Darwin's choice
From the man who brought you SimCity and The Sims comes the game originally known as 'Sim Everything'. Which is a handy clue to the sheer dizzying scope of this evolution-in-a-box strategy masterpiece by Will Wright. It's sometimes hard to even settle on what kind of game Spore is. Or even if it is a game.
It's about this: controlling an alien creature's first swim around the primordial pool, then coaxing it on towards land, sky, space and eventually mastery of the universe.
The ambition is awesome. But it pays off. Yes, Spore is unashamedly six very distinct games glued together as one (while two or three of those are more akin to tutorials). Yet the sum is so much greater than the parts.
Larger than life
Massively single-player? That means your in-game universe teems with a Cambrian explosion of creatures designed by fellow Spore users worldwide. sentient snowmen, giant whack-a-mole tables, walking chairs, solid snake - these and thousands more unholy freaks trot onto your screen, fight, mate, become your favourites, your friends, your enemies. Already there are more creations out there than real-life species on Earth. It's astonishing.
Already there are more creations out there than real-life species on Earth. It's astonishing.
It's a wonder that the combined swollen brain of planet Earth, leaking ingenuity and imagination and humour all over your monitor, doesn't overshadow the game itself. But Will Wright knows his stuff. Even the simple opening Cell stage - gobble up small things, swim for your life from big things - has been crafted with an irresistible appeal.
It's when you move to the RTS stages of Tribal (small-scale diplomacy) and Civilization (large-scale inter-city conquest) that Spore really grabs you. The Creature Creator becomes a limitless Vehicle and Building creator too. You now attack and ally with all kinds of quirky tribes and there's a tangible sense of depth and balance. It's easy to pick up too. There's no need to have a head full of Command & Conquer to play Spore.
Animal attraction
You'll form genuine affection for your creature in the early stages, and you'll genuinely love and despise your new allies and enemies later on. Whether they be flying unicorns or a tribe of Incredible Hulks. This emotional kick is only strengthened by Spore's timeline feature: a diary of your creature's progress that you'll browse nostalgically as though it were a High School Yearbook.
Then you take the giant leap into space. In truth, the outer beyond (that Will Wright so spectacularly first demonstrated back in 2005) is a little daunting.
You'll genuinely love and despise your new allies and enemies, be they flying unicorns or a tribe of Incredible Hulks.
It's a truly absorbing strategic mix of trade, ecosystems, terraforming, mining, extra-planetary dogfights, alien abduction and steaming in with your preposterous anti-matter missiles before erasing from history the civilisations you dislike. Though it's hard to begin with, you're encouraged by the sheer bewildering size of the galaxy to explore and regularly sent crying back home by unfriendly and unforgiving new alien races.
Across the universe
But give it time, and space becomes the glorious blossoming of everything Spore is about. The game's charmed and enthralled you with its ever-widening lens... now, it pulls back to a solar system, to a cluster of stars, to a cloud of stars, to a galactic arm, to the entire galaxy.
And remember, just a few hours before, you were fighting for life among a puddle of microbes.
GAME's Verdict
- Early stages expertly school you in the many facets of the game.
- The incredible Creature Creator, just one aspect of Spore's wealth of customisation and sharing.
- Endless variety and near-limitless potential.
- The Space stage can be overwhelming. But then it is an entire galaxy.
- No autosave. Save regularly or you'll revert to your own personal 'tribal stage' if something goes wrong.
- Maxis' own creatures are weak compared to the community-generated ones.
Review by: Mark Scott
Version Tested: PC
Review Published: 09.09.2008