Will Spore Give EA a Boost?

A complete let down. DRM is draconian and forces piracy.

I agree more with the first comment from ikenstein of LA, this game is a let down.

I'm a hardcore gamer and have written many reviews and even worked for Sony reviewing and betatesting games.

I was hearing about this game since about 2004-5 and have been drooling just waiting the years for it to come out.

I was disappointed. Based on all of the other games from Will Wright and Co., I was expecting an deep and complex game that would have had at least 30hrs or more of game play. Sadly, one can get a species to Space Traveling level in a mere 4-6 hrs (10 if you've never used a computer, never played a game in your life, if you have a low IQ, or are REALLY taking your time). The only demographic that this game is fit for is 6-12 year old kids.

The game feels more like it's just a set of mini games where you stack up points and then move on to the next game stage. Worse, all time and effort and planning you put into your creature (adaptations, defensive horns, feathers for mating, etc.) seem to have absolutely NO bearing on the next stage--meaning all you're doing is cosmetic stuff with no function or purpose and you're just playing the mini games (stages) for points to move on to the next mini game. Its quite sad.

For a game that had so much potential, it feels like it was neutered and dumbed-down.

I was also very disappointed in EA's choice to include that viral DRM garbage. It's not worth $50 to RENT--and it is renting--since one only gets 3 installs. EVER. This means that if you have multiple computers, want to lend it to your brother when you're done, upgrade your hardware, format your computer, upgrade your OS, or ANY OTHER COMMON THING YOU DO WITH A COMPUTER--you are completely screwed. Worse yet, you have to call (not toll free) EA's nightmarish tech support and explain that you're not a pirate, that you have legitimate reasons for re-installing, and then provide proof of purchase just to get one more install license...if your appeal passes.

The DRM gets even worse. It embeds itself in the root of your OS, meaning even after you uninstall the game when you're done, the DRM is STILL THERE. Forever sucking up your resources and processor until you finally reformat your whole computer.

I feel like I've been punished by EA for purchasing their game. It feels like they hate me and think that I'm some dirty pirate for buying their game. Excuse me, I meant RENTING their game, because you certainly only get to use for a limited time.

But it's ok, I now found out a way around all this-- I can just find a pirate version with the DRM removed and never have to pay EA a cent.

I like buying my games so I dont have to deal with pirate stuff, so that I can get tech support, so I can get legit updates and patches, and all the other reasons that its nice to own a legit copy. But this is a bad joke at the purchaser's expense.

EA will totally lose on this for punishing their paying customers. They are forcing people to pirate this mediocre game. Shame on EA

cykosisNorth of MI @ Sep 09, 2008 04:18:07 AM