Spore

Tech with Kids (Computing with Kids) ( )

This is an evolution simulation game from revered game developer Will Wright, father of The Sims games. You start in a Petri dish where you design your species and then nurture it through five stages of development until it has evolved enough to explore outer space. It's fascinating to experiment with as you design new species, and unlike any other game.

Power Unlimited (95 out of 100)

Een keer in de zoveel tijd komt er een spel langs dat alle lagen, klassen en seksen van de bevolking aanspreekt. Spore is (in potentie) zo’n titel en dat maakt het spel een mijlpaal in de gamegeschiedenis. Maar het allerbelangrijkste: het is gewoon belachelijk leuk om te spelen.

Good Game (9.5 out of 10)

Spore is what you make of it. Everyone’s experience is going to be a bit different I think Jung...my first run though was around an 8.5, but my second civilisation was great fun and closer to a 10....you need really need to spend time with spore it to appreciate it, 9.5/10 from me.

GamingHeaven / DriverHeaven (93 out of 100)

Spore is a magnificent technical accomplishment and it will appeal to a huge audience. Parents will feel comfortable leaving their young children playing it and equally so, more mature gamers will love the charm and addictive nature the game has in abundance. An interesting side effect of the game is that many kids will actually start to learn the nature of evolution while not being subjected to boring tuition. The game also pushes user generated content to new levels which I don't think I have seen before, the creation and content sharing is seamless and intuitive. Obviously if you are a fan of adult based first person shooters then this might not appeal to you, however for the rest of us there is certainly something enjoyable to be gained from this modern day classic.

Impulse Gamer (9.3 out of 10)

Spore is definitely an exciting game in this time of repetitive ideas in an over crowded gaming market. It's not quite an RTS nor an RPG nor a strategy game but one that successfully combines all three genres into an exciting game that works quite well and is complimented with good graphics and a great premise. Brilliant!

Peliplaneetta.net (93 out of 100)

Tietenkin on myös selvää, ettei pelin kohderyhmä ole vain hardcore-pelaajat, vaan myös juuri se poppoo, joka innostuu SimCityn ja The Simsin kaltaisista tuotteista, ja niinpä kyseessä saattaa olla hyvinkin harkittu ja järkevä suunnittelupäätös. Jos edellä olevan asian lukeekin puutteeksi, se ei muuta sitä tosiasiaa, että kyseessä on todella laadukas tuote.

IGN Australia (9.2 out of 10)

Enjoy the subtleties of each individual creature, lovingly made by someone across the world, with its gargantuan testicles and a name like “milfmeister”. Explore each planet and reflect on just what a random-number-generator is capable of in the right hands. Spore will take you on a grand journey. It will make you acknowledge just how far we’ve come, and just how far we have to go, and Spore will change the way you think about the universe we live in.

Game Freaks 365 (9.2 out of 10)

The end result is a fantastically unique and innovative video game chronicling the process of evolution that anyone would enjoy and everyone should experience. What Will Wright was able to do with this game is remarkable. He pieced together elements from a number of different genres and made a comprehensive game from it. Critics will say that the elements are far too basic to fully enjoy. I say that this only makes Spore that much more appealing since you will focus more on strategy and action, less on micromanagement, while at the same time being accessible to non-gamers. It is hard to say how long the appeal for Spore will last. With its ability to create and share creatures, the possibilities are limitless. I can, however, definitively say that Spore is a highly addictive game that fully captures and realizes the creation and evolution of life on this planet, as well as on ones that we do not call home.

Jeuxvideo.com (18 out of 20)

En dépit de la succession de phases de jeu assez inégales qu'il propose, il faut bien comprendre une chose : l'intérêt de Spore n'est pas égal à la somme de ses parties mais réside dans l'expérience globale qu'il est susceptible d'offrir à tout un chacun, joueur confirmé ou non. Peu importe que la gestion y soit simpliste, la stratégie limitée et le challenge peu présent : le plaisir est à son apogée lorsque, parvenu au terme du jeu, on mesure l'évolution accomplie par son espèce depuis son stade cellulaire. Une expérience unique, à vivre au moins une fois dans sa carrière de joueur.

GameZone (9 out of 10)

This is one of the most unique and innovative games I have gotten to play. NO other game allows this much customization, and it is this customization that is the key aspect that really congeals it all together. It is a shame that the game seems to falter with lack of depth in each stage. With the raging success that this game has already garnered in the first few weeks of its release, it is only a matter of time before these oversights are corrected in the eventual next version release.

