GameLemon:
"Well, no. Most of my criticism isn't so much directed at blackening Spore's reputation as it is trying to find out why this game isn't the masterpiece it clearly could have been. It has a lot going for it: a well-thought-out graphics engine that can still pull some admiring gasps when it needs to - its depiction of outer space can be almost as awe-inspiring as the first Homeworld, my personal benchmark for space-based beauty. It also can boast a good bit of content, a dash of humour and a lot of freedom for a creatively-minded player. But in order to woo the more casual players it seems as though Maxis have sacrificed the opportunity to give the game depth and, ultimately, longevity. Make no bones about it, Spore is a good game. But it is only good, not great, not excellent, and even though you'll want to do a lot with it at first, you'll probably only replay it now and again. If there isn't much on TV. Maybe."
