Darkspore Beta (Steam)

Evilsod · 30 Mar 2011 at 14:58

As per the title. You can download the 'beta' (more likely just a demo in disguise) by going to the Darkspore page on steam and downloading it.
5.5gb download.

Beta is available until Friday.

Steam said:
Darkspore is an online Action-RPG where you can play up to four players in co-op and PvP. Instead of playing a single hero character, you collect and control many heroes, each with their own unique set of special abilities. Battle across alien worlds to collect loot that you can use for upgrades. Deeply customize your heroes in an Editor based on the award-winning Creature Editor technology from Spore™.

Set in a sci-fi universe, E-DNA has escaped the lab and allowed the Darkspore to overrun all planetary life. After eons of hiding in hypersleep, you have been awakened with a mission: Reconstruct an arsenal of Genetic Heroes and destroy the Darkspore!

Key Features:
Persistent multiplayer online co-op gameplay
Dozens of heroes, hundreds of enemies, thousands of collectible upgrades
Award-winning hero editing technology allows for limitless customization
Action-RPG with both co-op campaign AND PvP arenas
AI director allows for unlimited replayability
Matchmaking lets you find other players easily, and Sidekicking enables friends of all levels to play together

£29.99 on Steam. Also has an exclusive 4 pack deal for £89.97 (£23.33 per copy).

A very loot orientated game, luckily its not down to 'who gets there first', all item pickups are awarded based on a random number roll, highest wins the item. Good fun and the customisation is awesome (has just put large spiral horns on my wasp-esque hero

).

Dave85 · 30 Mar 2011 at 16:39

Looks pretty sweet downloading

Purdy · 30 Mar 2011 at 16:41

Find it very, very repedative quickly

Retromatic · 30 Mar 2011 at 16:43

Downloaded this last night, gonna give it a try now.

Neil79 · 30 Mar 2011 at 16:47

Can't believe i'm downloading this

Damn you evilsod

GothicGhost · 30 Mar 2011 at 17:00

Take it you have to pre order to get on the beta ?

Oh i see it now

LeJosh · 30 Mar 2011 at 17:01

No it's above the "available april 2011" green box.

Tefal · 30 Mar 2011 at 18:07

looking at this now, it sems that the modifications to your character don't actaulyl do anything other than act as cosmetic changes

shame really i thought it was gonan be an rpg where you customize the character for unique genetic/physical abilities.

shadowscotland · 30 Mar 2011 at 20:56

where are you guys getting your keys from - or did you already have one?

Dave85 · 30 Mar 2011 at 21:52

Not a fan just couldn't put my finger on why.

cosmos55 · 30 Mar 2011 at 23:57

I'm getting hooked. been on it for a few hours now and getting more drawn in.

Evilsod · 31 Mar 2011 at 00:12

DAvE18 said:
Not a fan just couldn't put my finger on why.

Yeah after playing for a few hours i can't quite convince myself its worth buying now.
Not sure what it is but it just feels really sluggish and slow paced (menu's, combat, customising, everything), then you occasionally get thrown into a large fight which basically has to be resolved by huge AoE abilities from certain heroes or bust.

I guess theres also the fact that if you compare it to things like Torchlight and Diablo II everything feels more restricted, you can't just change things on the fly. Guess the fact Power/Health doesn't regenerate naturally is also quite annoying, though i suppose the point is to switch to another hero, but so far i haven't really found 1 (in solo at least) that compares to Arakna and her seriously destrictive Charge/AoE combo which means i end up using the same 1 all the time ><