TTGamer (9 out of 10)

At first it is a seriously cool element to the game, but once you realize these tremendously implemented design aspects aren't that integral to the gameplay, and that the gameplay itself is really not very advanced by strategy game standards, the following reality sets in - Spore is a great game to play and perhaps one of the most creative ever made, but it isn't a redefining experience that ushers in a new age of gaming or anything like that - it is basically a multi-layered strategy game with the best "create-a" mode ever made. With that said though, it does come close to being a redefining experience, at least close enough to be one of the few scorching bright lights for the PC platform in 2008 and, as asserted, an absolute must have, even if it's just to say you've played it.

Hooked Gamers (9 out of 10)

Spore successfully redefines what it is to be a civilization game, not because it's the best one of the category, but because it successfully bridges the gap into other genres and brings them into one, cartoony, fun addictive game that is a hybrid of everything.

Eurogamer.net (UK) (9 out of 10)

We're all familiar with the innovative, web-aware customisation cloud that underpins Spore, but nobody's done it better (even though many now do it - apparently years after Maxis thought of doing it here) and the final game is proof that it was all worth it: you're all one big Designer, and Spore succeeds as much because of you and me as the many worlds scattered across the stars and the many ways we've been given to explore them.

GameSpy ( )

Spore is completely unique: a game where the very act of playing it helps create the world for other players. We've put in over 50 hours so far, and could easily double that just by tinkering with the editors alone. It may not be a perfect game, but truly innovative titles seldom are. Spore is a technological triumph that introduces a whole new way of tapping into a bottomless well of content. The game's future is waiting to be written, and the answer to Drake's equation is whatever you decide to build.

IGN UK (9 out of 10)

Spore, then, is an infinite toy box. It’s not really what anyone thought Spore would be, and again there’s that nagging sense that it needs an expansion pack or two to plug a few holes (specifically, to expand what you can do on those planets once you’ve finished tinkering with them), but God, the scale of the thing. Once you tire of space high-jinks you’ll immediately go create a new species, drag them all the way up to the top and one day, as you’re roaming another distant galaxy, you’ll stumble across a quiet little planet. You’ll fly over to see who’s there and as the communication screen flickers into life you realise with a start it’s your last species, on the planet you created for them, living in the houses you designed, nervously circling your spaceship in the starcraft you engineered. Evolution might be just a mini-game, but Spore’s eventual universe is very much a mega-game.

UOL Jogos ( )

Se não fosse pela ausência de um modo multijogador, que seria muitíssimo bem-vindo, pequenos problemas como a mecânica um pouco rala das primeiras etapas do jogo e errinhos aqui e acolá de tradução, "Spore" seria perfeito. Ainda assim, ele oferece uma experiência única e altamente imersiva, capaz de prender por dezenas de horas qualquer pessoa, independentemente da preferência por determinado gênero ou mesmo aqueles que nunca tiveram contato com os games. É um jogo que inova em vários aspectos, seja com suas mecânicas inteligentes e divertidas, sua poderosa ferramenta de criação ou pela troca constante de conteúdo online. Tudo isso, aliado a um trabalho visual e sonoro excelente, faz de "Spore" um dos títulos mais criativos da década, indispensável para qualquer amante dos games.

Games TM (9 out of 10)

So, while the claim that some elements of Spore are more 'digital toy' than videogame might hold water, it's also an irrelevance, as titles such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band have shown. This is one of the most ambitious, fun, and stimulating pieces of software of the last decade and, frankly, what does it matter whether it's 100 per cent pure videogame or not?

Play.tm (88 out of 100)

Spore is well worth your hard-earned cash, especially if you are a fan of more casually informed games. You can come home from a day of school or work and just relax whilst creating anything you want; the flexibility really is a huge draw and I don't think I have ever come across a game that lets you wield your imagination in such a convincing way.

IGN (8.8 out of 10)

Yet, while Spore is an amazing product, it's just not quite an amazing game. I can't help but feel that Spore is ambitious and memorable, but I also admit that, save for the cool Space Stage, there's not a lot of depth here. Rookie gamers are going to feel at home here, but veteran gamers may feel like they need more. Still, Spore proves to be one of the most unique products in recent memory, one that reaches for the stars and ends up giving us a universe in a box.

