Clever Yes, But Fun? (Creatures 3 (PS))

Member Name: Meshek

Product:	Creatures 3 (PS)
Date:	12/01/02 (72 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Creature Learning, Creature Genes, Machines

Disadvantages: Little iteraction, no fun

This is the latest instalement of the creatures series from creature labs (unless you include the docking series addon). It sets you as a demi - god over this time a space ship. The world is inhabitat by three 'intelegent' types of creatures norns grendals and etians and other numerous plants and non - intelegent creatures. (Non - intelegent creatures do not have a proper gene simulation like these three.)

According to the game's history the grendals were created first (Norns etians and grendals were created by the race of Shee) however they were vicious and nasty and so they destroyed them all except for a few which escaped.) The etains were created next and although well meaning were endlessly curious and so were kleptomaniacs. The shee however tolerated them since they were well meaning. The final creature they created was the Norn's which were sweet and kind and so were used as servents. However the grendals began to overrun the planet and so the ship in which you player creatures 3 was created. They only meant to take the Norns and Etians on the trip but some grendals sneeked on board.

Each of the free 'intelegent' creatures have a neuron simulation to help them learn anything from words you type to not eating the 'Bad Plants'. Also each norn has over 500 genes that control every aspect of them and when they breed there genes are mix and hence their ofspring is a mixture of the two.

Because of all this is say the game is clever which it is. However in my opinion it simply is not fun. Your interaction with the world is limited to slaping or rewarding your norns (to help them learn) and typing in words that that the creatures learn. Thankfully they have also added the concepts of machines (which are built up from several components) in this instalement of this game however this in my opinion is not enough to rescue this game from being not fun.


This game as I have siad before is technically
very clever. However the designers have sacrificed gameplay to achieve this. Hopfully in the next instalement of this game this situation will be changed and this potentially entertaing game will be made so. However as it stands unless you are a big fan of virtual pet games I would highly not recommend this game.

Summary: