Spore

 PC
Spore Image
Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 75 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
5.8

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2087 Ratings

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  • Summary: From the mind of Will Wright comes SPORE, a journey that takes you from the origin and evolution of life through the development of civilization and technology and eventually all the way into the deepest reaches of outer space. Begin your odyssey at the dawn of life as a simple microbe justFrom the mind of Will Wright comes SPORE, a journey that takes you from the origin and evolution of life through the development of civilization and technology and eventually all the way into the deepest reaches of outer space. Begin your odyssey at the dawn of life as a simple microbe just trying to survive, then use the fun, intuitive Editors to evolve the creature from its microscopic origins into an intelligent, tool-using race. Guide your species as it builds (and the player designs) villages, buildings, cities, and vehicles. Along the way to becoming a global civilization you can choose whether to hunt or forage, attack or trade, be nice or play rough. All the action takes place in a huge, lush world populated with creatures evolved by other players and shared over SPORE's central servers. When it's ready, your one-time pond scum launches into space in its UFO on a grand voyage of discovery, planet forming, or destruct-ion. As you explore and play in this limitless universe of unique worlds, your personal Sporepedia tracks all the creatures you've met and places you've visited. Take complete control of your creature's fate as you guide it through the following six evolutionary phases: Tidepool phase: Fight with other creatures and consume them to adjust the form and abilities of your creature. It's survival of the fittest at the most microscopic level. Creature phase: Venture onto dry land and help your creature learn and evolve with forays away from your safe haven. Carnivore or Herbivore? Social or Independent? The choice is yours. Tribal phase: Instead of controlling an individual creature, you are now caring for an entire tribe of your genetic craftwork. Give them tools and guide their interactions as you slowly upgrade their state of existence. City phase: Bring your creatures' race into a new golden era by building up the technology, architecture, and infrastructure of their city. Civilization phase: Once your city is established, your creatures begin seeking out and interacting with other cultures. You can have them do so with an olive branch or a war cry—either way, the goal for your creatures is to unify the planet. Space phase: The time has come to move on to other worlds in your solar system. Make first-contact, colonize, or terraform, then venture further to find other solar systems scattered throughout a magnificently rendered galaxy. A 'mission' structure provides new goals and paths to follow as you begin to spread through the universe. [Electronic Arts]… Expand
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 62 out of 75
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 75
  3. Negative: 0 out of 75
  1. 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".
  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]
  3. Total Video Games
    90
    Using various gadgets the concept is handled impressively; Sci-Fi fanatics will lap up the way in which Wright and Maxis have captured the concept of colonizing planets and expanding your empire across the galaxy.
  4. Game Informer
    88
    Even after years of hype and seemingly impossible promises, Spore is astounding in scope and execution. The creation tools are amazing, the interface is brilliant, and the game’s ability to harness player creativity is unparalleled. The mechanics of the individual phases can make the moment-to-moment interaction with the game feel shallow, but the experience as a whole is thought-provoking and – most importantly – genuinely entertaining.
  5. Game Chronicles
    82
    Will Wright has raised the bar and any game that comes out now that wants to be remembered will need to consider the lessons taught by Spore.
  6. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    80
    Stunning, gigantic game with endless possibilities. Most powerful editors ever seen in any game. Spore is outstanding in technical terms, swift and nimble in the beginning. The only flaws on its perfect face are too simple civilization phase and bit tedious space exploration. [Sept 2008]
    All this publication's reviews
  7. Variety
    50
    Rather than match the freedom in the gameplay, however, Spore forces players to use their creations in a series of levels that are derivative and dull.

See all 75 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 217 out of 729
  2. Mixed: 137 out of 729
  3. Negative: 375 out of 729
  1. EmilyE
    Jan 1, 2010
    10
    Spore is one of my favorite games.The story was fun,from cell to space.I absolutely love spore.It was a GREAT idea!Good job,EA!
  2. GameKiller1337
    Jun 22, 2015
    10
    Good Game !Good Game !
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Buy this game !    … Expand
  4. KevinS.
    Sep 16, 2008
    8
    Spore is a decent game. Thinking back, it doesn't seem like it should have taken five years to give us the product we have today, Spore is a decent game. Thinking back, it doesn't seem like it should have taken five years to give us the product we have today, nonetheless, no other game offers the kind of scope Spore does. Honestly, some things in the Space Phase were more monetarily bound than I would have hoped, and the other phases wouldn't be worth their average cost of 10 USD each, but no one can argue with the overwhelming numbers of different creations that stock my galaxy. Spore isn't the best at everything it does, but as a whole, it does everything alot better than anyone else, if you know what I mean.… Expand
  5. ShaunW
    Mar 7, 2009
    4
    I'm sorry will wright but in trying to make this the ultimate god player. you orchestrated it's own destruction. On a design point I'm sorry will wright but in trying to make this the ultimate god player. you orchestrated it's own destruction. On a design point the game can entertain you with his customisation but the game play leaves much to the imagination. I found the game enjoyable for the first 6 hours it took e to get to the space stage then on I could not stomach the game past that point. Every time I would decide to settle down for some fun on a planet the game would force me to do it's bidding. It had nothing to do with anything I had done, it was insufferable getting a message that my planet was being destroyed every minute. I just wanted to make my own planets and then grow my master race but the game wouldn't let me have any fun.… Expand
  6. NathanH
    Sep 13, 2008
    3
    It's amazing that a game that's supposed to be about playing in a sandbox would be such a pain to play. It's more like a It's amazing that a game that's supposed to be about playing in a sandbox would be such a pain to play. It's more like a sandbox where a bully keeps throwing sand in your face. Want to explore space? Too bad, you have to solve dull and repetitive eco-disasters and pirate raids. Even trading is little more than flying aimlessly around, as the spice economy has no identifiable logic. All in all, a huge disappointment.… Expand
  7. AnonymousMC
    Sep 21, 2008
    1
    I feel like I wasted $70 on this game after all the hype.
    The first 2 stages were decent but then tribal stage rolled around and completely    I feel like I wasted $70 on this game after all the hype.
    The first 2 stages were decent but then tribal stage rolled around and completely destroyed what could have been a decent game.
    If there was any doubt after tribal stage, Civ stage was added in just to put the final nail in the coffin.

    Even space stage seems cold and lifeless, the creature you lovingly created all but disappears after the creature stage.    … Expand
  8. PaulT.
    Sep 5, 2008
    0
    SecuROM DRM uses unlawful practices to hide on your computer system and limit the game to 3 activations. Product labeling fails to make this SecuROM DRM uses unlawful practices to hide on your computer system and limit the game to 3 activations. Product labeling fails to make this clear. Consumers are being cheated.… Expand

See all 729 User Reviews

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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

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