Game Informer Magazine (8.75 out of 10)

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.

Deaf Gamers (8.7 out of 10)

In some respects Spore is an impressive game and it's certainly one of the most original PC titles you're going to see this year. In some respects however, the game falls short of greatness because a fair portion of the game is unspectacular and dare I say, tedious. The overall experience does manage to cover up the game's disappointing elements and I can honestly say you've never played a game quite like Spore. The customisation elements are superb and the way that the game content can integrate other players' creations with your own is truly superb. Whether or not Spore will have the mass appeal and replay value of Will Wright's earlier games remains to be seen but it's definitely a game that everyone should experience.

GameLemon (8.7 out of 10)

A long time ago, in a galaxy far far away there was a man called Will Wright, and he made a game called the Sims, and then its sequel, and then all the horrendous technicolour yawn of expansion packs that you'll see packing the 'desperate last chance bargain bin' in your local games store. Fortunately for us he had a dream, and that dream was to stop rehashing the Sims, preferably sometime before our eyes bled black and our civilization disappeared under piles of brightly-toned DVD cases. He also dreamed of making a game that would simulate everything in the universe ever, in beautiful, shiny detail. After numerous false starts and quite a long wait Spore is, kinda, maybe, that game.

Gamer.co.il (87 out of 100)

אין לדעת אילו הפתעות צפויות לכם ובאילו יצורים מוזרים תתקלו במהלך מסעותיכם. כמות התוכן עוצרת נשימה, אך למרבה הצער אף פרט במשחק אינו מספיק עמוק על מנת לגרום לנו לחזור אליו שוב. כותרים מהפכניים מסוג זה לעיתים מסתכנים בכך שמרכיבי המשחק השונים יהיו פחות מלוטשים, אך עדיין ניתן להעריך את השאפתנות. האם המסע המרתק בתוך נבכי היצירה האנושית יצליח להשכיח מכם את הבעיות? זו שאלה עליה תאלצו לענות בעצמכם...

GameSpot (Belgium/Netherlands) (87 out of 100)

Ieder voor zich zijn de verschillende onderdelen van Spore niet zo bijzonder. Als onderdelen van een ambitieus en visionair project werken ze een stuk beter. Voeg daar de beste aanpassingsgereedschappen die je ooit gezien hebt aan toe, en je hebt een geweldig strategiespel dat voor uren en uren hoogwaardig vermaak zorgt - en voor een chronisch gebrek aan slaap.

Good Game (8.5 out of 10)

I don’t think I had as much fun as you Bajo– I didn’t really enjoy the making creatures and building houses. Maybe it’s because I’m not a sims fan and there’s lots of sims influence in the early stages, so my initial impressions weren’t great. It does get more complex later on and I can 100% see how this will appeal to a broad selection of gamers, just not me. I’m giving it a 8.5/10

PC Player (Denmark) (8.5 out of 10)

Det er svært ikke at have forventet meget af Spore, og det er altså ikke alle vådeste drømme der bliver opfyldt. Til gengæld er resultatet sjovt, nemt tilgængeligt og helstøbt.

Tweakers.net (8.5 out of 10)

Het gaat bij Spore niet om de delen maar om de som daarvan, en die som is absoluut meer waard dan de losse delen. Het gemak waarmee je een eencellig wezen laat evolueren naar een ruimtevarend volk is indrukwekkend en hoewel de delen misschien niet allemaal even uitdagend zijn, zul je onderweg genoeg indrukwekkende momenten meemaken. Het constant aan je eigen creatie schaven in de diverse editors is daarbij cruciaal. Dat maakt dat je niet met zomaar een wezen, volk of ruimteschip op pad bent, maar met iets waar je een band mee hebt, en dat is misschien wel de grootste prestatie van het spel. Daarmee is het Will Wright gelukt om een spel te maken dat je ergens om laat geven, en dat is geen eenvoudige opgave.

gameZine (UK) (8.5 out of 10)

Perhaps the best way to sum it up is that Spore is what you make of it – put a lot of effort in and you get your rewards in seeing your creations evolve, grow and explore the universe. Merely skim over the creationist elements and you’ll find a relatively staid RTS core that won’t be winning any awards. Only by putting the effort into the creationist aspect does the RTS element gain any meaning.

