Creatura

70%
Game Brain Score Based on 125 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • humor
Creatura Game Cover
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"Creatura is a simulation game in early access, available on STEAM, which allows players to design and manage ecosystems with scientifically accurate natural and artificial selection. Create and evolve your own fauna and flora using DNA editing tools like CRISPR and GMO, and sell plant cuttings to buy decorations and consumables. The game features one open-ended 'sandbox-like' mode with beautiful bonsai-style vivariums and a goal to fulfill a unique almanac of species."

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Reviews

70%
Audience ScoreBased on 125 reviews
gameplay2 positive mentions
story1 negative mentions
  • The game offers a fascinating concept that allows players to experiment with genetics and evolution in a virtual vivarium.
  • Players have reported that the game can be very engaging and provides a hands-on learning experience about biology and genetics.
  • The developer is actively working on updates and improvements, showing commitment to enhancing the game over time.
  • The game suffers from clunky controls and a confusing user interface, making it difficult for players to navigate and understand the mechanics.
  • Many players have experienced crashes and performance issues, particularly on lower-end PCs, which detracts from the overall experience.
  • The tutorial is often criticized for being overly long and not effectively teaching the necessary gameplay mechanics, leading to frustration for new players.
  • gameplay12 mentions

    Gameplay is characterized by a lengthy and somewhat clunky tutorial that, while not game-breaking, effectively introduces players to the mechanics, which are rooted in genetics and biology. Many users find the genetic manipulation and sequencing aspects engaging and satisfying, though some criticize the execution of basic features and the reliance on online gameplay. Overall, the game offers a unique experience reminiscent of "Spore," but with a slower pace and a mix of enjoyable and frustrating elements.

    • “Clearly a lot of care was put into the biology side of it; it actually gets technical enough to be interesting without swamping you with info or mechanics.”
    • “Honestly though, this is a lot like how Spore should have been; sequencing and finding the random mutations and effects is interesting and a pretty catchy game mechanic.”
    • “I have been unable to put this game down for long since I bought it; the genetics and tank arranging mechanics both have me utterly hooked.”
    • “I will have to refund this for now since I don't even get to experience any gameplay before potentially damaging my machine.”
    • “Looks like an interesting concept, but poorly executed basic features demand fully online gameplay and only capable of doing autosave, instead of actually saving the game settings after you change them.”
    • “The tutorials spend more time with the writers cracking jokes on each other than any actual teaching of basic mechanics.”
  • graphics11 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed feedback, with some users praising the aesthetics and realism, particularly in animal designs, while others criticize the need for optimization, especially on lower-end systems. The visuals are described as beautiful but inconsistent, with some players experiencing performance issues and finicky camera controls. Overall, while the graphics have potential, they require further refinement to enhance the gaming experience.

    • “The aesthetics are very pleasing, especially with the animals; one of my friends called the flatworms 'muppets'. I also appreciate the game's sense of humor with the descriptions of store items.”
    • “Beautiful graphics, intriguing premise - figuring out which codons do what is incredibly fun, especially if you have any background in biology.”
    • “I like the amount of customizability within the game, and it has good graphics.”
    • “You need to optimize your graphics.”
    • “As in just the start of the scenario, foliage with all the graphics on absolute minimum makes my computer incredibly unhappy.”
    • “I enjoyed Megaquarium, but it is an aquarium tycoon sim with polygon-like graphics that leave a lot to be desired visually.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The game's humor is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the distinct personalities and witty references of the tutorial scientists, others criticize the tutorial's dialogue for being unfunny. Overall, the humor is described as sardonic and wry, with enjoyable moments stemming from item descriptions and quirky character interactions, though not all aspects resonate positively with players.

