Cheap Creatures (Jewel Case) (Software) (Windows NT, Windows 95, Windows 98) Price

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Customer Reviews of Creatures (Jewel Case)

Simply amazing for its time, or any time
This game is amazing but worrying.

The game is 2-D, but that won't matter, you don't "control" the creatures. There are no pre-programed creatures or behavior. The artificial inteligence demonstrated by the norns (the species of the creatures in this game) makes furbees look like those dolls that have a string you pull to make them talk (no offense to furbee lovers, especially if I can't spell furbee). Your role in this game is to be the "terrarium keeper". You have to try to keep them alive, happy, and healthy in the world they live in, which, although it isn't huge, will keep you happy. Your tool is the hand, with which you may pick up food, other animals, toys, interact with objects, and pet or dicipline your norns. You may have up to seven or eight norns in your world at a time, but you can export norns for future use, or give them to a fellow creatures player. The ultimate goal in this game is... well, I guess it is up to you. One goal is to create norns with strange or unique traits, such as colored skin or imortality. Also there is a score, affected by births, deaths, and your norns health. However, if you are interested in this game, there are two sequels, Creatures adventurtes, and other games with a similar premise, which you can find right here on Amazon.

The worrying thing about this series is the artificial intelegence, which sometimes almost seems alive. What does this say about us? If we can program a computer to emulate life increasingly well, including comunication, what is to say that someday we may create something that is a computer, and yet alive. It seems imposible, but if it will happen, it looks as though the day is close. Frightning, isn't it?

Classic
I bought this game when it was first released, and it has never ceased to amaze me... Because of the open-ended nature of gameplay, this title provides infinite replay value. As if the initial demonstration of very well constructed artificial intellegence (and hormone) systems wasn't enough, the real pleasure of this game is attained through discovery of how much of the norn's behavior can be controlled through both selective breeding and learning experiences. The social interactions are complex enough to keep you busy for a while, too. This title is still worth its initial price, and this reduced offer is certainly not one to pass up.