FEATURED CUSTOMER REVIEW:
Evo plays God.
The SPORE Creature Creator may just be a chance of previewing some of the elements that we will see in SPORE come September, but despite that the Creature Creator can be considered to be a game in and of itself. You see the elements and tools found in the Creature Creator are the same as we will find in SPORE itself, and the creation of creatures is going to be of such high priority in SPORE that it is vital we take a look at the Creature Creator in some detail.
The Creature Creator is a game which does exactly what it says on the box, it allows you to create creatures for SPORE. The creation tools within the Creature Creator are extensive, detailed, and easy to use; really they are everything you expect to see from a game such as this.
When you create your first creature you are presented with a blob of what could be play-doh but is in actual fact the body of your creature. Each time you start to create a new creature this blob will appear in a different shape and colour. But you won’t need to worry, what you are presented with can be totally changed as you wish.
the Creature Creator can be considered to be a game in and of itself
Is the body too short? Then you cam simply select the back bone and lengthen it. Does the body not bend and curve in the way you want it to? Then just select the back bone and bend it to suit your desires. The same again goes for the size of the body, is it too fat or thin? Just use your mouse wheel to change the size of different parts of the body. This really is a joy to do, being able to create the basics of your creature so quickly and simply is brilliant, it means that anyone of any gaming skill level can give it a whirl and start making something.
Everything is so simple; you can make the basic body of your creature within a matter of minutes and from there you are on to adding the details. You are able to adorn your creature with a massive variety of body parts, ranging from carnivorous to vegetarian mouths, human-like hands to alien hands, flippers to horse's feet. Along with these basic body parts there is a wide variety of different weapons to throw onto your creature or various other bits and pieces such as wings and even leaves.
The Body Shop
Adding the features of your creature is even easier than making the body. You select what category of body part you want from the menu, select the part you want and drag it on over to your creature. Once the body part is on your creature a selection of icons appear around it which allow you to change the size, shape and angle of the body part.
Using the different tools and body parts available you are able to create any amazing looking creature you could ever think of. One eye or nine eyes, no arms or six arms, weapons all over or none at all, you choose. The options and level of customisation is brilliant, you can spend hours on end fiddling around here and there with all your different creatures making them just as you want, or just spend a few minutes and have something done in the last five minutes of your lunch.
The level of customisation and user choice is fantastic
Once your creature has all the body parts you want it to have you can give it a paint job. Chose the style of patterns you want to see and pick any colours you want. If you want your creature to have a black body, pink stripes on its back and yellow legs then you can. It is up to you. The level of customisation and user choice in the Creature Creator is fantastic.
After your creature is all painted and assembled you can take it for a quick test drive and see it looks while walking about, jumping and flipping, what it is like when sad or happy and even see what the babies would look like.
Once you are happy with your creature you simply give it a name and description and then it is able to be uploaded to the SPOREpedia, the database where everyone with the Creature Creator can upload their creatures.
This may just be taste of what we will get to see in SPORE, but the Creature Creator is an amazingly detailed and easy to use game. I already know what my first creature will be in SPORE, I have already made him. Now it is your turn.
Review by: Chris "Evo" Evans
Preview Published: 20.06.08