Game Informer Magazine (8.5 out of 10)

Whether I was conquering a world or spending far too much time in the editor making the most grotesque creature imaginable, Spore captured my imagination and kept me thoroughly engrossed every step of the way.

games xtreme (8.5 out of 10)

Spore is a gorgeous game with a cartoon life like no other; it has a fantastic set of editors that allow you to make some supremely inspired creations. The sound effects are superb and the music has an ethereal and out of this world nature to it. Yet it's let down by several design oversights, the very nature of the player driven content should provide your universe with some truly awesome creatures, yet for them to stand any kind of chance they have to support numerous stock parts that make a lot of them appear generic. The stage transitions are pretty jarring. It is more an universal sandbox than a game, and if you look at Spore as one big executive toy you’re on the right track. As a game it’s a collection of mini games bound into one package, as a simulation of life, it’s getting there…as a toy, it’s right up there with having your own LEGO set and making vignettes about life on Mars. If you can accept the game like this, you should be able to find hours of amusement and enjoyment.

2404.org PC Gaming (8.4 out of 10)

As much as we have accomplished, we’re still quite literally a speck of dust in this galaxy of ours, and our galaxy is a spec in the grand universe. The ideas that Spore provides makes you think, and that might be what Will Wright was trying to achieve all along. If that's the case, then he’s succeeded and quite possibly surpassed expectations in that regard.

Vgames (83 out of 100)

ספור הוא כותר שאפתני וייחודי, בעל אפשרויות התאמה אישית ויצירה שלא נראו קודם, אך חוסר בגיוון ושילוב של משחק אסטרטגיה בשקל הורסים את החוויה. בתחילתו הוא מהנה בזכות העיצוב והרעיונות המהפכניים, אבל מהר מאוד הוא הופך למשעמם, חוזר על עצמו ומופשט מדי מכדי להנות ממנו באמת. יחד עם זאת, ספור הוא אחד הפרוייקטים הכי שאפתניים, גדולים ומלאי תוכן שאי פעם נתקלתי בהם. אם יש לכם ילדים קטנים (או אתם עדיין שומרים על הגחלת בלבכם), הם ואתם תרגישו כמו בבית ותהנו ממנו מאוד. בקשר לגיימרים רציניים – הם יזדקקו ליותר.

1UP (B+)

As I mentioned earlier, strictly as a game, Spore's a flawed effort in five different genres, smushed together in a casual-player-friendly manner. But as a tangible representation of intelligent design, with an emphasis on creation and sharing, it falls perfectly in line with the rest of Will Wright's work. It's not a perfect game, but it's definitely one that any serious gamer should try.

Fragland.net (82 out of 100)

Spore has to be bought for the accessible but powerful Creators, the SporePedia and everything surrounding that. The game itself, and the accompanying gameplay, seem more to be an extensive framework for this innovation; letting you create the beings and have other gamers show theirs. Nothing wrong with that, but a Sims, Civilization or deep playing experience is something else. It's Fun and relaxing though!

Krawall Gaming Network (81 out of 100)

Evolution light! Wer „Die Sims“ liebt, wird an dieser Galaxis voller Kreaturen seine Freude haben, denn hier darf man Gott spielen. Hardcore-Spieler werden aber vom oberflächlichen Genre-Mix aus Strategie und Simulation schnell gelangweilt sein.

ActionTrip (8.1 out of 10)

What we really did enjoy is the humor, which is present practically around every corner, ranging from the hilariously animated weird-looking entities making silly gestures, to delightful mating dances. In other words, we do recommend the game. Start playing and see where your imagination can take you. This game inspires players to come up with a range of truly amazing creations. It triggers creativity perhaps more than any other title on the market and that deserves respect. In addition, Spore already has a thriving community and great online potential, which is something both Maxis and Electronic Arts are fully aware of. Therefore, we urge you play the game online in order to check out the ever-expanding Sporepedia and other cool content. Also, you'll be able to experience entire worlds and land on planets created by other players.

Thunderbolt Games (8 out of 10)

Spore is the perfect example of a very interesting idea that takes a step back every time it advances forward. The chronic lack of depth in the middle stages is an injustice to a brilliant start and finish which should have been the crowning moments but instead serve only to hold the game up above water. It would be easy to dissect Spore as a series of mini-games worthy of individual release on Xbox Live, but you’re taken on a journey that only you can tamper with, and that’s where Spore’s credit lies. The customisation element is a feature that the developers are considering selling as a platform for making future videogames, and with the ease seen here it’s no wonder why. More time spent fleshing out what should have been the real meat of this title would have seen its praises sung from every rooftop, but alas, it’s as if the developers simply ran out of DNA points. Nature is a fickle bitch.

