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Metareview: Spore Creatures
With all the current hype surrounding Spore, even ardent DS fanboys such as ourselves have to strain to recall Spore Creatures. It looks like a totally different game to its PC counterpart, and we quite enjoyed it when we went hands-on at GDC '08. So which is it: the sleek, refined alpha member of its species, or a sloppy afterthought of a game, heading for history's rubbish bin? We copied and pasted some other people's thoughts to find out! IGN (78%) gave the game one of its better reviews, praising its sense of fun and creativity: "Spore Creatures isn't intended as a replacement for the core PC Spore experience -- it's meant to compliment that design with a unique experience that lifts many of the core elements. And for the most part it succeeds in that task: this is a fun, involved, albeit more linear DS experience with a few quirks that get in the way, but even with those quirks it's great to experience a game on the more limited handheld with a similar sense of creativity that PC gamers will have in Spore." Eurogamer (5/10) isn't so keen, arguing the game is crippled by its linear nature: "What it doesn't offer is any sort of Free Play option where you can do your own thing. You can indulge your creative desires or you can play the game. You can't really do both at the same time in any satisfying way, which suggests that "linear action adventure" simply wasn't the right direction to take the Spore concept for its handheld outing." GameSpot's (65%) Kevin VanOrd just couldn't emotionally bond with his creations: "It's still a cute adventure across multiple planets, and it features a pared-down version of the creature creation tool that helped make the PC release such a success. It has some annoying quirks, and it won't inspire an emotional connection between you and your digital doppelganger, but Spore Creatures is still a pleasant diversion and an appealing, if ordinary, companion to its bigger brother." %Gallery-15944% This post is a part of our Metareview category, but we also like reviewing things ourselves, and making sure our voice is heard. We're conceited and self-absorbed like that.
Amazon's Spore reviews vanish in 'glitch', return soon after
We're not sure if Amazon is secretly displeased with its recent transformation from major online retailer to caustic protester staging ground. Gamers dissatisfied with Spore's "draconian" digital rights management attacked the game's reputation en masse earlier this week, dragging its user rating down and posting scathing reviews targeted at the three-installation limit imposed by the included SecuROM software. The slate was suspiciously wiped clean today, only to be restored moments before the publishing of this article.Glitch, or conspiracy? As much as we'd like to point to the latter, Amazon tells us it was nothing more than a "site glitch." Says Amazon: "Amazon did not knowingly or consciously choose to remove the reviews. The team is working on resolving this issue now and restoring all the reviews on the site. "Per our policy, Amazon doesn't censor or edit customer reviews and we'd only remove a review if it fell outside our guidelines." Regardless, we hope Spore publisher EA has heard the angry cries of legitimate game owners entangled in an anti-piracy net. [Thanks to everyone who panicked and sent this in!]
Despite manual's claim, Spore only allows one account per copy
The latest Spore controversy comes courtesy of some false information printed in the game's manual. The Consumerist reports that despite the game's manual stating purchasers "may have multiple Spore accounts for each installation of the game," they only have one. An EA forum rep stated that the information was a "misprint and will be corrected in future printings of the manual."Spore has been lambasted in Amazon.com's user review section for its "draconian DRM" measures. There's no clear indication whether Spore was originally meant to allow for more than one account -- did DRM measures put the kibosh on that plan?[Via GamePolitics]
Joystiq Polls: A Spore Census
It's been almost one week since Spore came out. For those that have contributed to the exponential rise in Sporepedia entries (over 14 million at the time of this writing), we want to know your thoughts on the game. If you would be so kind, please answer a few questions regarding the game, the phases and the editors. %Poll-19576%%Poll-19582%
Anti-Spore website was, in fact, a hoax
We suspected it might be a gag, (that's why we put it in the headline) but we went ahead and treated this "anti-Spore blog" as the real thing. We were victims of Poe's Law and that's something that we're going to have to live with. So why aren't we angrier about getting hoodwinked? Well, the way that the blog's creator revealed it was just ... transcendent. Check out the second from last paragraph in this post and see if you don't agree.
We hope Christian anti-Spore website is a joke
But, we have a sneaking suspicion that the blog, which aims to let "Electronic Arts know that their biggest attack on Christian values to date will not be tolerated," is horrifyingly real. What's the attack? Well, as near as we can figure it's because Spore's structure would seem to insinuate that evolution is real. There's another thing that does that, what's it called? Oh, yeah ... science.The bad news is that Will Wright is lambasted as an "evil man," in part because of his membership in "the only church in america [sic] that ordains homosexuals on a regular basis." The bonus is that it's a really great resource for pictures of Spore creatures with giant penises, which we simply can't get enough of.
What are Will Wright's Top Five Games?
