Maxis Spore

About Maxis Spore

Designed by Will Wright, Maxis Spore is a game that comes from the same creators as the legendary Sims franchise. If you enjoyed those simulation games, there's a good chance that you will enjoy the utter realism and involvement found within Spore.

Spore allows gamers to control the evolution of a species. The game starts out with a simple single-celled organism, not unlike an amoeba. At this point in the adventure, the graphics are two-dimensional. As the player gains experience, the creature will continue to evolve into more complex organisms. The best part is that these Spore characters are fully customizable.

What may start out as a unicellular being soon becomes a full-fledged animal. It then becomes a social being with tribes and packs. Going further, Maxis Spore eventually progresses to the point where the gamer takes on an intergalactic perspective, having its creature civilization invade those on other planets.

Classifying the Online Game

Some video games can be clearly defined as racing games or action games, but it is not quite as easily to classify Spore. The game, published by Electronic Arts, seems to transcend conventional genre classification.

Depending on who you ask, they may tell you that Spore is a simulation game, a God game, a real-time strategy game, an action/adventure game, or any number of other genres. This is largely because the different phases in Spore are played in a slightly different way.

When controlling the simple being, it could be said that Spore plays mostly like a simulation game. It is during this time that the gameplay most closely mirrors that of The Sims. However, when you get to the civilization phase, the controls are more like that of Civilization or Sim City.

It is partly because of these wide-reaching gameplay elements that Spore is being touted as "possibly the greatest PC game ever." There is something here for everyone, whether you enjoy the foresight of real-time strategy or the character customization of simulation games.

Single and Multiplayer Elements

Although most people may be led to believe that Spore is a massively multiplayer online game in the same fashion as World of Warcraft, this isn't exactly the case. It is true that players will be spending their entire time in an online environment, but the created creatures do not actually interact with one another directly.

You will progress through the adventure largely on your own, only interacting with computer-controlled characters and elements. In this way, Spore is being called a "massive single-player online game."

The multiplayer element comes in the form of the Spore online community. The user-created content is automatically uploaded to the online community where other players are able to download it and have it integrated into their online environments. Electronic Arts has also created the Spore YouTube channel where gamers can upload a video of their creatures' activity.

Upon reaching the "space" phase, players will be able to visit the planets of other players, interacting with the different species.

Release Dates and Pricing

Electronic Arts currently has Maxis Spore slated for its initial release on September 5, 2008. This will be the first full version of the game and it will launch initially in Europe and Brazil. North America and other territories will be able to get their hands on Spore two days later on September 7, 2008.

Spore will be available as a direct download from EA on that date. Alternatively, you should be able to find the game through the regular retail outlets. It is also there that you may be able to find the special Spore: Galactic Edition for $79.99. This version comes with the full game, two bonus DVD videos, a hardback mini-book, a fold-out poster, and a special handbook.