Giant Bomb ( )

I feel like Spore hasn't really gotten a fair shake. Its coming was built up by its pedigree, by the media and its own publisher, and by years of delays into the sort of mammoth event that no piece of pop entertainment could live up to or should have to endure. All of the game's pieces may not be perfect, but combine them with Spore's originality and unique bent, with all the things it gets right, and you may find there's a pretty darn good, thought-provoking game in here, after all.

Gamereactor (Sweden) (8 out of 10)

Det finns en inneboende charm i [Spore], en hög ambitionsnivå, och att se sina skapelser sprida sig genom galaxen ger en viss känsla av stolthet. I jämförelse med andra spel skapar du helt din egen historia, din egen berättelse om din ras framfart, öden och äventyr. Det må finnas rymdspel som är mer komplicerade och har ett mycket större djup men ofta saknar de den personliga prägel som är Spores centrala beståndsdel.

4Players.de (80 out of 100)

Am Ende hat man das Gefühl, dass Spore zu sehr für den Kompromiss und die sammelwütige Masse entwickelt wurde. Es hat ein sympathisches, wunderbar massentaugliches, aber letztlich in seinen Teilen ganz gewöhnliches Gamedesign. Und damit hat es sich aus evolutionärer Sicht hervorragend an die aktuelle Spiele-Umwelt angepasst. Hätte Will Wright markanter selektiert und ausgelesen, hätte Spore vielleicht die Spitze der Spieleschöpfung erreichen können. Ist das tragisch? Nein. Hier hat sich ein kreatives Team an einer im Ansatz grandiosen Idee versucht, mich neugierig zappeln lassen und an der kunterbunten Oberfläche sehr lange Zeit gut unterhalten.

Absolute Games (AG.ru) (80 out of 100)

«Симулятор эволюции от самого Уилла Райта» — безупречный слоган. Получасовой ролик с демонстрацией Spore на Е3 2006 года произвел неизгладимое впечатление даже на тех, кому ничего не говорило имя отца-основателя The Sims и SimCity. Пристальное наблюдение за проектом многим аукнулось неприятными сюрпризами в долгожданной коробке с игрой. Счастливые неофиты радостно лепят уморительных существ и скачут по зеленым лугам, а знатоки разводят руками и мрачно упоминают «рожки да ножки». Микроб

Games Finder (8 out of 10)

The mixture of genres in each of the game stages means the gameplay has great variety. It’s also a very unique experience as you take your small cell species throughout their evolution and eventually take them into space.

Gameplay (Benelux) (80 out of 100)

De ultieme virtuele bouwdoos, maar een spel dat pas in de laatste fase naar iets leuks evolueert.

Gamereactor (Denmark) (8 out of 10)

Spore er kort sagt et meget ambitiøst spil, og spørgsmålet har hele tiden været, om Will Wright ville lykkedes. Svaret må være "I det store hele er projektet lykkedes", da spillet immervæk ikke kan siges at være perfekt. [...] Ikke desto mindre bør Spore prøves af alle, der har været fascineret af Will Wrights tidligere spil. Der er en faderskabsfølelse over at skabe et væsen på skærmen, og det er ikke uden stolthed, når ens væsen tager det første af mange skridt ind i rumalderen.

GameSpot (8 out of 10)

Spore keeps a timeline of events, pinpointing every decision you've made and assigning you into broad categories based on your overall behavior (social, adaptable, and so on), so there's plenty of reason to try a different approach. Not that these varied approaches make for drastically different gameplay, but they do give you a reason to revisit the amusing moments that make Spore unique. 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.

Avid Gamer (8 out of 10)

Spore’s success all depends on what you expected. If you’re wanting a revolution then you’ve got it in the form of sharing content. If you’re expecting a life-lasting game then you’ll be bitterly disappointed.