Maybe it's the High Fidelity fan in us, but we love top five lists. They're easy to read, don't tax our brains with too much complexity and most importantly, don't require too much of our precious, precious time. And if you are going to take those moments out of your day, shouldn't it be on a worthwhile list? Say ... on the Top Five Favorite Games of World's Smartest Game Designer Will Wright? Behold!5. The Civilization series4. Grand Theft Auto series3. Battlefield series2. Advance Wars on the DS1. The Flight Simulator seriesSo, are you surprised? Will Wright is, apparently, a total nerd. You know what just got left off at number six? Tri-Dimensional Chess. True story.[Thanks, Pugnate]
Play around with Spore's prototypes
By now, many of you have lost yourselves or your loved ones to Spore. If you wish to seek out the origins of this vicious time sink, Maxis has posted almost a dozen prototype applications used to test particular aspects of the game while it was in development. The simulators of the simulator game, which are free to download (via Maxis or Big Download), don't exactly offer breathtaking gameplay, but they do provide a very interesting behind-the-scenes look at this years-long project.
Spore producer and team 'really interested in LittleBigPlanet'
Even those with a passing interest in gaming have heard of Will Wright newest title, Spore. This highly-anticipated game focuses on lifeform generation and development in the form of user-generated content. Spore has also had its share of controversy and even the mainstream media has taken notice. So what game is Caryl Shaw, the high-profile game's producer, most looking forward to? "I'm really interested in LittleBigPlanet, and I think the rest of the team is, too," she said with genuine excitement in her voice. "I really want to see their tool set and how easy it is to share [content] with other people. There's huge potential there if they do it right." With comments like that from a renowned team that includes Civilization IV designer Soren Johnson, it looks like the LittleBigPlanet hype train is officially in full force. Even Sackboy himself has been spotted in Spore -- check out the video after the jump, though he's a bit lankier than we remembered.[Thanks to Juan P. for the video!]
Spore producer on reviews, depth, and LittleBigPlanet
We went into social mode at last week's official Spore launch party to chat with Caryl Shaw, producer of the enormously anticipated "everything sim." Specifically, we wanted to hear her thoughts on how the game's being received around the globe – especially in light of some unexpectedly low and mixed reviews.Shaw's of the opinion that the varied scores come as a result of several factors, not the least of which is its mish-mash of genres. "It's not really like a traditional game," she said. "Spore is just this magical creativity experiment." (She also hopes that it helps pave the way for more genre-bending experiences "magical creativity experiments.")
iPhone users: Spore Origins now available
iPhone users think they have it all – a phone; an iPod; an internet communications device – but up until 3pm yesterday afternoon there was one thing they were all missing: Spore. Okay, there's two things they're all missing: copy & paste and Spore. After what we can only imagine was a grueling certification process, Apple's army of app-sniffing robots finally approved the handheld version of the everything simulator, dubbed Spore Origins. The 80MB download will run you a cool Hamilton (that's $10 for the currency-ignorant amongst you). Add some copy & paste and you'll have it all, iPhone user! [Via TUAW]Source – Spore Origins App Store link
Waiting on Spore and the App Store approval process
Update: The wait is over! As of 3:00 PM Eastern, the iPod touch/iPhone version of Spore Origins is available (with exclusive features) for $9.99US [App Store link].Spore Origins for the iPhone does exist. We've seen it. However, as of this writing, it still hasn't spawned in the App Store.Several months ago, it was announced that an iPhone companion would be released on the same date as the desktop version. An iPod version is available (in fact it preceded the full version of Spore), but iPhone users are still waiting to evolve. What gives?Granted, it's not even 24 hours late, but we've heard stories of Apple taking their sweet time in approving App Store applications. One developer even told us of receiving notification that their application was available hours before it actually showed up in the store.Of course, we cannot confirm the reason for Spore's tardiness. We will keep our eyes peeled for it, and let you know when it arrives.
Amazon users slam Spore for DRM
The Digital Rights Madness around Spore has started an internet war. After demonstrating their power earlier this year with the "Mass Effect Sex-box" author, a gang of ruthless Amazon reviewers have struck Spore (and to a lesser extent the Galactic Edition) down to a paltry 1.5 out of 5 stars. Here's what those Negative Nancies are saying: Dumbed down experience and draconian DRM DRM is a show stopper Spore: I Refuse to Buy Until DRM is Patched Out No Way, No How, No DRM drm makes me a sad panda $49.99 too much for game rental Notice a trend here? The Spore DRM, so far as we know, works exactly like Mass Effect's system: You have 3 activations for installation, and after that you will reportedly have to call EA for more (and uninstalls won't work to raise that number). Of course, those reviews haven't stopped Spore from being #1 in video game sales on Amazon (Galactic Edition at #12), and we doubt any negative reviews will. As Will Wright aptly told MTV Multiplayer, "We would rather have the Metacritic and sales of Sims 2 than the Metacritic and sales of Half-Life."
