Spore: Galactic Adventures

Spore: Galactic Adventures
Developer(s)	Maxis
Publisher(s)	Electronic Arts
Designer(s)	Will Wright
Series	Spore
Platform(s)	Microsoft Windows
Release date(s)	June 23, 2009
Genre(s)	Life simulation, RTS
Mode(s)	Single-player

Spore: Galactic Adventures is an expansion pack for the multigenre game Spore, developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts.^[1] The US version of the game was released on June 23, 2009. The European version was released on June 26, 2009.^[2]

Gameplay

The main feature added to the game is the Adventure Creator. This Creator allows players to create various missions, which are then populated into the Space stage in a manner similar to the other content created in the original game. Players add elements to the adventure by dragging them from a menu and dropping them into the world. Creatures, vehicles and buildings created using the game's other editors can be selected and placed throughout the world. The player can also set creatures' behaviors from aggressive to friendly, and add speech bubbles. In addition, fixed objects from the previous stages of Spore, as well as gameplay objects like bombs and teleporters, can be added to the game.

Players can select a range of special effects and drop them into the level. Sounds can be added to the game in the same manner, although new sound files cannot be added to the game. A complexity meter exists to prevent too many objects being dropped into the game; it also enables the player to beam down and experience a planet firsthand rather than exploring it with a holographic projection.

Complementing the Adventure Creator is the Planet Creator, which is accessed from within the Adventure Creator. Players select a prebuilt planet and then edit it in a manner similar to the Adventure Creator. Elements such as temperature and atmospheric density can be adjusted using sliders. The planet's terrain is modified using terrain stamps, which are dragged and dropped from the interface. Like the Adventure Creator, a complexity meter exists to prevent too many elements being used to create the planet.

The expansion also adds a Captain Outfitter, which allows players to modify their Space stage creatures by giving them different social tools, weapons, and gear. They are then able to beam down their captains to specialized planets that have missions on them. Missions are greatly varied and may require a range of different tools. RPG elements also exist in the game, in that captains earn points from missions and are able to level up.^[2][3]

Adventure Mode

Players can now take their space captains on adventures, with each adventure having a specific goal to complete. There are a variety of adventure types, such as saving a planet from the Grox or helping a famous pop star get to his show on time. Completing each adventure awards the space captain experience points much like an RPG and allows the player to choose a piece of equipment for their space captain. As a space captain gains more experience it gets better titles (determined by his empire's beliefs) such as "Thug," "Profiteer," or "Gatherer;" these titles are based on the Captain's archetype.

Development

A space-based expansion pack was first announced mid-October 2008 alongside the Creepy and Cute parts pack. On June 9, 2009, the Spore website was redesigned to prepare for a Galactic Adventure.

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score Aggregator Score Metacritic 70%[4] Review scores Publication Score 1UP.com B[5] Eurogamer 7/10[6] GameSpot 8.0/10[7] GameSpy [8] IGN 7.7/10[9]

Spore Galactic Adventures gained generally positive reviews according to Metacritic.com. It was praised for its adventure creator which was seen as complex yet easy to use.

References

1. Spore: Galactic Adventures Preview, IGN.com, January 22, 2009.
2. Take Your Creature From Zero To Galactic Hero, spore.com
3. Spore Expansion: Galactic Adventures, sporedum.net
4. "Spore Galactic Adventures for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
5. Haywald, Justin (2009-06-24). "Spore Galactic Adventures Review for PC from". 1UP.com. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
6. Griliopoulos, Dan (2009-06-23). "Spore: Galactic Adventures Review • Page 2 • Reviews • PC •". Eurogamer.net. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
7. Archived June 28, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
8. "GameSpy: The Consensus: Spore: Galactic Adventures Review - Page 1". Au.pc.gamespy.com. Retrieved 2013-10-18.
9. "Spore: Galactic Adventures Review - IGN". Au.pc.ign.com. Retrieved 2013-10-18.