Spore: Galactic Adventures PC Games and Downloads

Spore: Galactic Adventures Product Details

Released on 26/06/2009

• Spore: Galactic Adventures

  Ace of space

  If you haven't already entered the brilliant Spore metaverse, this brilliant expansion pack provides an excellent opportunity to get with the plan. Spore's creator, Will Wright, is a gaming legend who first made his mark in 1989 with Sim City, a game in which players were asked to build and look after a fully-functioning metropolis. Not content with city-building, Will went on to simulate the entire globe with the release of Sim Earth in 1990, then began to focus on people rather than property and planets, creating the most successful computer game of all time, The Sims.

  Not a bad run of success, then. But rather than rest on his laurels, Will forged ahead and created Spore, a game that takes players further back along the evolutionary chain and enables them to create whole new species from scratch. Spore lets you take single-celled organisms and grow them into intelligent creatures that form societies and civilisations which not only live and work together on solid ground but, ultimately, head off into space, to conquer other galaxies.

  Take to the stars

  Thanks to this splendid Spore expansion pack, you can now enjoy the game on a whole other level. Spore: Galactic Adventures enables players to take their creatures on a role-playing adventure, by turning their creations into Space Captains.

  Spore: Galactic Adventures enables Spore players to take their creatures on a role-playing adventure.

  The newly-minted Space Captains can then embark on any number of quests, in order to gain experience and level-up. These adventures are varied and can involve engaging in combat with giant space creatures, solving puzzles, racing and carrying out co-operative tasks.

  More space, more stuff

  As you'd expect from any decent expansion pack, there are loads of new items to enjoy. The new creature rewards include energy blades, there are fresh dance moves, the ability to hover, stun charms, a jump jet and many others. But this expansion pack boasts yet another killer feature, namely the ability to create limitless new adventures.

  Spore's developers have included a comprehensive adventure creation tool that enables players to make their own fun.

  In a startling act of generosity, Spore's developers have included a comprehensive adventure creation tool that enables players to make their own fun. So once you've cracked the Maxis-designed adventures, you can then start to terraform planets, placing creatures and buildings where you want them, adding goals and coming up with your own storyline. Once created, a homemade adventure can be shared online with the rest of the Spore-playing community. This, essentially, makes Spore: Galactic Adventure infinitely replayable and, as such, extremely good value for money.

  GAME's Verdict

  

  • New Role-playing mechanic
  • Variety of challenges
  • Lots of bonus stuff
  • Create your own adventures...
  • ...and share them online

  

  • If the original game didn't press your buttons, this expansion probably won't either.

  Review by: Simon 'Amoeba' Kirrane
  Version Tested: PC
  Review Published: 24.06.09

  Published: 24/06/2009

• New Spore game in the works?

  According to Eurogamer, Maxis will be revealing a brand new Spore game at next week's Comic-Con in San Diego.

  The website got the scoop after sifting through the comic book convention's speaker sessions programme, which announced: "Video Game Reveal: Maxis Studio - Maxis Studio (The Sims and Spore video games) has just announced their next project, a brand new, Sci-Fi Action-RPG based on the DNA of Spore." It goes on to add, "Join key leads from the dev team, Thomas Vu, Paul Sottosanti and Lauren McHugh, for the first game reveal to the public!"

  This isn't the first time the game has been mentioned. Earlier this year, Electronic Arts told its investors to expect a new game in the series, and registered a website URL named ?darkspore.com?, but the fact that the team is making a fully-fledged action RPG is pretty exciting stuff.

  Spore was released for the PC and Mac in 2008, and allows you to chart the entire evolution of an alien being, taking it from the primeval ooze and into outer-space. It's ambitious and brilliant stuff.

• Darkspore dated

  If you liked making weirdo creatures in EA's ambitious life simulator Spore, but wished there was - well - a little bit more drama involved in the game, good news: the publisher's just slapped a 29th March release date on Darkspore, the latest PC follow-up - and it seems like it's going to be much more of an action game.

  Darkspore is an interesting blend of genres. It uses the creature tools and quirky art design of the original Spore, but thrusts players into an ambitious action RPG. You'll choose a team of monsters, gather loot, bash up enemies and explore huge environments, and there will be all manner of levelling and multiplayer options to enjoy along the way.

  If you like juggling a handful of characters, each with their own unique attacks, and hunting around in large alien environments until you've checked out every last nook and cranny, this is the game for you, we reckon. Throw in a bit of four-player co-op, and Darkspore's looking like a very exciting prospect for any and all PC gamers out there.

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