Spore Temptations

So, for those not "in the know", Spore came out on Sunday. The game is basically a simplified RTS game that plays out in 5 stages, where you control the evolution of your creature from single celled organism through space exploration. Each stage plays out separately, but I believe there is some tie-in between the stages. You get to customize not only your creature, but also your vehicles and buildings as well. The customization runs very deep, as can be seen just from the free version of the creature creator.

This game has had a TON of hype surrounding it for quite some time now, but it was always on the back-burner for me, if on any burner at all. But finally last week I took the plunge and downloaded the free creature creator. While I didn't spend DAYS on the thing like many people have, I still found it wildly entertaining and have put together at least half a dozen crazy creatures. I am far from the best creature-creator, as my creations tend to be slightly derivative, but it's still a fun venture. Even with the limited options of the free version, I've managed to sink a couple hours into it.

Now I am starting to wonder if I should go for it and buy the game. I am not an RTS fan by any stretch of the imagination, but the way this game is presented as a simplified version of an RTS game appeals to me. My OCD doesn't focus on games like a true RTS fan's does, but I have been mildly amused in the past by games such as SimCity. The smaller (yet at the same time much larger) scope of Spore feels like it might offer me the best of both worlds. It won't require the meticulous attention that a full time RTS does, but it will give a similar feel, while offering limitless creative options. Also, I feel like it might be a fun adventure to control the evolution of your creature from single-cell organism to space explorer. I am just not sure I feel like it'd be $50 worth of fun.

So, to Spore or not the Spore? That is the question!