Darwinia (PC)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 4.0 stars Excellent
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 8.5 (4.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Greg Mueller
• Reviewed on: 08/25/2005
• Updated on: 02/07/2006
• Released on: 12/14/2005
• Originally published on GameSpot: Darwinia (PC) Review

Introversion Software brings another uniquely retro-virtual experience to the PC with Darwinia. If you follow obscure basement-budget PC games, you're probably familiar with Introversion's first title, Uplink: Hacker Elite, a computer-hacking game released in 2001. Uplink developed a bit of a cult following and provided the guys at Introversion with the funds to develop Darwinia, which maintains the same low-fi, indie feel that makes these kinds of games so endearing. Darwinia is a deceptively simple, poignant real-time strategy game wrapped in an abstract, minimalist veneer that somehow manages to make perfect sense within the context of the game. It's a brilliant and addictive experience that's unlike anything you've played before.

The first thing you'll notice about Darwinia is the odd art design. The game features a mix of 2D and 3D characters moving about a fully 3D environment. There are no textures in the game, and everything has a sharp, geometric look to it. The vector graphics fit perfectly here though, since the game takes place in a virtual theme park populated by digital inhabitants. Even though everything is flat and undetailed, Introversion manages to pull off some pretty nice effects. For example, when you blow up some of the larger enemies, they'll flake apart into hundreds of small, paper-thin triangles that float away into nothingness. Another nice touch is the digital spirits that are left behind when a creature dies. These spirits are represented by tiny, colored, semitransparent squares that slowly float into the sky and fade away. It's oddly entrancing to watch a cloud of spirits rise almost indiscernibly skyward after a battle. The game is full of these ethereal moments, and it's easy to lose yourself in the landscape.

Once you get past the initial novelty of the art design, you'll find that the world of Darwinia has a pretty interesting story behind it. The world of Darwinia is a virtual theme park, created by computer engineer Dr. Sepulveda. The world is inhabited by virtual life-forms known as Darwinians. These little green lemming-like creatures have lived peacefully for thousands of generations, but now a deadly virus has infected the world of Darwinia. It's up to you to eliminate all signs of infection and save the Darwinians from extinction. You'll learn everything there is to know about Darwinia from Dr. Sepulveda himself; he'll occasionally transmit helpful messages to let you know what you need to do to clear each level. He also provides a bit of context at the beginning of each level by explaining the purpose of the mission and why it's essential to the survival of the Darwinians. The story seems minimal, but it's presented clearly; and somehow, it does a great job of making you feel a certain fondness for the tiny green blips that are the Darwinians.

The gameplay is solid here as well, and it offers a good mix of strategy, action, and even a bit of puzzle-solving. You can't directly control the Darwinians, but you can create different programs that you can use to fight enemies, collect spirits, or herd and transport Darwinians. By holding the Alt key, you'll bring up the task manager, which is the simple menu system that you can use to create and modify units and check the level objectives. To create a program, you simply draw a gesture with the mouse. For example, to create a squad, which you need for fighting enemies, you have to draw a triangle. The controls do take a bit of getting used to, but it's worth it to leave the play screen free of the usual clutter of RTS games.

In the beginning, the task manager can only hold up to three programs at a time; but as you progress, you can ask Dr. Sepulveda to improve it to hold more programs. So, rather than being limited by resources, you're limited by space. If one of your programs is terminated, you can simply draw a quick gesture to spawn a new one. There are only a handful of different programs in the game, but each one plays an integral part in the game. Also, the lack of variety adds to the challenge, because you have to figure out how to best use each program to complete your objectives. You can't simply amass resources for an hour and then send a massive army out to crush everything in its path. This type of strategy is a bit more methodical.

Continue reading

Compare prices for Darwinia

This product is currently not in stock at any of our online merchants.

Email me when this product is available

Recent user reviews

• Average user rating: 0 stars Not yet available
  Back to product review
• My rating: 0 stars Write review

• Showing 1 of 1 user review

• 3.5 stars

  "Good gameplay but short"

  by Formidable Fox on July 31, 2008

• See 1 user review Write review