Spore Series
Shacknews – DarkSpore preview
Jul 22nd
The look of the game is not quite as cute or young as Spore, but it definitely isn’t as dark as a series like Diablo. It should appeal to gamers of all ages, but the characters themselves will most likely skew a bit younger. Controlling a squad of heroes representing different powers and elements is closer to Pokemon (an intentional touchstone for the development team) than to a traditional RPG where the player assumes the role of a single character.
When the rumor first broke, I was extremely skeptical of a Spore action-RPG, but after having seen Darkspore in action, it is on my radar for next year. There seems to be a good amount of depth in the game’s systems. While Spore definitely disappointed in the gameplay department, this title looks to be fast-paced, challenging, and something to keep an eye on.
GameTrailers – DarkSpore ‘Unique Abilities’ interview with Lauren McHugh
Jul 22nd
MaxisMikella shares info on DarkSpore’s online servers & cheating
Jul 22nd
Over at the DarkSpore forums, I caught a post by the game’s team member ‘MaxisMikella’ sharing new information about how the online gameplay will span out:
I noticed you guys were wondering about our online features so I want to tell you more about them. Darkspore is a client/server online game. That means we have dedicated servers owned by EA that will simulate your games, store your creatures and inventory, and allow you to access it all anywhere. When you log into Darkspore, you start out in your own spaceship. Once there, you can chat with other players hanging out in the galaxy. In game, you’ll be able to chat with your teammates and send messages to friends. You’ll have a friend’s list where you can see who’s online, and invite them to play a game with you. We also have matchmaking to automatically put you into a 4 player co-op game, so it’s really easy to find people to play with. We’ve had really fun times here playing co-op with other Darkspore team members! I hope this gives you a better idea of the online features we’ve been implementing in Darkspore.
One of the fans commented on the fact if cheats can somehow damage the online gameplay (as cheating in online games is pretty much a scummy thing to do). Luckily, since the game functions on Maxis’ servers, we will not have to worry about cheaters.
Since the game is being simulated on our servers, everything you’re doing is authenticated by us, right down to how much damage you should deal to an enemy. You won’t have to worry about cheaters ruining your game experience in Darkspore.
Of course, there are always game exploits that can always be found that were not meant to be intentional. Let’s hope beta-testers will be able to catch them.
GameSpy – The Interrogation Room: Darkspore (preview)
Jul 22nd
In the following preview, or to be more precise, interview, GameSpy caught up with Ryan Scott, Executive Editor of DarkSpore to toss a couple of questions about Maxis’ upcoming game:
Eric Neigher, Contributing Editor: OK, so I’ll be completely honest: I have no friggin’ idea what this game is. Is it related to Will Wright’s Spore? Is it a completely separate franchise? Give me the logline for it.
Ryan Scott, Executive Editor: Well, it just got announced, so it’s new to everyone. Get this: Darkspore is a Spore action-role-playing game, developed by Maxis (Will Wright left the studio a while back, in case you didn’t get the memo). This game is its own standalone thing — not some sort of wacky Spore expansion pack or anything — and it’s the kind of game that seems like it’ll appeal to all the Diablo/Titan Quest fans out there. And, you know, people who like to make goofy-looking Spore monsters.
MacLife – First Impressions: Maxis and EA’s Darkspore
Jul 21st
For those wondering, yes, DarkSpore is coming to Mac. 
While you can play alone, cooperative multiplayer is most definitely a highlight of the game for social gamers. You can join with up to three others, advancing more effectively in some situations. For example, certain enemies can trap one player, and you’ll have to rely on an online friend to free you.
EA didn’t let us try the game personally, but we liked what we saw of it in a demonstration. The editing tools make an interesting twist on an established style, and the fanciful creature powers will hook players who are trying to collect them all.
EA wouldn’t detail if Darkspore will run as a native application for the Mac or if it will rely on Transgaming’s Cider technology as in Spore. But the company has announced that the game will ship for Macs, though hasn’t detailed if it will be around the same time that the PC title hits shelves in February 2011.
