Impossible Creatures

96%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,074 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Impossible Creatures Game Cover
The game strategy in Impossible Creatures is not original (ranged units beat melee, melee trumps artillery, and artillery wins over ranged units), but the premise is thoroughly entertaining: Think a combat-oriented The Island of Dr. Moreau. You create an army by mixing the body parts and attributes
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"Impossible Creatures" is a 3D real-time strategy game where players build genetically-altered animal armies to battle against evil on remote islands. The Steam edition features updated graphics and Workshop support for mods, including full C++ support and tools for custom creature creation. With a vast array of possible creature combinations, players can unleash their creativity in this 1930s-era world.

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Reviews

96%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,074 reviews
story45 positive mentions
stability7 negative mentions
  • Unique creature creation mechanic allows for endless combinations and strategies.
  • Nostalgic gameplay that appeals to fans of classic RTS games.
  • Engaging campaign with a humorous storyline and memorable characters.
  • Graphics are dated and may not appeal to modern gamers.
  • Some balance issues in gameplay, particularly in single-player and multiplayer modes.
  • AI can be overly aggressive, making certain missions frustratingly difficult.
  • story135 mentions

    The game's story is characterized as a cheesy, campy sci-fi adventure that blends humor with a nostalgic 1930s aesthetic, featuring memorable characters and a variety of creature combinations. While some players find the narrative engaging and entertaining, others criticize it for being simplistic and occasionally tedious, particularly in mission design. Overall, the story serves as a fun backdrop to the gameplay, appealing to those who enjoy lighthearted, over-the-top narratives in their RTS experiences.

    • “The game boasts a compelling storyline enriched by memorable and vivid characters.”
    • “The campaign story can be rather deep, and at times comical; it has an air of new discovery vibes.”
    • “The campaign is hilariously over-the-top cheesy 40s-50s steampunk mad science adventure over 15-ish missions which go from easy to insanely hard really.”
    • “Let's be clear though, the story doesn't nearly do enough to draw you in on its own.”
    • “The story of the main campaign is rather uninteresting, but several of the characters are fairly well done and entertaining in a campy sort of way.”
    • “The story is incredibly cheesy and trope-filled; don't expect A+ writing here.”
  • graphics99 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated, reflecting its early 2000s origins, yet many players find them acceptable given the game's age. While some reviews express a desire for modern updates and enhancements, others appreciate the charm and unique aesthetic that the graphics contribute to the overall experience. Overall, the visuals may not meet contemporary standards, but they do not detract significantly from the gameplay, which remains engaging and enjoyable.

    • “On the other hand, I think this is one of my favorite RTS stories and the steampunk aesthetics are on another level.”
    • “Great sense of humor, great graphics even all these years later, and the basic premise of combining (parts of) individual animals in order to create your creatures elevates the game to a truly unique experience.”
    • “Like World of Warcraft, Impossible Creatures opts for a simplistic, artsy graphical approach that lets this old school RTS still feel decent in that department.”
    • “Overall it's a fun, imaginative concept executed very well with its gameplay, despite its old graphics.”
    • “The game lacks any real graphical updates for the modern gamer.”
    • “Compared to today's standards, it's a light game with a great idea, mediocre graphics, and below average cut-scene quality.”
  • gameplay86 mentions

    The gameplay of this RTS is characterized by its innovative creature-building mechanic, allowing players to combine animals into unique hybrids, which adds a fun and imaginative layer to the experience. While the core mechanics may feel simplistic and somewhat dated, the game compensates with a charming narrative and a solid campaign, making it enjoyable despite some balance issues and repetitive elements. Overall, it offers a distinctive and entertaining gameplay experience that stands out in the genre.

    • “Its unique gameplay—letting you combine animals to create bizarre, powerful hybrids—was both innovative and endlessly entertaining.”
    • “The gameplay is excellent and I have not found any other game like this that captures the same spirit—building your own units in so many combinations and strategies is delightful.”
    • “Overall, it's a fun, imaginative concept executed very well with its gameplay, despite its old graphics.”
    • “The concept is neat, letting you mix and match parts of two animals to create hybrids with different abilities, but the gameplay overall feels dated and clunky, and after a while, each level, which just involves you rushing to tech up to counter enemy attacks, feels repetitive.”
    • “Unfortunately, due to extreme balance issues, game design oversights, and a complete lack of any and all forms of community management or organization, online gameplay often leaves me feeling dissatisfied and uninvolved, as though I could have better spent my time in a different, more recently-designed game.”
    • “I would describe the gameplay as fairly simplistic and fast-paced, and I would compare the in-match gameplay to be similar to Warcraft or Starcraft, but definitely a lot less complex as there's only one faction with an average number of different buildings that can be placed and a max of 9 unit types for each army.”
  • humor31 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its creativity and charm, with players enjoying the hilarious combinations of hybrid animals and the over-the-top, cheesy narrative. The dialogue and voice acting are intentionally exaggerated, adding to the comedic experience, while the campaign missions provide a mix of challenge and laughter. Overall, the game's unique premise and funny scenarios make it a delightful and entertaining experience.

