Spore. Buy. Now

    Quote from Erratic

    They are?

    I would say so. If I had a dollar for every time the word 'cinematic' was dropped. It's kind of sad it's used in the context of describing a game.

    Every big budget title released these days will choose it from their list of buzzwords, I'm sure. But I don't think we're quite at the stage where we're applauding people simply for doing otherwise.

    Quote from Taylor

    They are?.

    I don't know how many games you play outside of RPGs and RTS titles (these admittedly still put a lot of focus on gameplay), but in other genres I'd say that gameplay and fun has very much been compromised by striving towards a 'cinematic' experience with the finest graphics and set-pieces. We're in an age where there's an abundance of games that look fantastic, and little more. Pretty much every current-gen console action game has fell into this category for me.

    And just to clarify the applaud comment, I didn't mean that they should be applauded simply for doing something different. I meant they should be applauded for doing something different really well. This is one of the best examples I've seen of a game providing an experience that only a game can provide: being a fantastic toy.

    Of course, it's this very open-ended toy-like nature that seems to turn a number of Mapcorians off. I say: does a game need a story like a film to be good? Is a basic structure like Spore has not enough?

    To be honest that door was opened when BioShock did it. It's pretty much inevitable that more games are going to require online activation after that was relatively successful for them, and it's not like perfectly good services such as Steam don't require an internet connection too.

    We're moving into an age where internet and games are intertwined. Retail games requiring internet activation is only going to help push everyone towards digital distribution I imagine. Gaming will be based on what you have licenses to, not what you physically own. Whether you get it from a shop or an online download store, you still need to be authorised to install it. I don't see a big problem in this respect, especially if it gets you lots of additional content like in Spore.

    I do agree that the limited install count is a pain, but again that's something BioShock had. And with BioShock, they raised the limit and eventually removed it completely within weeks — hopefully EA is smart enough to realise that this is a good idea. Ideally there should be no limit, but I guess it does stop someone's CD key being intentionally shared or guessed, thus inconveniencing piraters and forcing them to to go with the fully cracked copy.

    Quote from Steppenwolf

    The two biggest german print magazines rated the game 73% and 79%. Game was overhyped just as i expected.

    Do you really judge games solely on a two-digit number supplied by magazines? Have you even read the reviews you're basing your purchasing decisions on?

    I'd personally rate Spore higher than the 70s, and so would many of these guys. You should give it a go and make up your own mind.

    Edit: Omg, beaten by Dux.

    I will try if there is a demo available. Just saying that if the game really would live up to its hype everybody would rate it in the 90's.

    That the two biggest competitors on the german market rated it around the same is a indicator for me that the game must have some flaws.

    That's for you to decide yourself. Not some greasy hairy games journalist. If reviews for you are a big factor in deciding whether a game is good are you only going to use the two german reviews for opinion of the game and not any of the ones listed on say, metacritic or whatever? The game has lived up to it's hype but there are likely to be several reviews that aren't overly satisfied with it.

    Dux and Thrik let me ask you a question:

    Do you buy all the games that you aren't interested in the first place just to see if there is a chance that you would like it?

    Don't know about you guys but i dont have the money or time for that. I have to base my purchase decissions on something. In this case its the to me unappealing gfx style, the boringness of the creature designer that i tried earlier this year (was only fun for 5 minutes) and the mediocre score of two magazines that i thrust more then the internet hype machine. The user score on metacritic is in the 75% area too btw.

    No, but I do try games that a lot of people and generally reliable reviewers are saying is good.

    I'm not trying to dictate how you choose what to buy, etc. I was just contesting you coming in and quoting the scores of two German magazines as if it's concluding evidence that Spore isn't worth playing. There's no doubt the game was overhyped which has led to disappointment for those expecting the last game they'll ever need to buy (Lol?), but IMO it's worth more than a 7x% mark.

    People writing games off based on review scores alone has always been a pet peeve of mine, though. I think it's impossible to condense paragraphs of analysis into two numbers.

    It is a love it or hate it game. I also wonder what casual players, and even girls (imagine that), think of the game. I dont think that metacritic and all those reviewers represent that group of players all too well, but it may be exactly that group to will turn this game into a success (aka the sims crowd). Then again, the rts like action may be a step too far for that group?

    Maybe the game is trying to be too much? Be both a rts game and everything else, appeal both to girls and boys, young and old, etc?

    Quote from Hourences

    Maybe the game is trying to be too much? Be both a rts game and everything else, appeal both to girls and boys, young and old, etc?

    Civilization was rather famous for attracting a wide range of players and that shit makes me feel stupid when I play it. I can't see Spore turning off anyone, you're eased into the learning curve of the game, it's very approachable for what I've played so far.

    I thought I was infamous around this parts for not being too fond of the FPS genre . I'd pigeon hole myself as a arcade/console gamer and attracted mainly to skill-based titles I can pick up and play – I think it's my WoW antidote.

    I certainly agree a film-like plot is not necessary, though I think titles like GTA4, MGS4, Uncharted, etc. owe a lot of their overall entertainment from this film-like presentation and narrative. However, I don't believe these triple-A titles are the majority, and the review itself refers to only generously advertised titles. And Spore's sandbox gameplay dictates it cannot include this level of linear narrative, anyway.

    Quote

    SPORE - The DRM for the game utilizes securom which is essentially a virus that installs itself without warning when you install the game. There is no way to completely remove it without reformatting and it is constantly running in the background if not removed. Sucking up computer resources.It also is overpriced. This is actually a RENTAL, not a bought game because it only lets you install 3 times. If you install over 3 times then you must call EA customer support and beg them to let you play the game you bought. Did I mention the call is not free? If you live outside the U.S. it will be a very expensive call.

    DO NOT BUY THIS, and if you do buy it keep in mind that you are renting it. Not buying it. Whats really ironic about this is the DRM hasn't even stopped the pirates as it was pirated a few weeks ago. And the pirated version doesn't have Securom or install limits which makes it a better version. EA shouldn't treat its consumers like trash if they want my money.

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