Yes, Spore is finally here.  This is a game that I’ve been waiting for for over two years.  A game who’s scope and scale and expandability were, allegedly, above and beyond anything that has come before.

Did it get there?  I’m not sure yet, but this review is a synopsis of what I’ve found out so far.

Let me be clear from the get-go.  If you are a PC gamer, you will enjoy this game a lot. Get it. Now.  For the rest of you, let me tell you a quick story about gaming, Spore, and why I love ’em both.

Previously to the full game coming out, they released the “Spore Creature Creator” (SCC).  This is a simple, yet fairly powerful, 3d-creature editor/animator/movie maker.

Here’s a couple of my early attempts.  And yes, there is an “upload to Youtube” button in the program.  As a quick sidenote, this game is VERY well integrated with the international dumptrucks known as “Internet”. More on that in a couple paragraphs.  After the movies and the moment.

This was one of my early creations. I was trying to make something scary and terrifying.

This is my first creation to take through the full game.

My “gaming moment” occurred during the second or third stage of the game, after my creation has evolved into an air-breathing, earth-bound being.   I was wandering around the countryside looking for food (i.e. other wonderful creations to consume).  As I was about to launch an attack with my pack, I heard a vicious roar.  Panning the camera quickly around, I saw a 30-foot tall incarnation of my “early creation” stomping across the country-side.  My own nightmare was picking up my pack-mates and consuming them whole.

That, my friends, is a gaming moment.  Here was a creature I had created, imported into the game during the install, integrated and kicking my own ass.

Outstanding.

Read more for the rest, and some other great creations.

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