The look of the game is not quite as cute or young as Spore, but it definitely isn’t as dark as a series like Diablo. It should appeal to gamers of all ages, but the characters themselves will most likely skew a bit younger. Controlling a squad of heroes representing different powers and elements is closer to Pokemon (an intentional touchstone for the development team) than to a traditional RPG where the player assumes the role of a single character.

When the rumor first broke, I was extremely skeptical of a Spore action-RPG, but after having seen Darkspore in action, it is on my radar for next year. There seems to be a good amount of depth in the game’s systems. While Spore definitely disappointed in the gameplay department, this title looks to be fast-paced, challenging, and something to keep an eye on.

preview here