Spore, was it worth the wait? Not really.

It isn’t worth more than one playthrough. I could possibly accept getting 8 hours out of a $50 game, if it were as satisfying as, for example, Fable.  Spore feels…incomplete.  It feels more like a technical demonstration of an engine that may be used to build games.

Any game must have one(or more) of three basic qualifications to be a successful game :

1. competetive or cooperative multiplayer

2. an engaging storyline

3. repetetive skill based gameplay with the option of possible advancement of character or avatar

For examples, MMOs tend to have 2, racers and fighters 3, MMO 1, RTS 1 and 3…etc. Spore is a sandbox game, like GTA3, or the Sims. GTA3 had #1, the Sims had #3. Spore does not really have advancement beyond the minigame nature of the eras, and all advancements and customizations are effectively erased upon entry to the next “level.” You are able to tend towards a societal type, such as agressive, or militaristic, but this does not affect the game enough to make it worthwhile to explore all paths.

There is no depth to Spore. The game is incredibly broad and encompasses RTS, turn based, and exploratory sandbox styles…but it does none of these even acceptably well. There is no replay value, no skill required, and no cooperative or competetive online play.

Simply put, the game is meant for 5 year olds, and beyond a graphic overhaul from recent Maxis offerings offers nearly nothing new or interesting. It crowning achievement seems to be the creature creator, which really could (and maybe should) have been written as a free flash game to play on cell phones. I’m pretty disappointed.