all being attacked at the same time, so you're rushing around to defend non-stop and have barely any time to actually invest in building up planets. The game looks brilliant, but the gameplay is terrible. There is no real evolution, just building, and your creature means nothing by civilization stage. Way overhyped, and unfortunately will make far more money than it really deserves. Not worth buying.… Expand
  91. AaronB
    Sep 10, 2008
    3
    Huge disappointment. Where we were showed huge amounts of depth, the game has been ridiculously dumbed down for the casual gaming market. When you actually do reach a decent amount of depth in the space phase, your planet is under attack every 2 minutes, limiting you from enjoying the experience to explore and do whatever you want. Probably the biggest disappointment I've ever had Huge disappointment. Where we were showed huge amounts of depth, the game has been ridiculously dumbed down for the casual gaming market. When you actually do reach a decent amount of depth in the space phase, your planet is under attack every 2 minutes, limiting you from enjoying the experience to explore and do whatever you want. Probably the biggest disappointment I've ever had from a Maxis game.… Expand
  92. J.T.F.
    Sep 12, 2008
    2
    First I have to say this Game would get a 4.5 or 5.0 if it would not have the the compy protection in which I ran about 48h after buying the game through a unfortunate Harddisk crash. To the game itself. It did engage me for about 12h. Then it was done. and the replay value is quite limited, since besides nice looking things you can not change realy any functionality. Nice System and First I have to say this Game would get a 4.5 or 5.0 if it would not have the the compy protection in which I ran about 48h after buying the game through a unfortunate Harddisk crash. To the game itself. It did engage me for about 12h. Then it was done. and the replay value is quite limited, since besides nice looking things you can not change realy any functionality. Nice System and Laboratory, but not for 48… Expand
  93. AnonymousMC
    Sep 12, 2008
    1
    Fails on a number of levels. The DRM makes the game unplayable for a great deal of paying customers, and once you're in, you're just playing sub-par flash games with spiffy graphics. The game shoves you from era to era, with nothing to do but complete some objective you're given for evolving or expanding, which is just awful if you're trying to create a versatile gameFails on a number of levels. The DRM makes the game unplayable for a great deal of paying customers, and once you're in, you're just playing sub-par flash games with spiffy graphics. The game shoves you from era to era, with nothing to do but complete some objective you're given for evolving or expanding, which is just awful if you're trying to create a versatile game engine. If you like flashy graphics and fawning over the creature creator, the creature creator already does that.… Expand
  94. MattW.
    Sep 12, 2008
    0
    I can't believe how badly Will Wright missed the mark here, one of the biggest disappointments I can recall as long as I've been playing games. The only impressive aspect of the entire game is the creature creator and animation system, but that ends up being totally hollow because it's purely cosmetic and your decisions don't matter. There's no game here and I can't believe how badly Will Wright missed the mark here, one of the biggest disappointments I can recall as long as I've been playing games. The only impressive aspect of the entire game is the creature creator and animation system, but that ends up being totally hollow because it's purely cosmetic and your decisions don't matter. There's no game here and there's no sandbox either. And then EA goes and makes the experience terrible for anyone who actually wants to pay for their subpar product with absurd limitations on both the retail and download versions. Memo to PC Gamers: Stop pirating games, but don'/t support garbage like this. Spend your money with Valve or Stardock.… Expand
  95. KrisKras
    Sep 10, 2008
    0
    It's a big disappointment, the game is to easy, to short, almost zero replay factor. I always have a choice between playing music or attacking others, wow! And when creator stops increasing any stats (in civilization phase) it becomes just a handicap.
  96. MB
    Sep 12, 2008
    0
    This is yet another attempt to control the end user through the use of DRM. Avoid this game and avoid ALL EA games until they put the user before their own visions of greatness.
  97. AnonymousMC
    Sep 12, 2008
    2
    Tries to do everything and ends up doing nothing particularly well. Modifying the creature is academic as the game just glosses over your mods and lumps your creature into its own general categories. The game seems to rush you to the space age, but once you get there the game deteriorates into a frustrating series of zooms in and out of planets and star systems.
  98. AnonymousMC
    Sep 12, 2008
    1
    The "game" is boring, repetitive and lacking in any real content at all. It requires - nay - completely consists in the latter stages of very simple and repetitive tasks. This tedium is all you have, especially in the Space segment.
    This game is all style and no substance. It will woo you with the hype and once you are suckered in and lost your money you'll realise all you have is    The "game" is boring, repetitive and lacking in any real content at all. It requires - nay - completely consists in the latter stages of very simple and repetitive tasks. This tedium is all you have, especially in the Space segment.
    This game is all style and no substance. It will woo you with the hype and once you are suckered in and lost your money you'll realise all you have is a lemon.

    DO NOT BUY THIS AWFUL GAME.    … Expand
  99. JR
    Sep 12, 2008
    2
    A big disappointment. Creating the creatures is fun for a bit but the gameplay is awful. It felt like I was playing a game made for special kids in school. Creating a creature after the first evolutionary step is fun for a bit. The rest of the gameplay is simply, incredibly boring. I found myself rushing through the more boring and repetative parts of the game in order to "get to the good A big disappointment. Creating the creatures is fun for a bit but the gameplay is awful. It felt like I was playing a game made for special kids in school. Creating a creature after the first evolutionary step is fun for a bit. The rest of the gameplay is simply, incredibly boring. I found myself rushing through the more boring and repetative parts of the game in order to "get to the good bit" but, alas, that never came. Absolute rubbish! The only reason this game gets 2 points is because it looks nice and creating a creature is fun, but you can do that on the demo.… Expand
  100. JonK.
    Sep 12, 2008
    0
    Maxis has developed a game with no cohesive gameplay elements. Extremely boring. Play Ages of Empires series instead if you desire a good RTS game.
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Awards & Rankings

19
#19 Best PC Game of 2008
2
#2 Most Discussed PC Game of 2008
4
#4 Most Shared PC Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 75 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 62 out of 75
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 75
  3. Negative: 0 out of 75
  1. Play (Poland)
    90
    How to design a game that spans from swimming in a drop of water to ruling the galaxy? Will Wright knows how: as simple as possible. Spore deserves success on "The Sims" scale. [Sept 2008]
  2. PC Gamer UK
    91
    Spore's triumph is painfully ironic. By setting out to instill a sense of wonderment at creation and the majesty of the universe, it's shown us that it's actually a lot more interesting to sit here at our computers and explore the contents of each other's brains. [October 2008, p.64]
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  3. PTGamers
    100
    Spore manages quite some feats – it's accessible for casual gamers, but at the same time so real and dynamic, able to offer hardcore gamers a demanding experience and, obviously, a more appealing one than in "The Sims".
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