- Quick specs
- Price: Free to try $39.99 to buy
- Operating system: Windows Me, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows 98
- Date added: September 28, 2005
- Total Downloads: 36,123
- Downloads last week: 2
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- CNET editors' rating: stars
- Average user rating: stars out of 13 votes
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CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: CNET Staff
Intelligent creatures called Darwinians live and evolve solely inside a computer network, but an evil Viral Infection threatens them with extinction. Armed only with a variety of executables, you must save them by destroying the virus. Initially, the sprite-based graphics give Darwinia a retro feel, but the gameplay is as engaging and far more unique than most new real-time strategy games.
You cannot control the Darwinians directly. Instead, you exert influence by using mouse gestures in the game's Task Manager to execute computer programs. One of the most basic programs is the Squad, which attacks the virus and its offspring. Other programs include Officers, which herd the Darwinians, and Engineers, which harvest souls and rebuild infrastructure. You can run up to four programs concurrently.
Although we like the concept of gesture-based commands in theory, we couldn't see the practical advantage over just punching a button. All of the other controls, including camera angles, are responsive and easy to learn, and though the graphics are pixelated, it's actually an amazing world to explore. The integrated instructions consist entirely of contextual hints and there is no accompanying documentation, but the game's Web site provides adequate assistance.
Publisher's description
From Introversion :The world of Darwinia is a virtual themepark, running inside a computer network built by a computer genius named Dr. Sepulveda. Darwinia is populated by a sentient evolving life-form called the Darwinians. They are the product of a decade's worth of research into genetic algorithms. Unfortunately, the systems of Darwinia have been overrun by an evil red Viral Infection. This Virus has multiplied out of control and must be stopped. Your task is to destroy the Viral Infection and save the Darwinians from extinction. The Darwinians cannot be directly controlled. However you can influence the world by creating Programs such as Squads and Engineers, which you can directly control and use as weapons.
Combining fast-paced action with strategic battle planning, Darwinia features a novel and intuitive control mechanism, a graphical style ripped from '80s retro classics, and a story concerning a tribe of video-game sprites trapped in a modern 3D game world. This demo gives you a taste of the unique gameplay. Use your gestures to spawn units and guide your video-game sprites across the digital landscape.
This v1.3 demo for the unique strategy game features an entirely new level not included in the full game.
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User reviews
- Average user rating: 0 stars Not yet available
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5 out of 5 people found this review helpful
Version: Darwinia demo 1.3
Pros: The idea is great, the graphics are nice, not high end but retro like. The game is fun because of the presence of two elements the strategic, and the shooting. Both are equally fun, which is unusaly in my opinion. Just a comment of the CNET review I think that the Gestures (the programs) are meant to add to the stratgic power of the game, since they allow you to use only 4 programs at the same time, this did not seem to matter much at the demo level but I think it might actualy make a difference later on in the levels. You only encounter three versions of the RED (EVIL) Darw. the original ones, and two kinds of snake like programs... I wounder if there are more or not. I am sorry to reply to one of the other comments by saying I FINISHED the demo level in an hour, the last part gets a bit tricky, but as long as you notice that your controlled (green) Darw. ar laying around the buildings and the lights are turning green you know you are doing it right. And I think the rocket just needs time to refule, so dont get impatient. I highly recomend this game. Oh by the way no problems at all with this version with unzipping etc. and also there is a tutorial which starts when you land at the island.
Cons: I could not figure out a way to replay the introduction, but that might be just me or just the demo...
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Darwinia demo 1.3
Pros: Easy gameplay while still fairly interesting.
Cons: Bad Graphics... not enough units(at least in the demo) 2 major units and one minor one.
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1 out of 1 people found this review helpful
Version: Darwinia demo 1.3
Pros: I really like this game. The makers did an excellent job and the latest demo is superb. Thank you, Introversion!
Cons: Nothing was bad about it!
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