    • “The aesthetics are very pleasing, especially with the animals; one of my friends called the flatworms 'muppets.' I like the game's sense of humor with the descriptions of store items.”
    • “The personalities of the two scientists that teach you things in the tutorial were actually pretty distinct, and the references had me chuckling.”
    • “This game is legitimately funny in a sardonic, wry sort of way, with some referential humor and also a lot of 'scientists, why are you like this?' humor.”
    • “The tutorial had terrible, terrible dialogue with relentlessly unfunny jokes rather than any focus on being a tutorial.”
    • “The humor fell flat and often felt forced, making it hard to enjoy the game.”
    • “I expected witty banter, but instead, I was met with cringeworthy attempts at comedy.”
  • story4 mentions

    Players express frustration with the game's story, noting a lack of clear guidance and an overwhelming reliance on trial and error to progress. The initial training is seen as interesting, but many feel that the narrative is underdeveloped and filled with clichés, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, there is a desire for more structured missions that provide better context and explanation.

    • “The moral of the story is that in the beginning of the game, it seems nearly impossible to tinker with the DNA, which is slightly frustrating.”
    • “Never tried a game like this before; I'd like more missions that explain stuff. The basic training is interesting, but then after that, you are on your own to randomly figure out endless codes or just get it from the internet.”
    • “The first time, it just got rid of the story guy, and I couldn't get it back to continue.”
    • “Instead of wasting players' time with inane garbage of a 'storyline,' which is little more than a half dozen clichés stuck around 'click this flashing button' lockdown style tutorial, the basics could have been explained with a couple of fullscreen graphics.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to the cumbersome genome annotation process and the inability to edit names, which complicates tracking details about selected animals. Overall, while the concept is appreciated, the execution leads to a monotonous experience.

    • “Good idea, but it's generally a pretty tedious game.”
    • “Genome annotation is painfully tedious.”
    • “The names of individuals and families cannot be edited, and the species name does not show outside of the almanac's tree, making it unnecessarily tedious to know the details of the animal you have selected.”
  • music3 mentions

    The music in the game is described as repetitive and overly upbeat, which contrasts with the relaxing vibe many players expect from the genre. While some find the sound effects jarring, there is an option to turn off the music and adjust sound settings in the menu. Overall, the audio experience has received mixed feedback, with some players appreciating the ability to customize their sound preferences.

    • “My only peeves so far is the music is kind of repetitive and a bit too upbeat for a hobby I associate with much more relaxing, zen vibes, and the UI sound effects are also rather jarring.”
    • “There's no music, the amoebas are bugged to the point where you can only make one sponge, there's too few decorations with no hints as to what creature needs what home and everything's overpriced with chest keys being one of the most expensive.”
  • emotional3 mentions

    Users find the emotional aspect of the game to be impactful, as it fosters a sense of importance and connection through its engaging logic puzzles. However, some mention that the game's physics can be inconsistent, which may detract from the overall experience.

    • “It made me feel very special and important.”
  • stability2 mentions

    The game suffers from significant stability issues, including frequent lags, freezes, and crashes, which users attribute to its early access status. The poorly designed interface exacerbates these problems, leading to a frustrating experience.

    • “The interface is poorly made - so much so that it lags and freezes.”
    • “Also very buggy and crashes a lot, but I guess it's early access.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game's optimization is currently lacking, as it struggles with real-time performance, particularly during intense moments. However, some players report being able to run it smoothly on low-end hardware, despite occasional stuttering, indicating that it is still in beta and may improve over time.

    • “Your optimization is just blatantly not real-time ready yet.”
    • “At the moment, I'm using an integrated graphics chipset and I can run this game smoothly; there's a bit of stuttering and slowness here and there when I have a lot going on in my tank at once, but it's a game in beta, unoptimized, and I'm running it on a computer that could probably be overpowered by an old potato.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The game's monetization model is praised for its lack of intrusive microtransactions, as all in-game purchases can only be made with currency provided by the developers, who even share codes to help players generate this currency easily.

    • “The game dabs on microtransactions, as the items offered in-game can only be purchased with in-game currency. The developer even provides codes in the comments section to generate that currency instantly.”
    • “The game heavily relies on microtransactions, and the in-game purchases can only be made with currency that the developer provides through codes in the comments section, making it feel less like a challenge and more like a gimmick.”
    • “Monetization is a major issue; it feels like the developers are more focused on selling in-game currency than creating a balanced gameplay experience.”
    • “The reliance on microtransactions detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game, as it seems designed to push players towards spending more money rather than rewarding them for their time and effort.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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