New games this week: Spore edition
Well, of course it's Spore. Let's not even waste too much time examining the whys and wherefores, the biggest release is the 27-years-in-development existence simulator. Naturally.But even if you don't feel compelled to reenact the entirety of a civilization, there are other, less taxing diversions ... like, say, TNA Impact! or ... two different hockey games. See why it was an easy choice? Gallery: Spore
The Best of Big Download: September 1-7
After a long dry spell for major PC games this summer, we are looking forward to playing a lot of cool titles in the next three months. In the meantime let's look on the first week of September and see what we can come up with for news, downloads and our exclusive features:Exclusive features Spore: It ships to stores today in the US so make sure you check out our coverage of Will Wright's magnum opus, including our five reasons we thing we will love this game, our first out of the box experience and some interesting Spore related advertisements. Champions Online: We get a hands-on look at the Snake Gulch zone for Cryptic Studios's upcoming super hero MMO title. Reviews: Our latest review takes a look at the next chapter for American McGee's Grimm, Godfather Death. Team Fortress 2 Comprehensive Achievement Guide: If you want to see detailed descriptions of every achievement in Valve's multiplayer shooter there's no better place to look. Big Ideas: Our latest column on game themes takes a look at being a hero in an MMO title. MacMonday: Our latest column on Mac gaming takes a look at the action horror game Larva Mortus. Alt-Tab: Our latest feature gallery column takes a hands-on look at Gas Powered's upcoming title Demigod. Freeware Friday: Our latest look at free games checks out the recent adventure game remake Quest for Glory 2.
Metareview - Spore (PC)
The review embargo lifted on Spore today, and the critics wasted no time weighing in on Will Wright's oft-delayed opus. The general consensus seems to be that an amazing level of quality is there, but depth may not be, which is really the last complaint we ever expected anyone to level at Spore. Go figure. PC Gamer UK (91/100): "Spore falls a little short of its promise at every stage, but bear in mind that its concept is as close as we've come to a game incarnation of the Lord our God." IGN (88/100): "In fact, Spore is essentially five distinct games woven together. And here, Maxis demonstrates a weakness, as a number of these games come off as lightweight or limited. However, Spore is a prime example of something that is much more than the sum of its many parts. Gamespot (80/100): "Taken on their own, its pieces are nothing special. As parts of a singular ambitious vision, they work far better. Throw in the best customization tools seen in years and an enthusiastic community brimming with creativity, and you have a legitimately great game that will deliver hours of quality entertainment. " %Gallery-15870%
Spore Origins out for iPod, iPhone version due this week
Spore Origins has wriggled its way out to the iTunes store for the iPod. The game is a slimmed-down version of the early microbial stages in the upcoming PC game -- in the main game, you'll be able to take your little microbes up through the evolutionary ladder all the way up to space travel, but in the iPod game, you just guide a little cellular organism around in the primordial muck, eating what's smaller than you and running away from what's bigger.We haven't played the iPod version, but the iPhone version, which we got a hands-on with at E3 earlier this year, is due out later this week, according to the game's creator, Will Wright. Both games pale in comparison to the creativity and polish that the full Spore game will offer -- running a creature around in the muck isn't nearly as fun as guiding it through the history of time itself, and unfortunately, as we were told at E3, online play and character transfer never made it into the final version, so the portable games have no relation to the full game at all.So what you're left with is a little arcade game, which probably isn't actually worth the $5 it costs. There are, after all, better games out there for less.
PAX 2008 hands-on: Spore, have we seen enough already?
The last stop on our Electronic Arts booth tour at PAX was dedicated to Spore. That's right, it's more Spore news. It's not a real day on Joystiq unless you get some minor Spore news, or a definitive hands-on experience. With the game actually coming out (can it be?!) in five days, maybe you'll start to see these die down a bit. Unless, of course, there's a secret Hot Coffee level that we find during our explorations. But is the game coming out a bit too late, or just in time? It feels like it's starting to wear out its welcome just a bit. Like that house guest that just won't leave, is Spore in danger of becoming a bore? German gamer mags have already given the game fairly disappointing scores, and in all honesty, we were ready to leave our demo early, even though we went hands-on with the whole thing. Find out why after the break.%Gallery-15870%
Funky Spore ads spotted in the wild
The viral spiral marketing campaign for Spore has gone into full swing with only five short days until Will Wright's latest creation ... er, creation hits shelves. Billboards, bush shelter ads, and complete be-stickering of public places (Harvard Square shown above) are being spotted, and our buddies at Big Download are keeping track of them all in one big, weird gallery.Many of the designs and slogans used in the ads have actually been lining the walls (and, actually, pretty much every surface) of EA Maxis' Emeryville, CA office during the game's epic development process. Now the entire world, nay, universe will get to see what we've been treated to during our various visits to Wright's home away from home.[Via Big Download] Gallery: Spore at Harvard Square
Achtung, baby! German mags give Spore disappointing scores
For the most part, all is quiet on the western front in terms of Spore reviews, but there are some exceptions sneaking out of Germany. VG247 reports that German PC mags Gamestar and PC Games have rated Spore with a 79 and 73, respectively. Although not gawd-awful, it's not exactly in line with the glowing reviews the publisher is hoping for with Will Wright's ultra-hyped and much-delayed "sim everything."We're not currently aware of when the North American embargo on reviews expires, but the European one is allegedly up this Friday, alongside the game's release in the region. UK mag PC Gamer was apparently given the all-clear by EA to release its review early, doling out an impressive 91. It'll be very interesting to find out what the European outlets think of the game later this week. Gallery: Spore at Harvard Square
