Spore

xAndy, England
17 hours played (1/2 through space)
Playing style: Economic

Cell Phase:

Everyone referees to this as the packman stage but i dont.

It is way way better than packman the satisfaction you get from growing pass your enemies then eating them later or spiking that huge cell till it dies with your spike.
Its not too long its not too short and its more focused on the game play rather than the creation


This phase just makes you feel so good

Rating 10/10

Creature Phase:

This phase is the most mixed phase there is, it feels like they've tried to combine everything into this one small phase of the game which has almost overwhelmed it.

Trying to socialise with alpha creatures to get that extra body part without putting some dodgy parts on your creature which make it look bad can be annoying and frustrating.
The game is about creation but this phase again lacks, you are almost forced to add parts you don't want to, not to say you don't make an awesome creature its just you don't have the freedom too make anything you want (With out using cheats)

The gameplay is repeatative and simple and the only difference between hard and easy is that more creatures are red faced instead of yellow face, so if your eating everything its just as easy in hard mode as it is in easy.

Having said that the goals of getting to your new nest and the humour applied gives this phase a certain fun factor.

Rating 7/10

Tribal Phase:

Has any one else played Lego Rock Raiders?

Its almost scrap for scrap the same game, accept for the social interactions with other creatures.

You have your slimy slugs (Non tribal creatures) come and steal your food.
You hunt for food buy picking up tools from your supply station.
You have big rock raiders comming to attack your home base (Tribal Raids)
Upgrade your building and you can use bigger and better tools

The only difference is Lego Rock Raiders was hard (when i was a kid)

Of corse the main problem with the tribal phase is that there is hardly any creation too it, sure you can add armour to your creatures but your can't change the hut or tools or anything that your creature uses.

Rating 7/10

Civ Phase:

Age of Empire? No Settlers? No Civilisation? No

This game is Spore and the Civ Phase is the most stupid of them all, you would almost have to shoot your self in the foot to not be able to capture a city with your first attempt.

Does capturing citys get harder? Not really because it was so easy to capture the other cities you can build up more troops and obliterate/buy off the opposition,
At this stage i got bored and tried to kill an epic creature i saw earlier, this was probbaly the most challenging part it took a good 45 planes to kill that thing.
But a token reward after killing it? Nope you get nothing.

While gameplay is lacking this phase has the 2nd most creation and you spend more time in the editors than you do trying to take over your planet.
My Advice: GET CREATIVE and shoot your self in the foot to make it harder.

Rating 6/10

Space Stage:

The most challenging micromanaging mess you'll ever see, the first stages are supposed to be a tutorial for this? well they just don't live up to the job.

Your constantly blown away by trying to save this planet and that planet from attack or disaster that you forget about even collecting your spice and selling it on to other races, the fact that this spice also changes price you can spend 15mins trying to find the right buyer.

Trade panel any one?! yes this is what the space phase needs a simple trade panel so you don't have to search for hours finding the better price while defending yours and your allies empires every 2mins.

With that out of the way the space stage is the most in-depth and good in game play but lacks creativity. My advice is expand slowly and close to your home star, ignore communications from other races until you feel it necessary to interact with another race.

The challenge of the space phase is what has got me hooked into this game 12 of my 17 hours playing has been spent in this phase and i'm 1/2 through in medium mode (with 2 races) so i estimate another 6 hours before i complete the mission aspect of this phase and finally get into my sandbox.

Rating 9/10

Overall:

So the point? This game is so much aimed at kids that the "Average gamer" is put off by the lack of game play and challenge. There's a clue in the word Gamer, some one that wants to play and be challenged.

A game for the average player? in my opinion yes, but its too repetitive/no difference in weapons or effects that they'll get bored
A game for the creative? Yes
A game for youngsters? Definitely
A game for the older generations? Well if your creative enough you'll enjoy it.
A game for the hardcore gamer? Don't give up on the game and get to the space phase in hard mode then the challenge begins.

Primary Like:
The Space Phase - Hate it or love it micromanagement is challenging

Primary Hate:
Effects and weapons are all the same. Different effects for different gun pieces would have been nice

Overall Rating
10+7+7+6+9/50 = 7.8/10

Reviewing for xSpore - xAndy

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Straight up G. :P

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[U]September 7th[/u]

NEVAR FORGET

sorry i dont speak gangsta? whats a straight up G?

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in 1337 speak, QFT

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You should not feel arrogant, it is the expierience that you should lust for. That is the passion of the artist. -Roboraptor

I thought civ was ok. Although, I allied with the strongest nation, bought him off the map, then lost all of it to another millitary nation and got obliterated to the point where I was constantly fending off raids running low on money. I kinda shot myself in the foot there...

Edit: I finally got all my cities back then built an armada and took over everyone except for blue nation, which just joined me for some odd reason...Now I'm just going to leave civ on over night so I can earn a million.

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My Gamertag is Lucky Gamer Z, and my Steam account is Super_Racer_Z(Nickname is SuperRacerZ)

i have propor grammer don to a peryod,

I enjoyed the entire game, the only thing I thought was lacking was that tribal was too easy. I beat Civ with the Economic route (only resorting to military once or twice), so when I went into Space I had no trouble setting up Alliances with everyone. I have yet to have another Civilization attack me (I've been playing for nearly 8 hours now), the only trouble is Eco-disasters and pirate attacks. My Ally's fleets help me a lot. Really, it gets easier as it goes, which makes sense considering you are a tiny fledgling Empire in a place full of well-placed Empires.

P.S. I was also a bit annoyed with the Empires in practically every system. I just had to take them over by trade routes (which can take a long while).

Going to be writing a review sometime, I think.