G4TV – DarkSpore for PC preview
Jul 21st
In Darkspore, you’re a wanted man, but you’re also the god of heroes. You’re Rip Van Winkle gone exponential – you’ve been snoozing for 1,000 years. Now you’re awake, powerfully reanimated, and you have the daunting but compelling task of creating a squad of heroes to stick it to the jerks of the universe who are wrecking everything.
You’ve got a lot to do. You’ll create hundreds of monstrous-looking heroes by choosing from thousands of body parts. There seem to be just as many non-playable characters in the game against which your squad of three will use some really inventive powers such as sending your enemies into a dimensional rift. They won’t go there forever, though, only for a few seconds. And if your squad is swarmed and badly injured by enemies, one of your heroes may choose to use the ability to plant a Tree of Life, which restores health.
There’s so much action going onscreen that the game looks like it can be unforgiving. But according to the developers, even if you lose, you’ll still get some experience points. You’ll level up in traditional RPG categories like health, power, strength, dexterity, mind, critical rating, dodge rating and reflection rating. Also you’ll find Obelisks along the way, which act as treasure chests full of loot.
DarkSpore available to preorder at GameSpot
Jul 21st
Sure, we’re a long ways off (Feb. 2011 is the estimated date of release), but GameStop wants to make sure you’ll pre-order from them!
Video – Mike Perry demos DarkSpore (EA Showcase 2010)
Jul 21st
Credit goes to tombik00 for the upload.
DarkSpore fact sheet
Jul 20th
Product Description
Darkspore is a fast-paced and intense sci-fi Action-RPG in which you become embroiled in a desperate struggle to save the galaxy from an ancient and powerful evil.Recruit the best warriors from across the galaxy to build your creature arsenal and collect hundreds of distinctive creature characters, each with their own unique abilities, to wield as your living weapons. Take direct control of your creatures as they descend to the surface of infected planets to battle hordes of enemies and drive back the forces of Darkspore.
Your enemies are diverse and dangerous – in order to defeat them you will need to employ the full range of your creature arsenal and strategically decide which creatures to deploy for each battle.
Collect new weapons and armor to augment your creatures’ abilities and turn them into a more powerful fighting force. Use the award-winning Spore Creature Editor to customize your own unique creature characters, and trade with other players to complete your arsenal.
Play through the epic sci-fi campaign solo or co-operatively, join forces with friends to take on the forces of Darkspore, or battle your friends head-to-head in fast-paced competitive arena battles.
Key Features
- COLLECT an arsenal of hundreds of different creatures and wield them as your living weapons
- CHOOSE strategically which creatures to send into battle against the forces of Darkspore
- COMBAT hordes of infected enemies and massive bosses in fast-paced, intense action
- JOIN FORCES, trade or compete with up to three other players in co-op campaign mode or up to eight other players in PvP mode
- EXPAND THE UNIVERSE with DLC to unlock rare creatures, new planets and new features
*INTERNET CONNECTION required. See product pack or digital distribution rules for details.
Product Specifications
Publisher: Electronic Arts Inc.
Developer: Maxis Studio
Ship Date: Spring 2011
Category: Action RPG
Rating: Rating Pending
GameSpot – DarkSpore Impressions: first look
Jul 20th
One more to add:
The plot in Darkspore sounds very grandiose and involves an experiment by an ancient race of omnipotent beings known as the “Crogenitors,” who created all living DNA in the universe but experimented with a new “exponential DNA” that was unusually powerful but highly unstable. It seems that one ambitious member of this mysterious group not only fused the unstable DNA with his own, increasing his own power substantially, but also created an army of monsters powered by this new genetic material that destroyed most of the other Crogenitors, leaving the last few survivors to flee to deep space with a squadron of heroes stuck in a cryogenic slumber until a solution to the problem could be deduced by the powerful computers of those last remaining DNA architects.
As the game begins, the solution to the exponential DNA invasion has been found: You. You awaken from your sleep as a genetically enhanced hero with the power to oppose the invasion head-on, and fortunately, you won’t be alone. Rather than force you to focus on developing a single character that belongs to a single character class with a limited skillset, Darkspore will actually let you select a team of three different hero creatures to take into battle and will also let you gather a huge collection of alternate heroes for you to use and develop as you see fit.
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