Black & White: Creature Isle Updated Preview
We've got new details on this add-on's story and game modes.
Black & White was well received for a number of its many technological, gameplay, and even moral achievements. But the one factor that really differentiated this game from any other like it--even others by Peter Molyneux himself--was undoubtedly the creature AI. Your creature's ability to watch your actions, learn from them, and then act accordingly toward your villagers was viewed by many as a feat unmatched in gaming. With that in mind, Molyneux and the designers at Lionhead
Studios set forth to expand on the experience of interacting with your creature. The end result is (or will be) the expansion pack called Creature Isle. This add-on was first shown off at this year's ECTS in London but was only officially announced by Electronic Arts a few weeks ago. We recently had the chance to visit the company's offices in Redwood City, where we saw aspects of Creature Isle that were not covered in our original preview, including more on the storyline, the focal character, Tyke, and some of the game's more unique trials.
It should be noted that Creature Isle is a straightforward expansion pack, meaning that it doesn't add any new gameplay mechanics, control options, or features to Black & White's core formula. The add-on is still about manipulating your creature to do your bidding, and ultimately, anyone who's played Black & White will be able to jump into this expansion without so much as sneaking a single peek at the instruction booklet. Having said that, Creature Isle is split up into three unique gameplay modes. The most important addition to the game is Tyke, a chick that your creature will have to raise from infancy to adulthood. You'll also be able to micromanage several villages in the expansion pack and compete in any one of 24 minigames or trials. Following Black & White's theme of seamless integration between its various elements, these modes in Creature Isle aren't too cut and dried. That is, you don't "log off" playing around with Tyke to go manage your villagers. Everything you can do in the game is done within the same interface, without any breaks, cuts, or interruptions. Those looking for more than just the same content will be glad to know that Creature Isle will also let you control two brand-new creature types--the rhino and the crocodile--and will give you access to two brand-new spells: cancel creature spell, which negates the effects of any magic cast upon your creature by another, and speed spell, which gives your creature a speed boost for a limited amount of time.
As you've probably guessed, Creature Isle takes place after Black & White. The expansion pack actually opens up with the same three (annoying) missionaries that you helped rescue on the first island of Black & White. Their ship crashes onto a strange new island, and they disembark to find friendly, albeit godless, villagers inhabiting this island. The missionaries tell the villagers about their god (you)--that you are almighty, that you have a powerful creature, and that you can travel between worlds. The missionaries explain to these people that if they believe in you, you will come, and sure enough, a vortex opens up onto the island, and out come your two consciences: the old man and the little devil. They tell you that this island lacks the presence of any gods, which means that you'll have the luxury of exploring the land at your total leisure, since you'll never have to compete with other deities. Because of this, Creature Isle will let you micromanage the many villages in the game at your own pace--in Black & White, you were always vying for control against several other gods. This also means that the game should appeal to those who thought the original was a little too difficult. But that doesn't mean that Creature Isle won't be without challenge...
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- GameSpot Score8.0great
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Black & White: Creature Isle Video Review
Black & White was one of the most highly anticipated games of 2001. A little under a year later, the official expansion pack, Black & White: Creature Isle has hit the shelves to satiate those looking to take their creatures further. Will these new challenges be enough to keep fans happy? Greg Kasavin explains in this video review.
- Jan 22, 2002
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- EA Games
- Lionhead Studios
- Real-Time Strategy
- Release: Jan 21, 2002
- ESRB: Teen
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