411mania.com (8 out of 10)

For me, Spore feels like wasted potential. There are so many opportunities to make the game more in-depth and challenging, but it was somewhat squandered. Spore tries too hard to be like every game imaginable and the jack-of-all-trades mentality doesn’t work. The customization engine really shows off Spore’s potential as well as Maxis’ talent, but everything else feels a tad rushed. If you played the game for a couple of hours, you will experience everything the game has to offer. If it took another year to make everything better, I wouldn’t have minded the wait to be perfectly honest.

GameStar (Germany) (79 out of 100)

Last month Electronic Arts published the creature editor as Spore Creature Creator. Now that the full game is available it is clear that the buyers of the editor have seen the best part of Spore already. If you were hoping to test your creations in a simulated world, and improve them, you're in for a letdown. Spore is no sandbox, instead, it is a quite linear, not very flexible, and often tiring list of tasks like "run, collect, fight". The worlds are especially disappointing: there's not much more to see than some plants and creatures. Only the space phase unleashes at least partially the huge potential behind the idea of Spore and makes it nothing less than impressive. It's more than just a game, it's a creation driven by the vision to use evolution as a toy. The editors are full of innovations and, all in all, Spore is sophisticated and rich in details. But all this is rarely noticeable because of its uninspired game play - which is such a pity.

V2.fi (79 out of 100)

Samoin minun on vaikea nähdä Sporessa Sims-tyylistä jatkuvuutta (tai mahdollisuutta käteviin rahastus-lisäpaketteihin). Rakentelusta pitäville rakentelua ei ole kuitenkaan aivan tarpeeksi, eikä se ole jatkuvaa, vaan rajoittuu aina tiettyyn määrään asioita per aikakausi. Strategistille ei ole tarjolla tarpeeksi strategiaa, toimintapelaajalle ei tarpeeksi toimintaa. Oman pelimakuni tuntien en todellakaan ensimmäisenä ole huutamassa PC-peliin lisää syvyyttä, mutta Sporen tapauksessa on pakko niin tehdä. Tekemistä on kerrassaan aivan liian vähän. Ajoittain pelin parissa kyllä todella viihtyy, mutta kokonaisuudesta jää omituisen sillisalaatin jälkimaku. Pudottamalla puolet osioista pois ja keskittymällä hahmon kehittelyyn kaikenlaisen oheiskrääsän rakentelun sijasta olisi lopputulos ollut huomattavasti nykyistä ehjempi.

YouGamers (77 out of 100)

Strange game. Technologically impressive and initially very fun, but feels overly dumbed down for the casual audience and suffers from poor gameplay balance. Manages to entertain for a while, but lacks substance and depth to keep you interested in the long term. Had the opportunity to be so much more.

The A.V. Club (B)

Once you settle into the flow of the game, the creative possibilities expand just as the actual gameplay becomes limiting. The user-generated content could have added meaningful complexity—what if you could trade user-generated goods, instead of the game's generic "spice"?† But instead, it never gets past a "gee whiz" factor. Surveying an entire galaxy, full of content from the entire world, makes you glimpse the possibilities of the universe. But having evolved from survival to self-actualization, you'll have nothing left to do but admire it.

Jeux Vidéo Magazine (15 out of 20)

Si Spore risque de décevoir certains joueurs par la faiblesse de ses mécanismes de jeu, il tient quand même ses promesses en matière de personnalisation, et constitue une expérience inédite.

PC Action (Germany) (74 out of 100)

Eines frage ich mich ernsthaft: Da erscheint ein klasse Editor, das Spore Labor, mit dem die Leute da draußen die kreativsten und skurrilsten, schrillsten und buntesten Viecher der Computergeschichte entwerfen können, und was passiert? Sie bauen Penisse. Große Penisse, kleine Penisse, haarige Penisse und tanzende Penisse. Hallo? Bin ich hier im falschen Film? Ich baue Titten! Große Titten! Man sollte den Spielern anscheinend nicht zu viele Freiheiten lassen. Doch genau das tut Spore. Freiheit ist zwar gut, wenn es aber so weit geht, dass ich mich beim Spielen fragen muss, warum ich das alles auf mich nehme, läuft etwas schief. Schade, Spore verschenkt viel Potenzial.