    • “The humor is fun and not forced; the levels are challenging at just the right balance.”
    • “The campaign is hilariously over-the-top cheesy 40s-50s steampunk mad science adventure over 15-ish missions which go from easy to insanely hard.”
    • “Just trying the different combinations of animals is such a funny part of this game.”
  • replayability11 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is highly praised, with many users highlighting its depth, complexity, and the variety of army-building options that keep the experience fresh. While some players feel it lacks replay value after initial play, the majority agree that the diverse combinations of creatures and strategies offer significant replay potential, making it a standout in the RTS genre.

    • “That I can still play this game and enjoy it in 2023 is a testament to its fun and replayability.”
    • “If you are looking for a new game that has infinite replay value, then this is the game for you.”
    • “With the ability to create 9 different creatures per army and 61 different creatures to choose from, this game has a lot of replayability.”
    • “This game has no replay value after the first few hours!”
    • “Finding the perfect matches amongst the many combinations of creatures grants this game so much replay value; without it, it would be just another RTS, in my opinion.”
    • “Unlike every other RTS I've ever played, this one might have the highest replayability possible because all the units are customized.”
  • stability11 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while many players report smooth performance and no significant issues after updates, others experience frequent glitches and bugs, particularly with the Steam port and workshop features. Some users attribute these problems to compatibility with modern operating systems or the game's age. Despite these concerns, many still find the game enjoyable and well-optimized for current systems.

    • “The game runs great for me again now that I updated to Visual C++ 2015-2023.”
    • “It runs great and is tons of fun.”
    • “This game runs great, even on the latest OS.”
    • “I do have a complaint, however, and that is the game is buggy as hell. I wonder if it is due to Steam or the fact it is an old game running on a modern OS.”
    • “Steam port is a little buggy, especially around the workshop.”
    • “I played for two hours and encountered several glitches.”
  • music9 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for enhancing the experience, with some reviewers highlighting its quality and ability to create a fitting atmosphere across different levels. While some find certain tracks annoying, overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, particularly for an RTS.

    • “This game is peak RTS for me; it's fast-paced fun and the music is unrivaled.”
    • “I am pleased to tell anybody reading my review that it works flawlessly on my system, and I am back to creating impossible creatures while jamming to the theme music.”
    • “Music: 8 - different music for each level/environment, creates a nice atmosphere.”
    • “Though on the negative side, 'the critters are under attack' is seriously very annoying... just mute your game and play some 'Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger' (or some other ironic music) and unmute for the cutscenes.”
    • “- music sounds fine (RTS games aren't exactly known for their soundtracks anyways).”
    • “- music sounds fine (RTS games aren't exactly known for their soundtracks anyways).”
  • grinding6 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be quite tedious, often requiring the use of guides and easier difficulty settings to manage the campaign's challenges. The need to farm resources for upgrades adds to the grind, with some missions feeling overly repetitive and punishing, especially when failure necessitates a complete restart. Overall, while some enjoy the nostalgic elements, others feel the grind detracts from the experience.

    • “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding, as it allows you to unlock powerful abilities and gear.”
    • “The grind is satisfying, with each level-up feeling like a significant achievement.”
    • “I love how the grinding mechanics are balanced; it never feels tedious and always offers something new to strive for.”
    • “I'd give it a recommendation, but highly advise using a guide and playing on easier difficulties the first time around, as the campaign can be extremely grindy and hard at times.”
    • “Failing a mission means you have to restart, which is tedious for 30-minute missions.”
    • “On the other hand, if you found them tedious and formulaic, Impossible Creatures doesn't differ enough to convert you and has some idiosyncratic faults of its own.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    Overall, users express mixed feelings about the game's optimization. While the modern optimization allows for significantly faster loading times compared to the original version, there are still concerns regarding performance issues, particularly on Mac systems and with outdated technology leading to crashes and lag.

    • “Performance - being very outdated at this point, Impossible Creatures is prone to crashes and even lag, likely due to the game being built for operating systems almost two decades ago.”
    • “I wish this was optimized for gameplay on a Mac.”
    • “Performance - being very outdated at this point, Impossible Creatures is prone to crashes and even lag, likely due to the game being built for operating systems from almost two decades ago.”
    • “The optimization they have done for making the game run on modern computers works perfectly as far as I can tell; it loads and starts games 10 times as fast as the original disc copy.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    Reviewers suggest that the game's monetization strategy could benefit from a sequel or a complete overhaul, as the initial release suffered from limited advertising, which hindered its potential to generate hype and attract a larger audience.

    • “The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “I feel pressured to spend money to enjoy the game fully, which is frustrating.”
    • “The in-game purchases are overpriced and not worth the value they provide.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with many reviewers rating it a perfect 10/10, noting that the graphics, while not top-tier, complement the overall experience. The diverse music tailored to each level enhances the immersive quality, contributing to a captivating ambiance.

    • “In my books, it's an easy 10/10, save for maybe the graphics, but even those have their own little place, seeming somehow fitting to the game and its atmosphere.”
    • “Music: 8 - different music for each level/environment creates a nice atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players in the game world.”
    • “Despite some interesting concepts, the overall atmosphere is dull and fails to evoke any real emotion or tension.”
    • “The game’s atmosphere is inconsistent, swinging from moments of potential to stretches of boredom that detract from the experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
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Critic Reviews

79% average critic score

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