spore

GameSpot review: EA's balancing act with 'Spore'

GameSpot review by Kevin VanOrd.

GameSpot score: 8.0

The good 
• Intuitive and comprehensive customization tools 
• Oozes charm at every turn 
• Impressively broad scope 
• Great audio and art design.

The bad 
• Individual game play elements are extremely simple 
• Early stages aren't very engaging.

Spore is an enjoyable game that pulls off an interesting balancing act.

On one hand, it lets you create a creature and guide its maturation from a single cell to a galactic civilization through an unusual process of evolutionary development.

Because the tools used to create and revise this creature are so robust and amusing, and … Read more

CNET News Daily Podcast: Google's shiny new 'Chrome'

The news today is all about Google's new Web browser, dubbed Chrome. We've got screenshots, an early review, and analysis of what the move means all compiled here.

Also in this podcast: Political bloggers and commentators in Malaysia are bracing for a government crackdown after one controversial portal was blocked by all 19 of the country's Internet service providers; Apple has officially set a date for its next big music-related news event, where new iPods are expected to be announced; and how the Republican National Convention got wired.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Today's stories:… Read more

For Mac, EA's 'Spore' requires Leopard, Intel chip

For Mac users, one of the best pieces of news of the year was the announcement in January by Electronic Arts that it would be releasing a version of its long-awaited evolution game, Spore, on their beloved platform.

But if you're one of those Mac users who is shaking with anticipation at playing the new game by SimCity and The Sims creator Will Wright, and you don't have both an Intel-based machine and the Leopard version of the Mac OS X operating system, I'm afraid you're out of luck.

This news isn't new, as it'… Read more

Buzz Out Loud 800: It took 800 episodes, but we've finally arrived!

Well, OK, we won't have arrived until someone gets Kevin Rose to blog about how The Beatles are totally coming to iTunes on September 9, quoting an "anonymous source" (us!). Also, Brian Tong joins us for our historic discussion of the Google Chrome Web browser, lava rock problems in Hawaii, the extreme resource hoggery of IE8 Beta 2, and just how boring Spore will actually be. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 800

Apple Store in Hawaii still not open http://www.ifoapplestore.com/db/2008/08/23/hawaiian-spirits-dictate-storefront-materials/

Meet Chrome, Google’s shiny new browser … Read more

Celebrities get their chance to make 'Spore' creatures

It seems everyone is getting in on the Spore fun these days.

In less than a week, Electronic Arts' hotly anticipated evolution game will launch, most likely to large initial sales and significant excitement.

But since June, fans of the game--which was first announced and has been the talk of the video games industry since 2005--have been able to play with the Spore Creature Creator, a free, downloadable editor, that allows anyone to craft their own creature and upload it to what is known as Sporepedia, a vast, sharable, database of millions of other people's creations.

And on Tuesday, … Read more

Let the 'Spore' advertising blitz begin

SAN FRANCISCO--If you're a video game fan, you are probably quite aware that Electronic Arts' evolution game Spore is just days away from launch.

You've played with the Creature Creator, you've read the stories, you've watched the videos. Maybe you've even had a chance to see Spore's creator, Will Wright, give one of his famous talks on the subject.

But if you're not a gamer, you might not have any idea what Spore is. Until now, that is.

As I was returning from lunch Wednesday, I noticed a giant billboard on the side … Read more

Crave: Welcome to the mile high...bed?

Polaroid is making a comeback with a digital camera that has a built-in printer; the Creative Mozaic has a lot of style; and you get to decide whose Spore-created creature is better: Brian Tong's or Bonnie Cha's. Plus, a bed that comes with frequent-flyer miles!

Related stories:

Polaroid plans camera with built-in printer

Taking funky Creative Zen Mozaic for a spin

The Mile High Bed: Yeah, baby!

Will 'Spore' be the greatest game of all time?

With the upcoming release of Spore making just about every gamer's mouth water, I couldn't help but wonder if the game will be the greatest of all time.

I understand that it's premature to even suggest that a game we haven't ever played will somehow be the best game ever, but with the hype surrounding it and those that are "in the know" saying it's really that great, it's easy for all of us to get caught up in that kind of hype.

Daniel Terdiman, who writes the over at the Gaming and Culture blog here on CNET, recently interviewed Will Wright to discuss Spore and delve deep into the inner-workings of his mind and his creation.

After reading through that interview, a number of things stuck out in my mind. Does Will Wright truly believe that Spore will best the Sims franchise? Is Will Wright the industry's premier innovator and the one man that will be able to propel it forward into a new era? And most importantly, will Spore, after the dust settles, be considered the greatest game of all time by the majority of people?… Read more

Will Wright on the origins of 'Spore'

On September 7, Electronic Arts will release its long-awaited and much-anticipated Spore. For many, this will be the biggest video game event of the year, and possibly even the last several years.

Spore, which was first announced in 2005, takes players through the process of evolution, from simple cell-like creatures, step by step, on out into space, is the latest from The Sims and SimCity designer Will Wright.

There is little question that Wright is one of the industry's most important figures, as evidenced by the packed houses he always speaks to and the reverence everyone from gamers to … Read more