PC Games (Germany) (73 out of 100)

Je länger man Spore spielt, desto belangloser wird die mit Liebe erstellte Kreatur, desto mehr verliert das Spiel an Charme. Die Weltall-Phase ist gar nicht so übel, der - trotz allem oberflächliche - Mix unterschiedlichster Aufgaben könnte Gelegenheitsspielern gefallen. Doch das rettet Spore nicht vor der Eintönigkeit: Warum muss ich stets das Gleiche machen, warum kann ich die vielen Vorgänge nicht automatisieren? Ich bin fast 20 Stunden durchs All gedüst, einen Schluss, etwa in Form eines Abspannes, habe ich nicht gefunden. Für mich hat Spore daher nur ein Ende: die Deinstallation.

Gamesmania.de (72 out of 100)

Es sollte etwas ganz Großes werden, herausgekommen ist ein fraglos witziges Spiel, von dem noch lange gesprochen werden wird, doch viele Zocker dennoch schwer enttäuschen wird. Natürlich macht das Führen eurer Kreaturen durch die gesamte Evolution Spaß, doch viel zu schnell merkt ihr, dass immer dieselben Aufgaben auf euch warten und es an Abwechslung mangelt. Taktische Überlegungen wie in einem typischen Echtzeitstrategiespiel sind kaum einmal zu treffen, erst in der Weltraumphase wird Spore etwas offener und damit auch besser. Doch die umständliche Steuerung macht auch in dieser Phase vieles kaputt. Am Ende bleibt Spore ein innovatives Stück Software, das vor allem durch seinen schlichtweg genialen Editor viel Freude macht, als Spiel aber nicht richtig zünden mag.

JeuxVideoPC.com (14 out of 20)

Clairement réalisé pour plaire à un maximum de clients, Spore en oublie d’être un vrai jeu et ne propose qu’un embryon de gameplay qu’un enfant de 5 ans maîtrisera en moins de trois minutes. Heureusement, l’éditeur dévoile tout le potentiel du titre, d’ailleurs entièrement construit « autour » de cet outil fantastique. Spore n’est pas une déception mais se révèle pas comme la tuerie escomptée. On attend les premiers symptômes du syndrome Sims, c’est à dire l’apparition des premières extensions. Celles-ci viendront sans doute étoffer un contenu bien maigre et donneront envie de recommencer dès le début… La nouvelle machine à fric made in Maxis est en marche.

Factornews (7 out of 10)

Objectivement, je ne peux pas mettre plus de 7 à Spore. La majeure partie des phases sont bien trop simples et la phase la plus intéressante comporte des défauts majeurs. L'excellent éditeur remonte un peu le niveau mais ne fait pas tout. Pourtant je me suis beaucoup amusé en jouant à ce jeu. L'ambition était surement demesuré mais le résultat est frais, original et bourré d'humour et de références à la SF. Le jeu ayant du succès, on peut espérer que des addons sortent pour par exemple étoffer à fond la phase espace, transformant ainsi un coup d'essai en un grand jeu.

FileFactory Games / Gameworld Network (70 out of 100)

These two things, as well as the lack of purpose with creations, puts Spore farther back than we expected based on the tens of previews and videos we’ve seen on the game. It’s a shame; even one of these three factors would have made Spore infinitely more exciting, but in the end it’s just another trip to the playground. Fun for a time, but not exciting or inspiring.

Gamer.nl (7 out of 10)

Spore is uniek in zijn soort en biedt de gamer genoeg variatie in speelmogelijkheden en het maken van eigen content, maar door de gamer zoveel mogelijk aan te bieden, heeft Spore zichzelf in de vinger gesneden. Bepaalde spelelementen lijken maar half af te zijn of voegen weinig tot niets toe aan de gameplay. Als ontwerpsoftware verdient Spore een dikke tien, als videogame toch iets minder.

Video Games Daily (7 out of 10)

Spore was meant to be everything to everyone; casual, hardcore, old, young, fat, thin, ugly, uglier. But it isn't. It's a bit of everything - a tiny helping. As a result it's unsatisfying and a letdown. But it retains charm through the editor software. And the fact that you can make penises, which are funny.

