The Bugapes had yet to recover from the Great Flood.
Once a dominant force, they had been reduced to scattered tribes hiding deep in the wilderness, far removed from their former glory. Their weakened presence made it easy for Felix to quietly reshape the terrain without attracting attention.
He chose a secluded stretch of land and poured in a mixture of animal manure, dead branches, and fallen leaves. Then he waited.
The organic matter began to rot, fermenting under microbial activity. Thick sludge formed as methane seeped upward. Slowly, a swamp took shape—dark, pungent, and alive with unseen microorganisms.
Into this murky wetland, Felix released the Evil Eyes.
They were weak, yes. But with no immediate competition, they had a chance to survive, multiply, and possibly evolve. If fate favored them, they might become this world's first true monsters—eldritch beings worthy of ancient nightmares.
And if they failed?
It wasn't a great loss. Species without the potential for supernatural evolution were destined for extinction anyway.
---
The next morning, Felix sat cross-legged in his yard, chewing on an apple and chuckling to himself.
"Working with others really does make things more interesting," he muttered. "That eyeball monster… I hate how brilliant it is. There's no way I'd come up with something that stupid on my own. I'm just too smart for that kind of nonsense."
As he idly observed the sandbox, a system prompt caught his attention.
It was full.
All one hundred player slots had been taken. Every spore was already undergoing evolution.
Felix blinked.
He hadn't even tried to promote the game. This was supposed to be a niche experiment—a side project for inspiration. He hadn't bothered polishing the interface or making it beginner-friendly.
And yet… it had exploded overnight.
Curious, he checked the internet.
A viral thread was dominating the forums:
"Miracle Tech! The Most Realistic Simulation Game Ever Made! 100% Immersion! The Most Hardcore Casual Sandbox—Spore Evolution!"
At first, most replies were skeptical. With VR technology still underdeveloped, nobody believed such a game could exist. It had to be a scam. Or a publicity stunt.
But curiosity spread fast.
A few daring players tried it—and then the thread detonated.
One of the earliest replies read:
> "It's real. This thing is insane. You can feel everything. What kind of alien tech is this?! I'm speechless!"
Naturally, the poster was immediately accused of being a paid shill.
Then more players followed.
They tested it. They got hooked. They didn't log out.
Soon, screenshots began appearing—bizarre, grotesque creatures born from failed evolutionary paths. The internet went feral.
And then came the hard truth:
Only one hundred beta slots.
Everyone else was locked out.
Those who got in? Ecstatic.
They stayed up all night posting reviews, theories, and screenshots. By morning, a detailed write-up sat pinned at the top of the forum—written by the player who had started the viral thread.
---
Spore Evolution: First Impressions
by Akinas Speedster
> Hey guys, it's me again. Yeah—that Akinas Speedster.
I was lucky enough to stumble onto this insane game before it blew up. No ads. No marketing. Just pure word of mouth. Here are my honest first impressions.
Realism
Let's not beat around the bush.
Is it realistic?
YES.
Absolutely YES.
I don't know what kind of forbidden technology powers this thing, but it feels like being dropped into another world. Calling it VR feels insulting.
The game even has pain settings. I cranked it to 100%.
Huge mistake.
I died once, and my body started convulsing. I ripped the headset off, soaked in sweat. Thought I was having a medical episode.
Never doing that again.
So yeah—this game is not for the faint-hearted.
Gameplay
Don't be fooled by the "casual sandbox" label.
There's no character creation. You start as a spore. That's it.
When I first logged in, the screen was pitch black. Why?
Because I hadn't evolved eyes yet.
You evolve.
You die.
You start over.
If your "king" organism dies, your entire species collapses. Game over. Back to being a spore.
No checkpoints. No mercy.
Sensory Immersion
I once evolved into an eyeball monster. My field of view was ridiculous.
Tried again with eight compound eyes—holy crap. The world looked like a kaleidoscope on acid.
You don't just control creatures. You become them.
Bug? Taste dirt.
Bird? Feel the wind under your wings.
Dragon? Yeah—good luck surviving that long.
Worldbuilding
Here's the wild part.
Near the ocean where spores spawn, there's a giant.
A massive humanoid figure, glowing faintly, sitting in a wooden chair outside a house.
Sometimes he reads. Sometimes he eats fruit.
You can sneak up to him. Even climb on him.
I tried that once with my eyeball creature.
Got stomped instantly. King dead. Species wiped.
RIP.
He's probably a major NPC. Or a boss. Or the literal god of this world. No one knows yet.
Final Thoughts
This game is brutal. Unforgiving. And unlike anything I've ever played.
Infinite evolutionary paths. Hyperrealistic senses. Total freedom.
My goal now is simple: survive, evolve, and create the strongest species possible.
One day, I'll become a dragon.
Then I'll fly up and… let's just say I'll express my dominance over that apple-eating giant.
That'll be legendary.
Also—don't ask for a guide. There isn't one. Evolution is chaos. Even identical choices can lead to different outcomes.
Want to get good?
Study biology. Read The Origin of Species.
Bio majors are basically gods in this game.
Anyway, I need a break. My head's spinning.
But I'm logging back in.
I'm hooked.
---
Felix stared at the screen.
"…You want to do what to my head?" he murmured.
He took another slow bite of his apple.
"The last species that disrespected me didn't last long," he said calmly. "You'll get your turn too."
He pulled out a small notebook and wrote with measured precision:
Akinas Speedster
Offense: Severe disrespect
Punishment: Pending
In the sandbox, fairness was absolute.
Give and take. Cause and effect.
Everyone paid eventually.