Games: Lost in Space--And The Screen

0.cached.png

By Meghan McCain

See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.

Why fight the debate over evolution when you can play it? Spore, an upcoming PC game from the creator of The Sims, offers this new twist in the playing-God genre of gaming: instead of managing a family, you now design your own species. Players start out as an organism and then evolve into more advanced creatures, which look like the dinosaur cousins of Shrek. You create them yourself, adding feet, eyes, claws, etc.--think "Mr. Potato Head meets Play-Doh," says the game's executive producer, Lucy Bradshaw. In higher levels, your species can travel to outer space and colonize surrounding galaxies. The early buzz for Spore, which drops next year, has been deafening; it swept the Game Critics Awards (the Oscars for videogames) a few weeks ago. "It's a milestone in video-game history," says avid gamer Nicole Fawcette, who saw it played at a recent conference. "When a game like this comes out, you can get addicted and lose your life." Just as long as you save your species.

Read More on News