Edge (7 out of 10)

In its defence, Will Wright says that he’d rather see the Metacritic scores and sales of The Sims 2 than Half-Life 2. Well, at least he’s honest. But even looking beyond the planet-sized ‘if’ that hangs over its sales potential, Spore is a stark reminder that while greatness in this market doesn’t always equal success, true greatness is almost seen as anathema to it. Something as transcendent and overwhelming as the game we hoped for – the infinite, mind-boggling space odyssey suggested early on – doesn’t sell expansion packs. It doesn’t fit on to iPhone. It doesn’t fill the vacuum left by The Sims. It doesn’t have a place in that universe.

neXGam (7 out of 10)

Nach dem immens hohen Erwartungen und dem Hype musste es ja fast zur kollektiven Prügelattacke gegen Spore und Electronic Arts kommen. Man kennt das ja. Allerdings hat sich EA tatsächlich einen Satz heiße Ohren verdient, denn neben dem Spiel selbst sorgen vorallem der Kopierschutz und das Installationslimit für ein ungutes Gefühl in der Magengegend. Zudem ist Spore unterm Strich weitaus weniger revolutionär als vorher angekündigt und lässt mangels wirklicher Evolution (á la Sim Earth) nach ca. 10 - 20 Stunden stark in der Dauermotivation nach - ergo sind die geforderten 50 Flocken für Spore schlichtweg deutlich überbezahlt!

Game Revolution (B-)

Spore is the most fantastic game you’ll ever avoid playing. I can easily guarantee that you will find something upsetting about the end product. The game is riddled with flaws small and large, and though there is a lot of impressive tech backing the whole product, it does not have the kind of polish we so arrogantly expect from our entertainment. But please do not dismiss Spore just because it doesn’t look as good as Shooting You In The Goddamn Face 17. You will be selling yourself, Maxis, and games as a whole, short.

GameBoomers (6 out of 10)

I’m not really disappointed in what the game offers as much as disappointed in what was promised in marketing and then completely failed to deliver. The graphics of the game are stylish and well done and it does have a high degree of entertainment value in its early stages, as well as offering replay for those who have the wish to explore different creature development paths. The vehicle and building construction interfaces, while flawed, are fun to use -- like breaking into your first big box of crayons. If you are in the mood for a lighthearted and colorful game with a kind of “genre du jour” feel and a few minor life lessons (but little depth), then this is it.

Mana Pool (6 out of 10)

For all Spore originally promised, personally I feel the game didn’t deliver. I originally gave up in the civilization stage and had to really push myself through that to see what the Space Stage is all about and to me it was a bit of a let down. The controls/UI are just not very good, the gameplay is incredibly clunky and managing your empire is just no fun if you can’t build more (and better) space ships. Essentially you are playing a few episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and there are games which do that much better as well. That said, Spore is original – and the only limit in the earlier stages is your imagination & creativity. If you can pick it up cheaply, it’s worth doing, but I still feel that Spore is one of the let downs of recent years. A pity as the game had absolutely massive potential. So now we just wait for someone who combines Spore’s Cell and Creature stages with Civilization and as final stage some new form of Master of Orion 2. I’d pay good money for that.

Computer Bild Spiele (3.46 out of 6)

Der geplante große Wurf ist Sims-Erfinder Will Wright mit Spore also nicht gelungen. Die Abteilung für Kreaturendesign ist äußerst unterhaltsam, während die späteren Spielphasen nur Gelegenheitsspielern genügend spielerische Tiefe vorgaukeln. Zudem muss pro Spielphase eine andere Art der Steuerung erlernt werden. Zwar macht Spore eine zeitlang Spaß, wegen diverser Schwächen ist es aber nur "befriedigend".

Yiya (5 out of 15)

Spore hat viel zu bieten. Immerhin durchläuft der Spieler in zahlreichen Stunden die gesamte Evolutionsgeschichte. Innerhalb von fünf Phasen wird versucht, dies möglichst authentisch umzusetzen. Doch was bleibt am Ende übrig? Das Spiel beginnt vielversprechend und mag vor allem durch seine Ausmaße zu beeindrucken. Der Kreatureneditor ist ein absolutes Muss. Später entwickelbare Gebäude und Fahrzeuge sind wunderbar frei zu konstruieren. Das macht Spaß. Doch sieht man genauer hin, bleibt abseits von eben jenem Editor vieles auf der Strecke. Die Entwickler haben sich zu viel vorgenommen. Das ganze Konstrukt mit den zahlreichen Phasen wurde nicht konsequent, abwechslungsreich und fordernd genug umgesetzt. Es wurde so sehr darauf geachtet, dass der Spieler auch ja die Möglichkeit hat, sich selbst zu verwirklichen, dass die eigentlichen Spielelemente ziemlich schwach ausgefallen sind.